Poor tackling and penalties undermined defensive efforts

Play calling criticism

Poor offensive play-calling and an obsession with an ineffective running game stalled the team's momentum early, effectively wasting several critical possessions.

Turnover impact

Costly turnovers and the defense's inability to generate takeaways proved decisive in a tight contest that was heavily influenced by self-inflicted errors.

Defensive performance

Atrocious tackling and a high count of penalties hampered the defensive performance, leading to sustained issues when attempting to stop opposing skill position players.