My opinion is the way the defensive line plays allows for blockers to get to the second level quickly. If the dline player who hits the gap doesn't make the play our linebackers have a body on them by the time the RB hits the LOS.
But even then their open field tackling is bad. Smith looked like a matador early on vs cook on one play or missing a kill shot. LVE got beat to the hole or had failed arm tackles.
Maybe they ate the cheese. Not like this team has an ego check starting from the top down