Part 5/12:
The critique centers on the pass rush: while players like Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns had moments of pressure, they failed to land enough sacks or consistently pressure the quarterback into mistakes. Several sacks were due to penalties or were called back, and crucial missed tackles and blown assignments allowed Williams to escape the pocket and extend plays—most notably the two touchdown runs by Caleb Williams.
Moash and Gelman are especially irritated by the front four’s failure to convert pressures into sacks, which ultimately led to Williams’ success. The defensive line, once seen as a team strength, has underperformed, especially in closing out games or preventing dangerous plays when it matters most.