The stat sheet won’t tell the full story of Yaya Diaby’s performance in Tampa Bay’s 23–20 win over the Falcons but the tape will.
The third-year edge rusher finished with just three official tackles, but his impact was felt all afternoon. Diaby consistently pressured rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr with a QB hit, disrupted the run game, and helped set the tone for a defense that came up big in key moments.
Diaby’s presence off the edge helped free up Haason Reddick, who recorded his first sack as a Buccaneer, and drew several double teams, including on third-down passing downs. His pass rush forced a pair of throwaways and led to a holding call that killed a Falcons drive in the third quarter. Just as important was Diaby’s discipline against the run.
After giving up an early touchdown to Bijan Robinson, the Bucs’ defense settled in, with Diaby playing a key role in setting the edge and forcing inside runs, including a tackle for loss. Diaby may not get the headlines, but his motor, physicality, and execution were all critical to the Bucs starting the season 1–0.
Jason Licht and company wanted to improve the pass rush, and freeing up Diaby seems to already be paying off dividends.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Don’t let the boxscore underwhelm you on Bucs’ Yaya Diaby’s impact
Reporting by Ashlie Abrahams, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
