Sam's distracted, too. It's been awhile since he's been in a fight like this, against people, and it has him spooked. He doesn't want to hurt anyone and he's been telling himself that so forcefully of late that it takes a moment for it to sink in that he'll have to, to avoid getting hurt.

He does not avoid the punch, however, and doubles over even as he lunges for the woman and misses. But he'd rather get in her way than let her get De. Because what remains for him, even if he survives? Eventually, they'll want him to kill. Whether it's De or someone else, he wants to part of it, even less than he wants to die himself.

He misses his chance to grab the weapon and instead moves to try to put himself between the woman and De, offering a shield if nothing else.