Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea, right, celebrates with linebacker Yaya Diaby after Vea sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett last Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Vea’s 3-1/2 sacks this season are second most on the team, trailing only Diaby’s six. ©Jefferee WooThere is no bigger thorn in a quarterback’s side than a good pass rusher, but the Bucs haven’t been able to consistently leave their mark with sacks this season.Currently, they’re tied for 14th in the NFL with 29. The last time they played the Saints on Oct. 26, the Bucs had five sacks, including two by outside linebacker Anthony Nelson.His career-best game also included a pick six and a forced fumble, earning him NFC defensive player of the week honors.The Bucs have had only four sacks in the four games since.However, outside linebacker Yaya Diaby has shown signs of heating up, recording a sack in each of the past two games to lead the club with six. The next closest is defensive tackle Vita Vea with 3 ½.“I don’t care where (the sacks) come from; I think he’s been playing well the past few weeks,” coach Todd Bowles said of Diaby. ”We’ve just got to learn to corral the quarterback and then working together. They do fine individually, just got to continue to work together.”Pressure and coverage work hand-in-hand in the NFL, but the Bucs have struggled to put those two elements in sync. As a result, they allowed huge chunk plays early and often in back-to-back losses to the Patriots and Bills last month.“The big thing is, the big plays have cut down, and that’s a positive,” Bowles said. “We’ve just got to make sure we keep the quarterback in the pocket and get him down.”The Bucs had 27 pressures, or a 53.3% pressure rate on dropbacks last Sunday against the Cardinals, according to Pro Football Focus. They were led by Vea and defensive lineman Logan Hall, who had six pressures apiece.Vea and Diaby both managed to get Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the ground, each recording a sack.No doubt, Diaby benefitted from the return of outside linebacker Haason Reddick, who played for the first time since he injured his knee and ankle Oct. 20 at Detroit.“Just having him out there, just the presence,” Diaby said. “It made everybody more hungry, because as we get healthier the more exciting it gets. And having had him out there was a big plus.”Reddick had hoped to reestablish himself as one of the league’s premier pass rushers when he signed a one-year, $14 million contract with the Bucs in March. However, injuries have limited him to just 1 ½ sacks this season.Nonetheless, Reddick made his presence felt when he returned to the lineup, consistently chasing Brissett around Raymond James Stadium.“I think it was his presence as far as the speed off the edge,” defensive pass game coordinator George Edwards said. “The threat of some of the things we could do with him with his athleticism and his skill set, whether it’s rushing, dropping and all those types of things. He kind of adds that to us defensively as we get him back in the flow of things starting last week. He’ll continue to progress and move forward.”The Bucs haven’t had a player reach double digits in sacks in a season since Shaquil Barrett had 10 in 2021. Diaby’s goal is to break that drought this season.“Just taking it one game at a time,” he said. “I’m looking for the best way I can help this team and, you know, sacks comes with that. For me, it’s just working hard at practice every day and let it translate in the game.”Up nextvs. Saints, 1 Sunday, Raymond James Stadium TV/radio: CBS; 97.9-FM Line/OU: Bucs by 8 ½; 41 ½• • •Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.