NFL Rumors: Khalil Mack And Bruce Irvin Form The Slash Brothers For The Oakland Raiders

NFL rumors have swirled around Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin. Now that the latter has decided to leave the Seattle Seahawks and join the Oakland Raiders, the black and silver have a chance to dominate on defense. The Raiders envision being able to attack quarterbacks like the Super Bowl winning Denver Broncos did with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. According to Oregon Live, Mack and Irvin are embracing the hype and calling themselves the Slash Brothers.

With all due respect to Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, and the San Antonio Spurs, the Golden State Warriors are the hottest team in the NBA right now. They’re on track to beat a single season winning record that has been held by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson, and the Chicago Bulls for years. A big reason why they’re so good is because of the Splash Brothers, the explosive and dominant back court tandem of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

The Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders are both in the Bay Area. They’re both also very popular with their fan bases. There’s a natural bond between the two teams because of their locality. Since one team is in the NBA and the other is in the NFL, there’s no real rivalry because they’re playing different sports. Borrowing the Splash Brothers name and modifying it to be the Slash Brothers, that’s something that both the Warriors and Raiders can enjoy.

If Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack can become dominant enough that Oakland Raiders fans embrace the Slash Brothers nickname, then that would be a great thing for the franchise. It would be an awful thing for other teams in the NFL, though, because it would make them a powerhouse. The whole world witnessed Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware dominate the red hot Carolina Panthers on their way to a Super Bowl, so the Raiders want to emulate that with Irvin and Mack.

Khalil Mack was already one of the most dangerous players in the NFL. He was able to get to the quarterbacks almost at will. Offensive tackles needed help from offensive guards to slow Mack down. Mack was so good that he made the All Pro team at two different positions. Khalil was versatile enough to play both defensive end and outside linebacker. By putting another disruptive pass rusher in Bruce Irvin on the other side of the field, the Oakland Raiders have made Mack even more dangerous.

Bruce Irvin is hoping that the Oakland Raiders can make him more dangerous. With the Seattle Seahawks, Bruce Irvin spent a lot of time dropping back into coverage and taking on blockers during run plays. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll knew that Irvin was versatile, so he tried to use him in a variety of ways. Bruce felt that Seattle was holding him back by doing that, so he signed with the Raiders in the hopes that head coach Jack Del Rio and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. will utilize him more as a pass rusher.

A dominant pass rush might be what the Oakland Raiders need to get to the Super Bowl because their offense is already one of the better ones in the NFL. Derek Carr is the best quarterback that the franchise has seen in a while. Michael Crabtree is a very reliable veteran. Amari Cooper might become one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League. By adding former Baltimore Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele, the Raiders now have arguably the best offensive line.

The Splash Brothers have already won an NBA Championship for the Golden State Warriors. The Slash Brothers are hoping they can win an NFL Championship for the Oakland Raiders.