The San Francisco 49ers pulled off an impressive 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears over the weekend, improving to 6-7 and keeping their playoff hopes alive with four weeks left in the season.
It was a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, as the 49ers got out to a hot start offensively with 24 points in the first half, while holding the Bears to just four total yards over the first 30 minutes.
While the offensive performance will certainly stand out, San Francisco found a way to get seven sacks on the day, with Yetur Gross-Matos and Leonard Floyd combining for five of those sacks.
It was a unique day for the 49ers pass rush, as they accumulated just 11 total pressures, including on nine separate plays, but converted pressures to sacks at a 77.8 percent rate by getting to the quarterback quickly.
More impressively, San Francisco recorded a season-high number of sacks without star defensive end Nick Bosa, who missed his third straight week with a hip and oblique injury.
In Bosa’s absence, the team’s two free-agent additions, especially Floyd, have been pleasant surprises recently after a slow start to the season.
Following his two sacks on Sunday, Floyd is up to 8.5 sacks on the year, with 5.5 of those coming in the past four games.
The defensive end acknowledged earlier this year that there was an adjustment period upon coming to San Francisco, hence the sluggish start. But, the 49ers have been getting their money’s worth recently, as the pass-rusher has converted his pressures to sacks at a high rate.
“Yeah, I think, his results definitely [have turned a corner],” head coach Kyle Shanahan said about Floyd on Wednesday. “I think he’s gotten some more production as far as the stat sheet and everything. But Leonard’s just an energizer bunny. It’s crazy with him being one of the older guys and stuff and how many different teams he’s been to, but I’ve played against him enough and felt that. But just guys who’ve known him, talking about how he practices and everything, [Brandon] Staley being with him in a number of places, telling us how he is.
“And you always think about bringing in an older guy and stuff, are they not going to be able to practice? Are you going to have to take care of him? And I mean, he’s one of our hardest workers every single day. He set the tone in practice last week, coming in on that Wednesday, to our Thursday practice was our last one on full pads, and you would’ve thought he was the one who was demanding that we went full pads. Just the way he goes about everything. He loves football, plays so hard, and usually when you’re like that, eventually the numbers come.”
In a must-win game, the pass rush could be the make-or-break group here in Week 15.
Nick Bosa has not practiced thus far this week, and his status is up in the air, given that the 49ers play on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams.
If he can’t go for a fourth straight week, Floyd will have to lead the charge once again versus a tough quarterback with Matthew Stafford coming to town.