Against the Panthers in Week Seven, the Buccaneers' defense was relentless and imposed its will in the trenches. The unit tallied five sacks on Bryce Young, with one leading to a score. In the second quarter on second-and-13, Yaya Diaby pushed Rasheed Walker back on a bull rush and took down Young for a loss of one. On the play immediately following Diaby's sack, Al-Quadin Muhammad picked up his second sack of the season, this one from the interior with a lethal swipe, and forced a fumble. The ball was scooped up by Calijah Kancey at the Panthers' 32-yard line and he returned it for a 32-yard touchdown. It marked Tampa Bay's first scoop-and-score since Antoine Winfield Jr. returned one 58 yards in 2024 vs. New Orleans. It marked Kancey's second career fumble recovery and his first career defensive touchdown. The strip sack was the third of Muhammad's career and his first since 2021.
"On the play, Muhammad was inside," said Outside Linebackers Coach/Run Game Coordinator Larry Foote. "We took Vita off the field so he moved inside. Actually, 94 [Calijah Kancey] was the spy guy on the quarterback, because he likes to run and scramble. So, Muhammad was in there and beat the guard and the point of focus all week was, 'Think about the ball.' Bryce Young sits in the pocket like a quarterback and waits for the route to open up but we saw on tape that he hangs in the pocket. We gave him credit. He stays in the pocket and does not blink. Point of emphasis during the week was when you come free, go for the ball. Quan won his matchup and when he was coming around, he thought about the football and knocked it loose and Calijah, 'Johnny on the Spot,' picked it up. The impressive thing was he looked like he knew what he was doing when he was running. It was a great play, great timing and athleticism by Calijah, because a lot of guys miss that ball. Only try guys that played baseball growing up understand how to scoop but he did a good job."
That electrifying play sucked the wind out of Bank of America Stadium, silencing the home crowd as the Bucs took a substantial 17-0 lead. The Bucs went on to win in dominant fashion, 43-13, never taking the foot off the gas pedal. Muhammad, a free agent acquisition in March, has brought veteran leadership and tenacious motor to the Bay. He played around 40% of the snaps for the Lions in 2025 yet amassed 11.0 sacks. He has elevated the play of the defensive unit with his fiery disposition and dedication to his pass rush repertoire.
"He has brought a veteran savviness and has done a great job with the young guys giving them advice and he is not shy about it," described Foote. "He does not hold back and just his work ethic. He is a great example for all the young guys to see, 'If you want to make it to 30 in this league, you better pay attention to details and you better be a pro and serious about your craft.'"
Muhammad helped set the tone on the road, as did Kancey on the return. In his fourth season, Kancey has fortified the defense with first-step quickness and contact balance. He displayed his laser-sharp focus and closing burst on the touchdown return, galvanizing the visiting team.
