Top 5 takeaways from 49ers win vs. Panthers in Week 8

No. 3: 49ers Pass Rush Is Legit Scary

The Niners entered Week 8 with 20 sacks on the season, tied for sixth overall. But their pressure percentage before beating the Panthers was a league-best 32.8 percent.

All San Francisco did was add to those totals in a big way against Carolina.

The 49ers tallied seven sacks on Kyle Allen and hit him nine times on Sunday. Nick Bosa was responsible for three of those sacks, yes. But don’t overlook defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who picked up two sacks of his own, bringing his season total to five on the year.

Defensive linemen Dee Ford and DeForest Buckner were held off the sack tally in Week 8. But there’s an excellent chance all four of these players finish the year with double-digit sacks.

More impressive is the fact San Francisco held Allen to just 158 yards passing through the air, which marked a career low in the young quarterback’s tenure at the pro level. And that stat should help what is already a top-ranked Niners pass defense in 2019.

Thanks almost entirely to what’s emerged as a formidable pass rush.