Getty Nick Bosa celebrates sack No. 1 against the Rams on October 3, 2022.
To say Nick Bosa turned up the pressure for the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, October 3 would be an understatement.
The fourth-year edge rusher didn’t just collapse pockets and wreck havoc in the 24-9 home win at Levi’s Stadium over the rival Los Angeles Rams, but Bosa ended up out-performing two division rivals in one key stat revealed on the morning after the Week 4 thumping of the Super Bowl champs.
Bosa Delivers Uncanny Stat Over 2 Rival Teams While Tying Another
On Tuesday, October 4, Pro Football Focus calculated that Bosa burst through the Rams’ front protection for 14 quarterback pressures.
But, via Niners Nation on SB Nation, Bosa’s pressures were better than two rival defenses he and the 49ers see twice a year.
“PFF credited Nick Bosa with 14 pressures last night. The Rams had 5. The Cardinals had 8,” Niners Nation tweeted.
Only Seattle had a higher number than both the Cards and Rams, but ended up matching Bosa’s pressure number.
PFF credited Nick Bosa with 14 pressures last night. The Rams had 5. The Cardinals had 8. The Seahawks had 14.
That’s right, Bosa out-performed and out-penetrated two pass rushes inside the NFC West in the win over the Rams. But there’s more.
Bosa Out-Performed Other Defenses Off His Pressures, Including Lone Unbeaten
Bosa’s 14 mark was better than 11 other NFL teams from Week 4: The undefeated Philadelphia Eagles (10), the New York Jets (13), the Jacksonville Jaguars (10), the Detroit Lions (10), the Houston Texans (13), the Chicago Bears (8), the Washington Commanders (13), the New England Patriots (13), the Green Bay Packers (12), the Las Vegas Raiders (10) and lastly, the Kansas City Chiefs (9).
As a team, the 49ers delivered an astonishing 35 total QB pressures on the Rams. The closest to the 49ers in that category were the New York Giants with 26, the Dallas Cowboys at 24 and the Los Angeles Chargers with 23 QB pressures.
Bosa was one of two 49er defenders who hit two sacks against what became an even more depleted Rams offensive line. The visitors ended up being down to their third string center in Jeremiah Kolone and also had to navigate against the 49ers’ heat without starting guard David Edwards. The team also had to place rookie Logan Bruss on injured reserve before the season and lost Tremayne Anchrum to a broken leg in Week 2.
Smartly, the 49ers and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans unleashed the heat on the unit that was supposed to protect Matthew Stafford for seven sacks. Ryans didn’t even call for his defenders to just line up and try to beat blockers. He took advantage of Bosa’s speed on this defensive lineman stunt:
Aaron Day of @dlinevids1 added this angle of Bosa’s looping pursuit of Stafford, which was made possible by Arik Armstead:
Bosa joined Samson Ebukam as the two 49ers who hit two sacks. Kevin Givens, Charles Omenihu, Hassan Ridgeway and Deommodore Lenoir on a nickelback blitz call by Ryans were the others who joined the S.F. sack party.
Bosa Delivers Honest Claim About 49ers Defense
Not one to boast about his individual accolades, Bosa instead diverted the attention to the entire 49ers defense as a whole following the 15-point romp of the Rams.
And he gave this honest assessment.
“I think it’s best in the league,” Bosa told reporters. “It’s our mindset every year and this year we have the personnel to do it. All three levels are just elite players.”
Already, this 49ers defense has topped two famed Super Bowl winning defenses in yards per play via The Athletic’s David Lombardi.
The 49ers defense has allowed 3.8 yards per play, #1 in the NFL.
For perspective, the 1985 Bears allowed 4.4 yards per play and the 2000 Ravens allowed 4.3 yards per play
Bosa, himself, is already playing at an elite level — with a league-best six sacks through the first four games of 2022.