ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Shortly after drafting him in 2011, John Elway dubbed Von Miller a “once-in-a-decade” talent.
Entering his seventh year in the league, the former No. 2 overall draft pick has proved his boss right in the aspect that Miller’s talent is nearly one of a kind.
They key word being nearly.
The only part of Elway’s statement that now seems to be off is his timetable, thanks in part to the Denver Broncos biggest rival, the Oakland Raiders.
Three years and three picks later in the draft—not even a third of a decade after Miller entered the league—the Raiders selected Von 2.0, Khalil Mack.
Entering his fourth season in the league, Mack has done what many thought was nearly impossible: live up to the Von Miller comparisons that he had when he entered the league.
“Two of the better guys going in the league today,” Raiders’ head coach Jack Del Rio said fondly as he’s personally coached both Mack and Miller. “You are glad when you have them; I know that. It was great having Von, and it’s certainly great having Khalil. They are both outstanding players.”
Through the first three full season of Mack’s career and the first six of Miller’s, both players have been Pro Bowl caliber every year but one. The “hardware” that each have complied are nearly identical, accounting for the differences in experience. Mack is a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time First-team All-Pro, only missing out on each award his rookie year.
Miller, on the other hand, isn’t too shabby himself, racking up five Pro Bowls, three First-team All-Pro’s, two Second-team All-Pro’s, Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 and Super Bowl 50 MVP. The only year Miller missed our on an award was 2013 when he only played in nine games due to a suspension to start the year and a torn ACL to end his year early.
While Von has a Super Bowl victory, Super Bowl MVP and Defensive Rookie of the Year Award over Khalil, Mack has one of the few awards Miller doesn’t—Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY).
Mack narrowly edged out Miller by one vote to be named DPOY in 2016. The final final vote tally was Khalil 18, Von 17. Instead of this designation showing that Mack is the better of the two, it actually proved how much of a tossup it is between the two players.
Entering this season, the oddsmakers in Vegas believed it was a coin toss between the two again, as they were tied at five-to-one odds to win 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, only trailing Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt, and rightfully so as their career stats are nearly identical.
If all of this wasn’t enough, both had their eyes set on 30 sacks this season. To put that in perspective, the record for sacks in a single season is 22.5, set by Michael Strahan in 2001. Although neither is close to that pace—Von is on track for 16 and Khalil 11—it shows they both approach the game with a similar mindset.
When it comes to what matters most, wins, Von has the edge. In his 98 career NFL games, Von has a .66 win percentage compared to Khalil’s .46. Additionally, in head-to-head matchups, Von has the slight edge with the Broncos winning four games to the Raiders’ two. Mack’s seven sacks in these games—including a five-sack performance in 2015—does, however, outmatch Von’s four. After starting his career 0-3 against Denver, Mack has gone 2-1 in his three most recent battles.
“He’s the best player behind Von Miller,” Broncos’ starting left tackle Garett Bolles said about the Silver & Black’s No. 52. “Because that’s the best player in the world in my opinion.”
So, what gives between the leagues best two players, as Bolles and last seasons DPOY voting would suggest.
In terms of talent and production, nothing. However, there is a minute difference in how they play.
“I think what you see Khalil Mack do a lot of is just go right through people and crush them,” Broncos’ quarterback Trevor Siemian said as he recalled Mack sacking him twice in Week 9 last year. “I think Von can do that too, but just different players a little bit.”
While Mack takes the most direct route to the quarterback—“crushing” his way through offensive lineman—Miller takes the detour around them.
“Von has a hell of a get off,” Mack said as he praised his competition while trying to identify a difference in his counterparts game. “He can bend that corner like nobody else in the league. Kudos to him for that. I’m more of a physical guy in that approach. Not taking that away from him, but that’s what I utilize the most.”
After calling Mack a “special player,” Broncos’ head coach Vance Joseph did his best to identify the differences between the two All-Pro’s, saying, “It’s not much in my opinion. [Mack’s] a bigger man than Von. I think Von is a better space player than he is.”
Apart of what makes Mack a more physical player is his ability to play both standing up, like Miller, and with his hand in the dirt—more typical of a 4-3 defensive end. In 2015, Mack because the first player to be named a First-team All-Pro at two different positions due to his ability to play both defensive end and outside linebacker at an elite level.
The difference between the two, simply put, is Von has a slight edge as a pass rusher, while Khalil has an edge as a run defender. Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, Pro Football Focus graded Miller and Mack as the second and third-best edge defender in the league, respectively, only behind Dallas Cowboys’ defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.
Miller graded out as the second-best edge pass rusher and the 23rd-best edge run defender, while Mack graded out as best edge run defender and the 10th-best pass rusher.
“They’re both guys who can wreck a game,” Joseph said without a doubt in his mind. “If you don’t account for those guys with your scheme and players blocking them one-on-one, it could be a long day for you.”
So, at the end of the day, who’s better? In Denver, the nod most likely goes to Von and in Oakland, Mack likely gets the nod.
In the end, it comes down to picking your poison—either one is likely lethal.
