Across The Shield: Nick Bosa Takes the NFC Sack Lead, Curtis Samuel Trusted with Game on the Line and Malik Harrison Returns to the Stat Sheet

Near the midpoint of the second quarter of the San Francisco 49ers’ game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Russell Wilson and company were looking to capitalize on great field position. Seattle's Bobby Wagner intercepted a Jimmy Garoppolo pass to give the home team the ball on the 49ers' 31-yard line.

Bosa had other plans. The feared pass-rusher was able to blast through Seattle's offensive line and dispossessed Wilson from the ball. Seahawks offensive lineman Ethan Pocic was able to recover the loose pigskin, but Bosa was credited with a 23-yard sack.  

The Pro Bowl defender currently leads the NFC with 12 sacks and has an NFL-best 102 sack yards.

Nick Bosa coming through with his 12th sack #FTTB

: #SFvsSEA on CBS
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/HCbdaFXeKl

— NFL (@NFL) December 5, 2021

Despite Bosa's efforts, San Francisco lost for the fourth straight time to Seattle, 30-23. 

Samuel trusted with game on the line

Sometimes stats don't tell the entire story.

In the game between the Washington Football Team and the Las Vegas Raiders, Ron Rivera's team trailed 15-14 in Sin City. With 47 seconds remaining in the game, the WFT faced a third-and-four from the Raiders' 34-yard line.   

To that point in the contest, Curtis Samuel had two touches for negative five yards. He was lined up in the backfield for the critical third down play, but with his stat line, there was zero chance Rivera would call on Samuel to pick up the crucial first down, right? Vegas is a city where people take wild chances, and Rivera rolled the dice with Samuel. 

On a crucial 3rd-and-4 the playcall is... a handoff for a run-up-the-guts with Curtis Samuel?

Oh man.#WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/Zm7kSwEmxK

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) December 5, 2021

The gamble almost paid off, but Samuel was stopped just shy of the first down marker. The three-yard gain left Washington a half-yard shy of the mark to gain and set the stage for Brian Johnson to make the 48-yard game-winning field goal.

For his standards, Terry McLaurin had a very quiet afternoon. The stud receiver was limited to three catches for 22 yards. Did the Raiders create a blueprint for shutting down Scary Terry? Only if the referees allow defensive players to mug him.

The only way to stop Terry McLaurin.#WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/z43zmtmrqD

— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) December 5, 2021

Bosa bonked, Burrow battered 

Joey Bosa returned to the great state of Ohio to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The homecoming was short-lived as the elder Bosa brother took a shot to his head and had to leave the game early in the first quarter. Even though he cleared concussion protocol, the talented edge rusher was held out for the remainder of the game.

Joey Bosa will not return. #LACvsCIN https://t.co/YfFdJOezWd

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 5, 2021

Joe Burrow was also bitten by the injury bug. One play after Bosa recorded his only tackle of the game, Burrow dislocated his pinkie while being strip sacked by Chargers linebacker Uchenna Nwosu. To add insult to injury, L.A. recovered the fumble and converted it into a field goal and an early 9-0 lead. 

Burrow was intercepted on the Bengals' next series as his injured finger was obviously causing him discomfort. The Charges cashed in on the second Burrow turnover and took a commanding 16-0 lead after the first quarter. 

Joe Burrow in pain with a pinky injury. He's not happy about it.
pic.twitter.com/p0MMJAeEvJ

— Cincinnati (@CincyProblems) December 5, 2021

Despite the injury, Burrow stayed in the game and completed 24 of his 40 pass attempts for 300 yards in the 41-22 loss. When asked about his finger after the game, Burrow said, "I can't imagine it getting worse. If it doesn't get worse, I'll play next week."

Heyward sack and Harrison returns

The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to hold off the Baltimore Ravens in a thrilling 20-19 comeback victory. The headlines of the game were John Harbaugh's decision to go for two with 12 seconds remaining in the game, Ben Roethlisberger guiding the Steelers to a touchdown with 4:33 remaining in the game and T.J. Watt recording a season-high 3.5 sacks.

Perhaps overlooked in the highlights was the yeoman's work Cameron Heyward put in on the defensive line. Heyward drew several double teams throughout the game, allowing Watt to work one-on-one against the Raven's offensive line. Despite receiving a massive dose of double teams, Heyward was still able to record a key sack. 

With 2:25 remaining in the first half, Baltimore faced a 3rd-and-9 from midfield. Heyward dropped Lamar Jackson for a three-yard sack and the Ravens were forced to punt. The Steelers scored on the ensuing drive and went into the half trailing 7-3.

Malik Harrison's name also showed up in the stat sheet for the first time since Oct. 24. Returning after being shot in the calf on Halloween, the linebacker from Ohio State had been relegated to special teams duty the past two weeks. Harrison was credited with two tackles against the Steelers for his first multi-stop game since he had five tackles against the Chargers on Oct. 17th.

Eight is enough

A trio of Buckeyes finished Sunday with eight tackles.

Jordan Fuller's eight stops helped the Los Angeles Rams hold the Jacksonville Jaguars to only 61 rushing and 136 passing yards. Fuller currently has 90 tackles for the season and is on track to eclipse the century mark for the first time in his pro career.

Baron Browning and Marshon Lattimore produced eight tackles each in prime time games. Browning's eight stops came in the Denver Broncos' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. Lattimore also had an interception and three pass breakups in the New Orleans Saints' defeat to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. 

Hyde touchdown

Carlos Hyde scored his first touchdown as a Jacksonville Jaguar on Sunday. On the 13th play of a 73-yard drive that spanned the first and second quarters, Hyde plunged in from a yard out. The touchdown pulled the Jaguars to within 10-7 of the host Rams. But that was as close as the Jags would be for the remainder of the day as Los Angeles cruised to an easy 37-7 victory. 

It was Hyde’s first time crossing the goal line since December 2020, when he scored for the Seattle Seahawks in a 20-15 victory over the Washington Football Team.

Cameron Johnston, Texans' MVP?

The Australian with a booming leg averaged 50.3 yards on six punts in the Houston Texans’ 31-0 blowout loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Johnston also delivered a 60-yard bomb that almost equaled Houston's total offensive production in the first half.