**
Q: It seems you get better and better each week. Do you feel that or do you feel like you've had ups and downs? How do you look at the seven games you've played?**
Mack: "Like you said, you try to go out and get better each week and know what the offense is going to do and just be ready for what they try to throw at you."
Q: The Cleveland Browns offered a lot of praise – I think Brian Hoyer said that you earned universal respect throughout their locker room without even being asked about you. He just said that in his press conference. What does that mean to make that type of impact where somebody is going to go out of their way to say something?
Mack: "It's gratifying in a personal aspect, but even then, you want to go out and win the game. You know what I mean? It can mean something once you stamp a win, but we're still working on that win. All you see out there is hunger for a win."
Q: You're getting a lot of pressure on the quarterback the last few weeks. Are you thinking about that first sack or is just getting pressure enough?
Mack: "It's something that's constantly on my mind. All my teammates talk about it. It'll come soon enough, but even then I'm working hard to get there."
Q: Do you have a sack dance prepared?
Mack: "I don't want to jinx it, but I'm still trying to get there man. I have to get there first to make up a dance."
Q: Coach Sparano was saying that you're measured by a lot of people in terms of how many sacks you get, but do you look at it that way or there are so many more measurements I suppose you could use, right?
Mack: "You can look at it that way, but at the same time, I have to keep getting better. I have to keep going and getting better each week. I can't look back. I have to look towards the Seattle Seahawks now and look at what their tackles are doing and try to get Russell Wilson this week."
Q: What are the things you need to work do you think? Is there one or two areas where you feel as if you can get better?
Mack: "Yeah, it's all timing. It's all due time. I feel like the quarterbacks now are getting the ball out fast and in order to get there you have to get there fast. So I'm just working on getting there fast."
Q: A lot of guys in your position are pass-rush specialists; how much pride do you take in being a three-down guy that can do it against the run, be an all-around player?
Mack: "Exactly when you say all-around player. You don't want to come off the field. I want to do my part and if I'm on the field on third down, I want to be able to go and get the quarterback."
Q: Is tackling the running back behind the line feel as good as tackling the quarterback or is there something special about the quarterback?
Mack: "It's all special. I love the game. When you can make a play behind the line of scrimmage, it only adds to the team's morale and it only adds to make it harder for the offense to convert on third down."
Q: Where do you think you've grown as a run defender?
Mack: "You can say I've grown, but even then, my mindset has always been to knock the guy back in front of me and make a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, bringing that even from my college playing days. I wanted to make an impact in the run game as well as the pass game."
Q: What are the challenges of Russell Wilson this week with the read-option? How difficult is that for you to deal with that and Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson keeping it?
Mack: "Every week is a challenge. This week it just so happens that it's a new challenge. Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson are two Super Bowl-winning players and knowing that they have an explosive offense in certain senses, you have to be ready for it. I know guys are going to be looking at film tonight and tomorrow and Wednesday we're going to come in and do what we can to prepare to stop it."
Q: How has this losing streak been for you to go through? I imagine it's difficult, but is it something that has gotten worse as the losses have piled up? How have you dealt with it?
Mack: "You can't think about losing. You have to think about progressing and getting better, especially from a player aspect. You can only do what you can control and I'm going out every week and trying to do my job. That's all I can control. That's all we're looking forward to is the next game now and trying to go get that next win."
Q: I'm wondering if teams look at you as just another guy the first couple of games, but now do you think you're a marked man? Are they moving away from you? Are they doing things to counter you? Or do you think they're going after you to try to take you out of the game more?
Mack: "It's the game of football. You're going to get schemed against. You're going to get different looks. You're going to get different blocks. You're going to get doubled here; you're going to get doubled there. You have to play football and that's what we get paid to do."
Q: But did that happen at the beginning of the year and, if not, is it happening more and more each week?
Mack: "Honestly, I felt like earlier on it was a lot more different things that I've seen as far as not getting the ball ran my way or things of that nature. Even then, it's not about me when I'm on the field. I'm going out there trying to play my best so that my team can win."
Q: This rookie class that you're a part of – I know you guys are in different positional meeting rooms and things like that – but with so many guys contributing so much right now, is there a certain kind of bond like, 'hey, we can lift this group up and be a part of a resurrection of this franchise?'
Mack: "No doubt. I feel like we have a responsibility. That's the reason they brought us here is to make a difference in any way, and make a positive difference in any way I should say. Derek [Carr] is a bright young man; he's smart. He's a leader. He knows how to lead from the front and so we're just following his lead and I'm trying to pull my end from the defensive side of the ball and hopefully we can get everything going."
