4 lessons SF 49ers learn from Buccaneers win in Super Bowl 55
By Peter Panacy
SF 49ers Lesson No. 2: A lethal pass rush makes all the difference
Patrick Mahomes was sacked three times in the Super Bowl. While box-score analysts will say the Chiefs’ makeshift offensive line did a decent job protecting him, the game film will eventually reveal just how much Tampa Bay’s pass rush frustrated the quarterback all night long.
The Buccaneers defensive line paired with a solid crop of linebackers at the first and second levels to take away a lot of those intermediate options Mahomes often looks to when the pocket breaks down. And the pass-rushing duo of edge rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett were more than effective getting into the backfield.
The crazy thing was Mahomes was still making insane passes despite the pressure.
A year ago, the SF 49ers were hoping they’d be able to do the same with EDGEs Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. And while Bosa’s presence was felt all throughout the game, including the non-holding call on that now-infamous 3rd-and-15 play, the bigger takeaway is how an elite pass rush can still thwart what Mahomes wanted to do.
Ford’s injury status for 2021 is a big question mark, and it’s unclear whether or not his back will be fully healthy.
But Bosa, one of the league’s best up-and-coming defenders, could still be the difference-maker in any postseason push, and the Niners would be wise to give him some added help, too.