49ers vs. Buccaneers: 5 X-factors for San Francisco in Week 12
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Nick Mullens Cashing In on a Bad Buccaneers Defense
If you thought the 49ers defense was worrisome against a potent Buccaneers offense, just flip the script.
Tampa Bay’s pass defense is the worst in the NFL. No, literally. It is. Statistically, this unit is worse in more categories than the Raiders defense quarterback Nick Mullens tore up back in Week 9.
No team in the league has allowed more points than the Buccaneers (329) this season, so let’s start there. The Bucs have given up 2,823 pass yards in 2018 — ranked 28th — and have allowed the most passing touchdowns (25) of any team. They’re also allowing an average of 7.8 yards per pass attempt, which ranks 31st and just above the Raiders defense.
At home, the Buccaneers are allowing opponents’ quarterbacks to pass for a combined rating of 137.2.
Oh, and the kicker is Tampa Bay has just one interception on the season, which is even worse than the paltry number the Niners have in pass takeaways (two).
More on turnovers later, but Week 12 is shaping up to be another possibly big game for Mullens.
Granted, the Buccaneers pass rush is much better than that of Oakland. But Mullens’ abilities to get the ball out quickly helps negate this. And when one compares how little Tampa Bay’s improved pass rush has made upon the defensive efforts overall, it shouldn’t be a huge X-factor.
What is the X-factor for San Francisco, though, is Mullens picking up where he left off against the Raiders. True, it will be interesting to see how the second-year quarterback manages his first road contest.
But based on the opposition, he should be in pretty good shape to put up some big numbers. He’ll have to.