Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Studs and duds from Week 5 vs. Bears

Stud: Buccaneers Pass Rush

The Buccaneers defense played a pretty solid game on Thursday night and they did a good job of keeping Nick Foles uncomfortable in the pocket during most of the game. The team managed three sacks on Foles in the game and they also logged eight QB hits.

Foles felt like he was backpedaling just so he could make throw most of the night and he never seemed completely comfortable in the pocket. They helped the secondary from giving up big plays as many times when receivers were starting to run open down the field, Foles did not have enough time to get the ball to them.

Dud: Buccaneers Pass Protection

The Bears did not blitz much if at all on Thursday night, but they were able to get consistent pressure on Tom Brady especially in the second half of the game. Overall, the Buccaneers offensive line and pass protectors gave up three sacks on Brady. Khalil Mack had two of those sacks on his own and he had third called back for a roughing the passer penalty.

The Bears registered eight QB hits on Brady, but there were 19 pressures on Brady and he looked hurried as the second half played on. To the naked eye, there came a point where it looked like the Bears pass rush could not be stopped in the fourth quarter and Brady paid the price for it.

This caused more rushed throws and between the sacks, pressures, and penalties, the pass protection put the team into way too many negative plays.