It doesn't take an offensive genius like New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton to know that preparing for Khalil Mack is hard. Although, Payton is one of the few people in the world capable of devising a gameplan to limit the superstar edge defender's impact on the game.

Payton went into detail about just how challenging it is to prepare for Mack, who is now in the Saints' conference following his blockbuster move to the Chicago Bears.

“The last time we played Oakland, we put in a special protection for him,” said Payton in an interview with NBC Sports.

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Payton went on to describe exactly what went into the special “Mack Protection,” as they called it. If Mack lined up outside the right tackle, the Saints’ tight end would line up on the right side to chip him. And if Mack lined up opposite the left tackle, the tight end would follow him over to the left side to do the same.

Even with their special protection against Mack, the Saints fell short, losing 35-34 in their 2016 season opener. Mack went on to be named the Defensive Player of the Year, totaling an impressive 44 percent of Oakland's sacks for the 2016-17 season. The Saints are lucky they won't have to face Mack in the regular season this year.

Mack's 10.5 sacks and 61 tackles last year aren't indicative of his total impact. He is a hybrid player that can line up as a linebacker or defensive end to terrorize opposing offenses. He is often double teamed for large portions of the game, which opens up opportunities for his teammates. His presence should have quite a transformative effect on a Bears defense beginning this season.