Nick Bosa named NFC defensive player of Week 13

Dec 7, 2022, 2:30 PM | Updated: 2:34 pm

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 04: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers and Charles Omenihu #94 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after sacking Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Levi's Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

BY AMILIANO FRAGOSO

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

Surprise surprise. After a dominant November, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is adding more silverware to the trophy case, named the NFC’s defensive player of Week 13.

Coming away with the monthly version in November, Bosa had arguably his best game of the season against the Miami Dolphins. The pass rusher was unstoppable Sunday, finishing with three sacks, two tackles for loss and the all important forced fumble to seal the win for San Francisco Sunday.

The Ohio State standout now leads the league in sacks (14.5) and is among the league leaders in most defensive line metrics. In 11 games played, Bosa has one forced fumble, 36 tackles, 41 pressures ( tied for third in the NFL) and a 13.4% pressure percentage (ninth).

Registering 39 sacks since being drafted in 2019, Bosa only trails Aldon Smith’s 44 for the most by a 49er in his first four seasons with the organization.

“I think everybody here knows that he is just elite and he’s the best,” linebacker Fred Warner said postgame. “He put the stamp on it. That’s what you need from your best players to make plays where it matters the most. I’m so happy for him and I’m so proud of him.

To earn the weekly award, the 25-year-old matched his sack total for the month of November in one game, partly because head coach Kyle Shanahan talked some smack to the Pro Bowler. In Saturday’s defensive line meeting, Shanahan poked the bear, saying the linebackers were playing better than the linemen. Naturally, Nick Bosa accept the challenge.

After the final strip sack to seal the win, the pass rusher ran over to his coach and said “that’s what happens when you talk [expletive] about me in a team meeting.”

Message received.

“Yeah, he threw a little shade at me and the D-line, so we kind of talked in our meeting. We don’t like being called out like that,” Bosa explained. “It’s our head coach so he obviously has the right and he watches the tape more than anybody and he expects the most out of us. So, I’m glad we were able to make an impact.”