Buccaneers: Can a stellar pass rush overcome Patrick Mahomes?
By Rob Leeds
Buccaneers pass rush dominance
The Buccaneer pass rush has been one of the best parts of the team during this playoff run. Without stellar performances by Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul, the Bucs probably don’t beat the Packers.
In the game against Green Bay alone, this duo accounted for an unprecedented five sacks against one of the most elusive quarterbacks in NFL history. Rodgers played behind a depleted offensive line, but Barrett and JPP were still playing at a different level than anyone else on the field.
While the pass-rushing duo only has sacks in the NFC Championship Game, the pressure they bring helps out the rest of the defense. Drew Brees was able to keep his jersey clean when facing the Bucs for the third time in the season, but this came at the cost of an uptick in turnovers for the most accurate quarterback in NFL history.
A great pass rush is not defined by sacks alone, but the Buccaneers are fortunate to have a duo that is very familiar with production in that category.
In an NFL that is led by quarterbacks and moving the ball down the field for as many points as possible, the Buccaneer defense has been able to hold their own against two of the best offensive players in NFL history so far this postseason, but they’ll need to do it against one more this week if they hope to win one of the most important game in franchise history.