Khalil Mack gives Patriots firsthand look at his progress

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LONDON — Khalil Mack is a humble young man, a first-round pick who has been playing football for only five years and was not pampered at the University of Buffalo. He even helped the equipment folks clean the locker room and restock the athletic tape at times in college.

But the rookie is not going to lie to you: He enjoyed the heck out of wiping the field with New England offensive linemen Sunday.

“No doubt,” Mack said. “It felt good. When you start beating your man, it makes the other team worry about you and it affects what they can do on offense. And it gives your team a lift, gets them fired up and opens things up defensively.

“It just makes you want to dominate your man a little more on the next play.”

Though no one likes moral victories, that’s what Sunday’s 16-9 loss has to be for the Raiders (0-3) as they get ready for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins (1-2) at Wembley Stadium.

Mack, in what was a breakthrough game, might have been the Raiders’ brightest spot against the Patriots.

Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack reaches for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during Sunday’s game. The Oakland rookie had seven tackles. Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack reaches for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during Sunday’s game. The Oakland rookie had seven tackles. Photo: Steven Senne, STF / Associated Press Photo: Steven Senne, STF / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Khalil Mack gives Patriots firsthand look at his progress 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

He cleaned Tom Brady’s clock on one play, blindsiding the quarterback just as he threw, causing the ball to float harmlessly out of bounds. Mack also had seven tackles, one for a loss, another hit on Brady and was a blur all day, with left tackle Nate Solder holding on for dear life.

“He’s a young guy and an incredible talent,” Solder said. “He will certainly be a good player, in my opinion.”

The 6-foot-3, 251-pound outside linebacker also blew up a couple of running plays and even dropped back in coverage at times and held his own.

Does Mack think this was his best game?

“I don’t know, I just have to keep getting better,” Mack said. “Be more consistent. … I can only say I played my best if we win.”

Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, who has compared Mack to Broncos two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Von Miller, wasn’t worried about Mack’s slow start in the preseason and first game.

“I don’t know if this was a breakthrough game or not,” Allen said, “but I thought that he played pretty well.”

In the first two games, the No.5 overall pick wasn’t getting the fastest possible jump on certain downs. Was he thinking too much about his responsibilities on every play?

“Rookie,” defensive coordinator Jason Tarver said last week. “Sometimes you don’t get off on the ball as fast as you do, or you’re not quite sure. But really, the closer you are to the line of scrimmage, the more you fix things with your hands, your feet, your knock-back.

“You’ve got to knock them around first on the correct angle and then figure it out. So, he’s gotten better and better at that.”

Vic Tafur is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail vtafur@sfchronicle.com. Twitter @VicTafur