Mack, Bears set to battle Raiders in London

The NFL kicks off its four-game London package when the Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders meet across the pond at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. The meeting will be the curtain-raiser for a five-week American football treat for the British, who also are scheduled to host Carolina-Tampa Bay in Week 6 (also at Tottenham), Cincinnati-Los Angeles Rams (at Wembley Stadium) in Week 8 and Houston-Jacksonville (Wembley) in Week 9.

The Raiders (2-2) will be the game's designated home team, as they were when they lost 38-14 to Miami in 2014 and 27-3 to Seattle last year in their two previous visits. The Bears (3-1) will be making their second trip to London, having turned back Tampa Bay 24-18 in 2011.

The matchup will be the first between the interconference rivals since a 22-20 Bears home win in 2015, and the first since the clubs shook hands on a trade that sent standout pass-rusher Khalil Mack from Oakland to Chicago last Sept. 1 in a deal that involved five draft picks, and possibly a sixth. The Raiders also delivered a 2020 second-rounder and conditional 2020 fifth-rounder to the Bears, while getting in return first-rounders in 2019 and 2020, a third-rounder in 2020 and a sixth-rounder in 2019.

Mack paid immediate dividends for the Bears. His 12.5 sacks last season helped propel Chicago to a 12-4 record and a spot in the NFC playoffs, where they lost to Philadelphia. The Raiders' first-round pick in 2014 already has 4.5 sacks and a league-high four forced fumbles this season, including 1.5 and one, respectively, last week in a 16-6 suffocation of the Minnesota Vikings.

Immediately after that win, Mack turned his attention to his former employer, at first attempting to downplay his extra motivation this week, but later allowing some of his fire to spew out. "I was disappointed (to be traded)," he told reporters in a civil tone earlier this week. "Yeah, you could say I'm suppressing the emotional side of it. But the other side is to go out and make them pay for it."

Mack will be taking aim this week on former teammate Derek Carr, whose 21-for-31, 189-yard, two-touchdown effort was critical in Oakland's surprising 31-24 win at Indianapolis last Sunday. The Raiders also got 108 total yards -- including 79 on the ground -- from rookie running back Josh Jacobs, the Alabama standout they were able to secure with the first of the four picks given them by the Bears.

"I think both teams are winning the trade," Carr told reporters this week. "I think if you can get Khalil Mack on your team, you're winning. If you can get Josh Jacobs on your team, you're winning. I think that's the best way to put it." The Bears will counter Carr with backup quarterback Chase Daniel, with starter Mitchell Trubisky officially out with what has been reported to be a dislocated left shoulder and slight labrum tear.

Daniel replaced Trubisky early in the win over the Vikings last week. He connected with running back Tarik Cohen for Chicago's only touchdown and finished 22 of 30 for 195 yards. Second-year linebacker Roquan Smith, who missed the Minnesota game because of what coach Matt Nagy called "personal reasons," will play against the Raiders. Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, who sat out against the Vikings with a knee issue, missed Wednesday's practice and was listed as questionable.

The teams have split 14 previous head-to-heads in their all-time series. 

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