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Common denominator in our 2 losses (and close call SECCG win) in the last 2 years
Posted on 11/11/19 at 1:56 am
Posted on 11/11/19 at 1:56 am
I just realized all 3 of these games started off with us turning the ball over on our first offensive possession.
I'm not saying that's the sole reason we lost, or almost lost, but that's a pretty big coincidence.
It's like the team's mental state takes a huge hit if we don't score on our first possession.
Hell. Look at the Duke game as another example. Technically we didn't turn the ball over on our first drive, but we did go 3 and Out. We fumbled on our second drive. We didn't score a point on Duke until there were 10 minutes left in the first half.
Just an observation.
I'm not saying that's the sole reason we lost, or almost lost, but that's a pretty big coincidence.
It's like the team's mental state takes a huge hit if we don't score on our first possession.
Hell. Look at the Duke game as another example. Technically we didn't turn the ball over on our first drive, but we did go 3 and Out. We fumbled on our second drive. We didn't score a point on Duke until there were 10 minutes left in the first half.
Just an observation.
5
Posted on 11/11/19 at 7:37 am to TideSaint
Turnovers are bad period but turning it over when a touchdown is yards away is a killer in a big game like that. I think the best team won the game so no excuses from me but yeah, that pretty much sealed our fate.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 7:48 am to Commander Data
quote:
Turnovers are bad period but turning it over when a touchdown is yards away is a killer in a big game like that. I think the best team won the game so no excuses from me but yeah, that pretty much sealed our fate.
The biggest differences in the game were
- we got 0 points on the 1st drive
- they got 6 points on drives where they barely got to the 20-25 yard line (with a kicker who had not been great recently, huge for them)
- they got 7 points almost every time they got into the red zone
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:13 am to SummerOfGeorge
Getting 0 on an opening drive that looked so promising for points was a bad sign & created a bad vibe for the 1st half.
In a game where both offenses are explosive with average defensive play turnovers were gonna play a huge roll & the 2 we had in the 1st half were pivotal.
In a game where both offenses are explosive with average defensive play turnovers were gonna play a huge roll & the 2 we had in the 1st half were pivotal.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:15 am to Canyon16
quote:
In a game where both offenses are explosive with average defensive play turnovers were gonna play a huge roll & the 2 we had in the 1st half were pivotal.
Yep - hard to overcome. Especially when we got nothing in terms of stops in the 4th quarter.
We're a good team, not a great team. It happens.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:15 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
with a kicker who had not been great recently, huge for them
I think I read that kickers are 12/12 against us this year. That’s just straight up odd.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:18 am to FairhopeTider
quote:
I think I read that kickers are 12/12 against us this year. That’s just straight up odd.
It certainly felt like opposing kickers had made everything, so that wouldn't surprise me.
Meanwhile we are trotting out a guy who literally can't make extra points, the kicking equivalent of writing your name on the test.
This post was edited on 11/11/19 at 8:19 am
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:26 am to SummerOfGeorge
44 and 46 points hard to overcome even for the best offenses.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:29 am to SummerOfGeorge
So many straight years of trotting out kickers who can't execute the 1 simple task of an xtra point is a head scratcher.
Even short field goals over the years within 30 yards seem to be a coin flip.
Even short field goals over the years within 30 yards seem to be a coin flip.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 8:51 am to Canyon16
quote:
So many straight years of trotting out kickers who can't execute the 1 simple task of an xtra point is a head scratcher.
Even short field goals over the years within 30 yards seem to be a coin flip.
Had Tua not fumbled on the first drive, we were going to have to try a FG from the right hash mark. Only about a 50% chance of success, IMO.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 11:33 am to East Coast Band
Should of taken a knee before the half .. no reason to try and drive the whole field with 36 seconds and try for a fg when the first half had been that bad
Posted on 11/11/19 at 11:52 am to Woodyjr42
quote:
Should of taken a knee before the half .. no reason to try and drive the whole field with 36 seconds and try for a fg when the first half had been that bad
Especially with a FG kicker that makes extra points a gamble. No way we were getting points there without a busted play by LSU. That was just so uncharacteristic of Saban. I still maintain Sark went rogue and did that without Saban's knowledge and blessing and probably took an arse chewing for it, as he should.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 11:58 am to phil4bama
quote:
I still maintain Sark went rogue and did that without Saban's knowledge and blessing
Except Saban said in his halftime interview he wanted to stay aggressive on that drive.
Hindsight is 20/20 and if we'd ended up completing a couple of passes and converting a FG attempt, we'd all be singing his praises today.
Posted on 11/11/19 at 4:10 pm to TideSaint
Too many costly mistakes. However, the game was lost mainly during the last 3-4 minutes of the 1st half.
Najee runs for 8 on 1st down; 2nd and 2 near midfield with about 3.5 min left in the 2nd quarter, down 13-19. One thing LSU defends very well is the perimeter. So, it's a no brainer -- feed Najee, use our OL power, mix in some slants, etc. Clock-burning drive to take a 20-19 halftime lead. Nope, Sark calls two wide plays right into LSU's strength. So then we punt and 3 minutes later, instead of being up by 20-19 at the half, we end up down by 13-33. 20-point swing in 3.5 minutes.
Even if we'd driven down, stalled, missed a FG to finish the 1st half down 13-19 (at worst 13-26), we could've won. We outscored LSU 28-13 in the 2nd half. 13+28=41 > 19+13=32.
Najee runs for 8 on 1st down; 2nd and 2 near midfield with about 3.5 min left in the 2nd quarter, down 13-19. One thing LSU defends very well is the perimeter. So, it's a no brainer -- feed Najee, use our OL power, mix in some slants, etc. Clock-burning drive to take a 20-19 halftime lead. Nope, Sark calls two wide plays right into LSU's strength. So then we punt and 3 minutes later, instead of being up by 20-19 at the half, we end up down by 13-33. 20-point swing in 3.5 minutes.
Even if we'd driven down, stalled, missed a FG to finish the 1st half down 13-19 (at worst 13-26), we could've won. We outscored LSU 28-13 in the 2nd half. 13+28=41 > 19+13=32.
This post was edited on 11/12/19 at 12:28 pm
Posted on 11/12/19 at 5:09 am to TideSaint
We seem to start every big game slowly lately. Only exception I can think of being Oklahoma. It's strange to see Saban coached teams be nervous and unsteady,as many big games we have played.
This happens almost always when we play Awbarn in their Cow patch. Got to coach this out of them. Bring that 2009-2011-2012 swagger back.
This happens almost always when we play Awbarn in their Cow patch. Got to coach this out of them. Bring that 2009-2011-2012 swagger back.
Posted on 11/12/19 at 8:08 am to My2Bits
We were ordained to lose this game. When your quarterback looks like a comedy farce fumbling a football out of his hands untouched, and your punter lets the ball hit him in the face mask, you are the football version of the keystone cops.
Our offense should win an Emmy for best live-action comedy. We looked awful. I think we play scared to lose. I love Saban and want him to coach us until he dies, but playing scared of making mistakes seems to be one of his trademarks.
Our offense should win an Emmy for best live-action comedy. We looked awful. I think we play scared to lose. I love Saban and want him to coach us until he dies, but playing scared of making mistakes seems to be one of his trademarks.
Posted on 11/12/19 at 8:52 am to TideSaint
The common denominator was the 4th quarter beatdown. We couldn't tackle, read and react, we were lost in coverage, including backs and QB taking real estate anytime they chose to do to. It was by all past measuring sticks, embarrassing and demoralizing, that this is what we have become. We have a Big 12 defense.
Bama gets within striking distance and bails the defense out and all we need is A stop. IF EVER HEART AND DETERMINATION WAS GOING TO REAR IT'S HEAD, FINALLY, THIS WAS IT. We couldn't get within 5 yards of a slant pass, couldn't wrap up when we had them in our grasp, and didn't believe we could. Nobody was mad, indignant, or screaming for the guys to conduct themselves like warriors. So much for on-field leaders.
The common denominator was the continued and complete emasculation of our defensive soul.
Bama gets within striking distance and bails the defense out and all we need is A stop. IF EVER HEART AND DETERMINATION WAS GOING TO REAR IT'S HEAD, FINALLY, THIS WAS IT. We couldn't get within 5 yards of a slant pass, couldn't wrap up when we had them in our grasp, and didn't believe we could. Nobody was mad, indignant, or screaming for the guys to conduct themselves like warriors. So much for on-field leaders.
The common denominator was the continued and complete emasculation of our defensive soul.
Posted on 11/12/19 at 8:53 am to LovetheLord
quote:this is a recurring theme in the iron bowl
Our offense should win an Emmy for best live-action comedy. We looked awful. I think we play scared to lose. I love Saban and want him to coach us until he dies, but playing scared of making mistakes seems to be one of his trademarks.
This post was edited on 11/12/19 at 8:54 am
Posted on 11/12/19 at 3:25 pm to LovetheLord
quote:
LovetheLord
Considering that you proclaimed not once, but at least twice that you were through with Tua, and now this comment, I don't suppose you give Tua a bit of credit for fighting through the injury and the first half to make it a competitive game in the 2nd. So which other of the quarterbacks do you think should start the rest of the games?
Posted on 11/12/19 at 6:09 pm to TideSaint
I watched Tuas opening drive fumble play over several times.
Watch the play closely and you can see Ruggs being held ( he ended up being the one player who could have tried to block for Tua and his run attempt, but he couldn't because he was being held), Juedy gets knocked down in the endzone, and Smith gets held along the goal line preventing him from breaking free to the back corner of the endzone.
I don't want to sound like whiny LSU ref bitching fans, but I did notice this on this play.
I'm most certain things like this happen on many plays that go uncalled.
Watch the play closely and you can see Ruggs being held ( he ended up being the one player who could have tried to block for Tua and his run attempt, but he couldn't because he was being held), Juedy gets knocked down in the endzone, and Smith gets held along the goal line preventing him from breaking free to the back corner of the endzone.
I don't want to sound like whiny LSU ref bitching fans, but I did notice this on this play.
I'm most certain things like this happen on many plays that go uncalled.
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