The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pass rush had its fingerprints all over Sunday's 30-19 win against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bucs defense took down 49ers quarterback Mac Jones six times for a total of 51 yards, setting a new season high in both categories.
"I think they did a good job tonight," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "We talked about it all week, getting more pressure and challenging [those] guys to get more pressure and work together a lot more. They really started the game off right. They got off the ball the whole night. Credit to them, they did a heck of a job."
The pass rush, which also pressured Jones on a first quarter interception, was at its best in the game's most important moments.
The Bucs recorded sacks on each of the 49ers' final three drives, helping end the visitors' hopes of a comeback.
On a third down from the edge of field goal range in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, linebacker Lavonte David got to Jones on a blitz up the middle, forcing a punt and preserving the eight-point lead. David knocked the ball out of Jones' hands, but after a review, the officials ruled that the quarterback's shin hit the ground just before the ball came loose.
"We knew they had to throw the ball right there and they had the receiving tight end in the ball game," Bowles said. "They had been getting off some quick throws and we knew they were not going to be protecting him right there, so we figured we had a shot – either he was going to get rid of the ball early or he was going to get hit. He held onto the ball, 'Tae' (David) has a knack for getting back there."
Outside linebacker Haason Reddick and defensive lineman C.J. Brewer repeated the trick on the first play of the next 49ers possession, collapsing the pocket on Jones for a seven-yard loss.
Reddick beat his blocker again on the 49ers' final drive of the game, getting a hand on Jones before outside linebacker Yaya Diaby finished off the play. The nine-yard sack pushed the 49ers well behind the sticks on their final drive, helping seal the win. The defense forced an intentional grounding penalty the very next play and the 49ers went on to turn the ball over on downs just two plays later.
It was Diaby's second sack of the game – the first came on a third down late in the first quarter – the most of anyone on the field Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. His performance Sunday moved him into the team lead with three sacks on the season.
But the third-year player was hardly the only member of the home team to get to the quarterback on Sunday. Seven Buccaneers recorded at least a half sack. The pressure came from every level of the defense as well, with a player at each defensive position other than safety contributing to the sack total.
The Bucs now have 16 sacks on the season, tied for the sixth most in the league.
