Rueben Bain Jr. picked a pretty big moment for his first NFL sack.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie pass rusher, who had come into the season with plenty of buzz after being taken No. 15 overall, had gone quiet enough early on that fans were starting to wonder when the production would arrive. He had already missed two games because of injury, and the immediate splash many expected from him hadn’t shown up yet.
Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, though, Bain gave Tampa Bay exactly what it had been waiting for. He got to future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers on third down for his first career sack, a drive-killing play that helped the defense get off the field. Earlier in the first quarter, he had also gotten a hand on a pass that wound up turning into an interception, so his impact showed up in more than one way.
That kind of first half was the reminder Bucs fans needed. Bain didn’t look like a rookie still searching for a foothold; he looked like the disruptive edge presence Tampa Bay drafted. Considering he had played in only three games and was dealing with a groin injury after also being limited by a shoulder issue in the preseason, the slow start was never much of a reason to panic.
The talent was never really in question anyway. Bain was a force at Miami, where he put up 20.5 sacks, 33.5 tackles and four corced fumbles for loss over three seasons. He carried that same edge into training camp and the preseason, where he flashed the kind of pass-rushing ability the Buccaneers believed in when they invested the No. 15 pick in him.
Now, with that first sack finally out of the way, Bain has the kind of breakthrough game that can change the conversation fast.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Face Growing NFC South Pressure With Quarterback Questions Looming
The Buccaneers head to Bank of America Stadium on Sunday needing to steady themselves after a rough stretch that has left their margin for error thin in the NFC South. Tampa Bay is coming off an overtime loss and will walk into Carolina as an underdog, while the Panthers have found some momentum with three wins in their last four games.
For the Bucs, the bigger concern is the uncertainty under center, which only adds to the pressure of trying to keep pace in the division. Carolina has taken advantage of its recent run at home, and Tampa Bay has to sort out its quarterback situation quickly if it wants this trip to feel like a turning point instead of another step backward. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Loss Exposed One Frustrating Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The Buccaneers left Pittsburgh with a familiar kind of frustration, one that had little to do with effort on the defensive side of the ball. Tampa Bays defense did enough early to keep the Steelers under control, but the offense spent too much of the afternoon going backward, stacking up three-and-outs and leaving the rest of the roster to absorb the pressure of a game that never felt settled.
Riley Dixons punting became part of the conversation because field position mattered so much in a tight, ugly game, and the Bucs could not afford wasted chances once things got wobbly. There was at least one encouraging development in Walker, who kept flashing as a disruptive pass rusher with multiple sacks and pressures, but the bigger issue remains the same for a team sitting at 1-5: the defense can help set a tone, but the offense has to do more than survive. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Just Added To The Buccaneers Ugly 1-5 Storyline
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Aaron Rodgers was the latest to point it out after the game, adding an unwanted layer to a season already full of frustration for Tampa Bay. The field has drawn poor reviews in the past, in part because of the extra wear from other teams and events, and every new complaint only keeps that storyline alive for a club trying to steady itself on and off the grass. [Read more 🡒]