Cooper, selected fifth overall in the 2015 draft, had performed well for two consecutive seasons. He made the Pro Bowl and was named to the All-Pro Second Team as a rookie, and was universally regarded as one of the finest players of the 2015 class.
In the first half of this season, on one hand, quarterback Carl had been absent due to injuries, and on the other, Cooper himself also experienced some lows. As a result, he hadn’t made much of an impact and was nearly forgotten by people.
It wasn’t until the game against the Kansas City Chiefs that Cooper rebounded from rock bottom.
Not only did he regain his form, but the Oakland Raiders also rejoined the playoff race. Cooper immediately returned to his youthful and spirited form from when he first gained fame, eager to start trash-talking even before the pre-game interviews began.
Afterward, Houston fired back without showing weakness.
"Yeah, he should stop peeking in the locker room at his teammates, even though there’s nothing much to see there."
Don’t be fooled by Houston’s usual silence; his trash talk struck with lethal force:
While Cooper said the Chieftain lingered under the cheerleaders’ skirts, Houston fired back with a jab at the Raiders’ locker room brawls.
In just a single sentence, not only did he attack Cooper, but he also knocked down all the other Raiders players with one fell swoop.
This indeed stirred up a hornet’s nest.
Players from both the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs exchanged insults, while their fans tore into each other on social networks. The atmosphere of rivalry between these divisional enemies was as volatile as a powder keg, easily erupting at the slightest spark.
In the midst of this noisy tumult, an unexpected figure spoke up.
Khalil Mack, Defensive End for the Oakland Raiders.
Last season, with JJ Watt out for the season due to injuries, Mack was the one who emerged as the curious question arose: Who would win the Defensive Player of the Year award?
The answer was Khalil Mack.
Playing the same position as Watt, Mack was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft. After a warm-up rookie season, from 2015 onwards, he shined brightly and quickly established his dominance in the pro-level, being selected for the Pro Bowl for two consecutive seasons. If not for the formidable Watt, Mack’s Defensive Player of the Year honors would likely have been more than once.
Differently from Watt, Mack originally played as a linebacker.
There are many differences between a linebacker and a Defensive End, the most obvious being flexibility:
Mack, at 6.2 feet (191 cm) tall and weighing 269 pounds (122 kg), has an unexpectedly agile and speedy body, which laid the foundation for a distinct playing style compared to Watt.
If Watt is about power, then Mack is about mobility.
Mack’s ability to break through personally is slightly inferior to Watt’s, which is why his quarterback sack numbers aren’t as eye-catching. However, his reading of the offence and ability to adapt during the game are absolutely top-notch, with his tackle numbers ranking among the best in the league for the past three seasons.
This season was no exception.
Even though the Oakland Raiders’ performance was erratic, Mack maintained high energy and efficiency, remaining a strong contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Mack rarely engaged in these trash-talking battles, but that didn’t mean he was unaware of the mounting tension and pressure of the games. He rarely spoke out, but when he did, it was noteworthy.
"We will be victorious,"
"We’ll make everyone see they’re just a bunch of Pretty Boys. Maybe they should dress up like Barbie dolls and pose prettily in front of the camera. Football, the sport for real men, isn’t suited for them. Better not to play and risk going home to cry and run to mommy after getting their pretty faces hurt."
The insinuation was clear—
Obviously, Mack didn’t like Li Wei.
Why should a rookie, a running back, be able to sign a hefty endorsement deal with Nike? Watt aside, Little Beckham is just a circus performer, but here he was, a player grounded in hard work and consistent performance, not receiving the recognition he deserved. Even as last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, he couldn’t secure endorsements.
The reporters with keen noses immediately caught the essence and held on tight, "Are you talking about Li Wei?"
Mark neither confirmed nor denied.
"He should consider himself lucky, a model getting to play with the Defensive Player of the Year; and me? I’m just stuck playing ball with a vase."
If he didn’t speak, he wouldn’t make a sound, but when he did, it was earth-shattering.
The swarm of reporters surrounded Li Wei, who had just finished a day’s training, on all sides, eagerly throwing questions at him.
To this, Li Wei’s expression didn’t change, he even had a smile on his face, "Of course, of course, it’s my honor. Opportunities to play football with One Direction aren’t many. I will cherish it."
One second, two seconds—
Mahomes and Kelsey burst into laughter.
Mark had taught himself guitar during college and had always aspired to be a singer. In the Oakland Raiders’ locker room, his teammates would often egg him on to sing, and his idols were Usher and Tim McGraw.
And Li Wei compared Mark to the idol group One Direction — his offhand retort was much sharper than Mark’s carefully crafted attack.
Even the reporters couldn’t help but chuckle.
The onlooking reporters couldn’t resist adding fuel to the fire.
"Li Wei, in the last game, you already faced off against the Oakland Raiders’ defensive line and lineman. What do you think of them?"
Objectively speaking, during their last encounter, the Raiders’ victory came from the offensive group, and the defensive group only performed well enough not to be a drag, with Mark in mediocre form, only managing to tackle Li Wei twice, hardly impressive.
Li Wei slightly raised his chin, his face serious.
"It’s hard to say. I don’t know, they reminded me of the ’Four Little Swans’."
A group of little swans in ballet skirts.
One second, two seconds—
The reporters laughed collectively, no doubt, this had to be the best trash talk of the year. Without using a single swear word, it ridiculed the entire Oakland Raiders defensive line inside and out.
In the midst of roaring laughter, only Li Wei was the exception, maintaining the composure of The Stoic Jester, and continued speaking very earnestly, "I’m an outsider. I can’t offer any professional opinion, but perhaps, Khalil should change his hairstyle."
As he spoke, Li Wei combed his hair forward, crafting a signature long-fringed hairstyle of Justin Bieber and then looked at the camera with a full-faced smile.
Roars of laughter, the whole place was roaring with laughter, non-stop.
Although the reporters also knew they shouldn’t, they should remain objective and neutral, but it had to be said, Li Wei’s comeback was really too sharp and too clever.
Mahomes said: Li Wei was only playing at 30% of his ability.
Likewise, after seeing Li Wei’s response in a short video on social media, rumor has it that Mark smashed his locker in the changing room. The entire Raiders defensive group was seething with anger but didn’t know how to respond—
It seemed like no matter how they responded, they had already lost.
The atmosphere between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders was heating up continually, no doubt this was a decisive, do-or-die showdown.
In history, the Chiefs had once prevented the Raiders from advancing to the playoffs, and similarly, the Raiders had more than once shattered the Chiefs’ playoff dreams.
If they could advance to the playoffs by stepping over the bodies of their mortal enemies, that would be even more perfect. Both teams would not miss such an opportunity for the world.
It was the same at the moment; the outcome of one game could possibly determine the direction of an entire season, pushing the tension to an unprecedented level.