COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Alabama coach Nick Saban said his defense played “decent” in its 47-28 win over Texas A&M on Saturday but gave the Aggies plays “that we shouldn't have.”

For most of the Week 7 contest, the Crimson Tide kept the opposition in check.

A&M scored first on a 15-play, 75-yard drive but was held to only field goals until the 5:06 mark of the third quarter -- or when the game was all but decided. A big reason for that was the play of Alabama’s front seven and its containment of quarterback Kellen Mond, particularly the pass rush.

The Tide finished the SEC West game with a season-high five sacks, which was two more than it has had in a single game all season and the most since Nov. 10, 2018, versus Mississippi State.

“We were better today -- until the end,” Saban said. “I think we got a little bit tired, got out of our rush lanes a little bit. This guy’s a good athlete, he took off running a couple times for a couple big plays. We have to do a better job of that. Our plan was to make this guy throw the ball from the pocket, that’s what we wanted to do. We did not want him to do what he did last year.

“And he didn’t for a long time, but he did at the end of the game.”

Prior to the third quarter, Alabama held Mond to 18 yards on six attempts. He broke free for a 20-yard gain in the third quarter -- his only run of the quarter -- and had 68 yards in the final 15 minutes. He rushed for a grand total of 110 yards on 16 attempts but lost 20 yards on sacks.

“I feel like we did a pretty good job,” redshirt junior linebacker Terrell Lewis said. “Still a little inconsistent at times, just as far as letting him escape the pocket. But you aim for a perfect game, but it’s not always going to be perfect. But Kellen’s a good athlete, too.”

Linebacker Terrell Lewis led Alabama with 2.0 sacks at Texas A&M.

Lewis led the way with a career-best two sacks, while redshirt senior linebacker Anfernee Jennings and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Christian Barmore added one apiece. True freshmen Justin Eboigbe, a defensive end, and Shane Lee, a linebacker, combined for another.

Lewis started the game with his hand in the dirt and finished with three tackles, two sacks and two quarterback hurries. Plagued by a nagging knee injury that left him limited in the bye week, the veteran linebacker showed what he can accomplish on the field when he is fully healthy.

“It’s the first game he’s really been able to practice and play,” Saban said. “He practiced very sparingly before we played Ole Miss. He played about half the time in the game, maybe not even that. But because he was able to practice a little bit more, I think he was more active in the game today, probably more confident, probably more explosive because he was healthier.”

But Lewis laughed when asked how he felt. The edge-rusher is a bit tired of being asked about his injury status and just happy to be on the field, producing at a high level like he did Saturday.

“I felt good,” Lewis said. “I just felt like, as far as me being out there, it wasn’t a matter of health or none of that or practice, stuff like that. I just feel like it was more so being in there on a consistent basis, giving me a feel for the game. Instead of us alternating, it felt like we did a really good job of playing consistent, and they had to play to the strengths of our defense, as far as me and Anfernee being on the field at the same time, Raekwon (Davis) on the field at the same time, DJ Dale, guys like that.

“I feel like it really stressed their offensive line to have all those guys on the field at the same time.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).