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Which team was better, 2016 or 2018?
Posted on 1/12/25 at 10:55 am
Posted on 1/12/25 at 10:55 am
A lot of fans even today will say that the 2016 team was one play away from sealing a win for what was possibly the best Alabama team in history.
The 2018 team was a great offensive team with obscene amount of talent on that side of the ball. But instead of being one play short they had a disastrous championship game against Clemson.
So which team was overall better? Which would have a better shot against all-time greats like 2019 LSU?
The 2018 team was a great offensive team with obscene amount of talent on that side of the ball. But instead of being one play short they had a disastrous championship game against Clemson.
So which team was overall better? Which would have a better shot against all-time greats like 2019 LSU?
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Posted on 1/12/25 at 11:33 am to The Silverback
That is a tough one.
The 2016 team lacked a QB, Hurts was good against lesser defenses, but couldn't do anything against good defenses. Defense was elite. Had Jake Coker been back that season, Alabama would have destroyed every team they played.
The 2018 offense was elite, had around 10 first rounders on that team. Defense had playmakers, but wasn't elite as a whole.
Who would win between the two teams? I would go with the 2018 team. 2016 Alabama would not be able to score enough.
Fully healthy 2018, 2019 and 2020 Alabama would have outscored 2019 LSU. 2021 Alabama might as well.
The 2016 team lacked a QB, Hurts was good against lesser defenses, but couldn't do anything against good defenses. Defense was elite. Had Jake Coker been back that season, Alabama would have destroyed every team they played.
The 2018 offense was elite, had around 10 first rounders on that team. Defense had playmakers, but wasn't elite as a whole.
Who would win between the two teams? I would go with the 2018 team. 2016 Alabama would not be able to score enough.
Fully healthy 2018, 2019 and 2020 Alabama would have outscored 2019 LSU. 2021 Alabama might as well.
This post was edited on 1/12/25 at 12:54 pm
Posted on 1/12/25 at 12:03 pm to remaster916
2017 Bama gets so overlooked..Its the team with most draft picks in history with 41. More than 20 future NFL starters on offense, multiple future all-pros on defense.
Hurts held that team back because he hadn't turned the corner yet, but 2017 Bama was Saban's most talented team.
as far as the question in the OP. I'll go 2016. That team was ridiculously loaded, just a step behind the 2017 team. Better coaching than the 2018 team as well. Not that teams fault the refs let Clemson get away with a ton of holds against the best defensive line in the history of CFB.
Hurts held that team back because he hadn't turned the corner yet, but 2017 Bama was Saban's most talented team.
as far as the question in the OP. I'll go 2016. That team was ridiculously loaded, just a step behind the 2017 team. Better coaching than the 2018 team as well. Not that teams fault the refs let Clemson get away with a ton of holds against the best defensive line in the history of CFB.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 12:48 pm to The Silverback
I am of the opinion that the semi final games in the 2018 playoff was what led to the NCG fiasco.
Clemson slepwalked to a dominant win over a mediocre Notre Dame team.
We played a very talented Oklahoma team, and it was a battle, especially in the second half. Oklahoma wouldn't go away and were fighting tooth and nail, and it ended up being nasty, physical game to the end.
Clemson was fresh, and we were beat up.
Clemson slepwalked to a dominant win over a mediocre Notre Dame team.
We played a very talented Oklahoma team, and it was a battle, especially in the second half. Oklahoma wouldn't go away and were fighting tooth and nail, and it ended up being nasty, physical game to the end.
Clemson was fresh, and we were beat up.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 12:58 pm to VaBamaMan
You are right about the 2017 team. The defense was elite, just the QB issue.
A fully healthy and Tua lead 17 team might have been the best of the three teams.
Jalen was an extreme liability the last three games. How that team lost by 12 to Auburn is crazy.
A fully healthy and Tua lead 17 team might have been the best of the three teams.
Jalen was an extreme liability the last three games. How that team lost by 12 to Auburn is crazy.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 2:24 pm to The Silverback
2018 was probably our best team ever until the final game. Defense was solid in a way that they weren't in 2019. 2016 defense was better, but that offense in 2018 was ungodly.
Heading into that game, Tua had as good a season as humanly possible:
43 TD to 4 Int
3671 yards pass
190 yards rush, 5 rush TD
70%+ completion percentage
highest passer rating in history (still stood even after that game)
It was just the worst time possible to have his first truly bad game (and probably his only that wasn't the result of injuries), but it happened.
Heading into that game, Tua had as good a season as humanly possible:
43 TD to 4 Int
3671 yards pass
190 yards rush, 5 rush TD
70%+ completion percentage
highest passer rating in history (still stood even after that game)
It was just the worst time possible to have his first truly bad game (and probably his only that wasn't the result of injuries), but it happened.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 4:45 pm to The Silverback
I would read a long form article on what happened in the 2018 Natty. The game of the Saban era I truly don’t understand.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 7:29 pm to Bama Bird
Tua had those stats and didn't play much in the 2nd half of games.
Had he played the same number of snaps as Murray, Tua would have had insane numbers. Tua was robbed of the Heisman Trophy that year.
Had he played the same number of snaps as Murray, Tua would have had insane numbers. Tua was robbed of the Heisman Trophy that year.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 7:45 pm to Funky Tide 8
Clemson wasn’t a matter of being fresh. Clemson just had Venables who out schemed and outmaneuvered Locksley so bad that it’s shocking Locksley even got a HC job
We were in the redzone six times and scored once because of dumb playcalls like a full house QB run with Tua on 4th and 9
That was the year we gave two amazing recruiters coordinator jobs (Tosh, Locksley) and one had the job stripped before conference play for Golding while the other was basically pushed out
We were in the redzone six times and scored once because of dumb playcalls like a full house QB run with Tua on 4th and 9
That was the year we gave two amazing recruiters coordinator jobs (Tosh, Locksley) and one had the job stripped before conference play for Golding while the other was basically pushed out
This post was edited on 1/12/25 at 7:46 pm
Posted on 1/12/25 at 8:14 pm to UhOhOreo
Alabama got worked in that CFPCG. Defense got destroyed on every 3rd down situation like they knew what was coming - because they probably did - and the offense shite the bed on every high leverage play in the game basically.
Posted on 1/12/25 at 9:21 pm to CrimsonTider98
quote:
I would read a long form article on what happened in the 2018 Natty. The game of the Saban era I truly don’t understand.
Venables stole our signals and Locksley and the rest of the assistant coaches with other jobs were too checked out to care.
The end.
This post was edited on 1/12/25 at 9:22 pm
Posted on 1/13/25 at 4:44 am to Diego Ricardo
It was a very frustrating game to watch. Our defense seemingly got beat on every 50-50 ball Lawrence threw that night. And as someone already mentioned, our offense made it into the red zone six times that night but only managed to score once off those trips.
Posted on 1/13/25 at 6:58 am to RollTide1987
Yep, if we scored a TD every time then we probably win that game.
It is wild to have a game where one team just managed to have every single big play go their way but that's how you have likely a great, close game turn into a blowout.
It is wild to have a game where one team just managed to have every single big play go their way but that's how you have likely a great, close game turn into a blowout.
Posted on 1/13/25 at 3:30 pm to The Silverback
2016 - I really believe if Eddie Jackson isn't injured and out for the season during the A&M game, Bama wins it all in spite of Hurts lackluster championship game performance.
Jackson was such a ball hawk that year with interceptions. And the punt returns added another dimension.
I think he plays and we wouldn't have been watching Desean Watson and the little WR, I can't remember his name, killing us over and over again the passing game.
Jackson was such a ball hawk that year with interceptions. And the punt returns added another dimension.
I think he plays and we wouldn't have been watching Desean Watson and the little WR, I can't remember his name, killing us over and over again the passing game.
This post was edited on 1/13/25 at 3:31 pm
Posted on 1/13/25 at 6:28 pm to CrimsonTider98
That 2018 NC game was the beginning of the end of the Saban dynasty. That’s when the wheels started squeaking. What a bloodbath.
Posted on 1/13/25 at 10:14 pm to TS1926
quote:
2016 - I really believe if Eddie Jackson isn't injured and out for the season during the A&M game, Bama wins it all in spite of Hurts lackluster championship game performance. Jackson was such a ball hawk that year with interceptions. And the punt returns added another dimension. I think he plays and we wouldn't have been watching Desean Watson and the little WR, I can't remember his name, killing us over and over again the passing game.
Who is the fricking downvote troll?
Posted on 1/14/25 at 10:11 am to UhOhOreo
Not to mention they were on record after the win stating that they had done prep work for Bama prior to the semi finals.
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