🏈 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly vs. Oklahoma

['65 Cobra]

The objective summary is that we beat ourselves. It's just that simple. Without the pick six, we win. Without the missed field goal, we win. Without the turnovers, we win.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

The objective summary is that we beat ourselves. It's just that simple. Without the pick six, we win. Without the missed field goal, we win. Without the turnovers, we win.

Yes. Which is frustrating as hell. But it’s at least better than the alternative of being bullied all game and being the lesser team. Easier to adjust from the former than the latter.

 

[UAgrad93]

Good- the defense as a whole, 212 yards on 52 snaps, with no mental lapses in run fits. Special teams and turnovers set OU up with a short field time and time again. Defense deserved a better fate today.

Bad- turnovers! If the pick 6 wasn’t bad enough, we then fumble on a punt return. I’m guessing there was some reasoning to putting Williams back there with Adams, maybe to eliminate a directional kick, but damn, put someone back there with stronger hands.

Ugly- special teams miscues, fumble by Williams and the shank by Talty. Look, kickers are a squirrelly bunch. Throw in a bad snap, anything that doesn’t hit the holder in the hand 10” off the ground is considered bad by the kicker. If their timing is off just by the hair on a gnats ass, then they are all over the place and will likely miss it. Snapper has sent two, the last two weeks waist high and on the holders right hip. Both resulted in a miss.

 

[Rolltide24]

@Scrape&Search1032 will you evaluate Brooks tackle attempt on the first punt (first possession)? We’ve seen too many of these type tackles that have hurt us on big plays this season. I covet your breakdown of that tackle attempt!

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

@Scrape&Search1032 will you evaluate Brooks tackle attempt on the first punt (first possession)? We’ve seen too many of these type tackles that have hurt us on big plays this season. I covet your breakdown of that tackle attempt!

From what I remember, he just didn't wrap the guy up when going in for the tackle. He tried tackling him by putting his shoulder into him and missed. Showed great effort in Hawking him down and making the tackle after, but he's got to wrap the guy up. We all saw what it lead to, and turned out to be a game defining play.

 

[64Tide]

Good- Defense played well but dirt stealers are very limited on offense.

Bad-Hate to get on players but 26 and 2 on offense are place holders.

Ugly-3 turnovers. A performance like today will get us a third loss at API.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Bama has some issues no doubt but JMO the biggest problem is we lack an elite RB. None of our backs would get minutes at UGA.

Hard to believe we have 6 RB's and 4 and 26 are the best of the crew. That is a clusterfeck of recruiting.

 

[BamaFan334]

Yes. Which is frustrating as hell. But it’s at least better than the alternative of being bullied all game and being the lesser team. Easier to adjust from the former than the latter.

100%. Better than last year, but damn it feels a lot like last year.

 

[BamaFan334]

From what I remember, he just didn't wrap the guy up when going in for the tackle. He tried tackling him by putting his shoulder into him and missed. Showed great effort in Hawking him down and making the tackle after, but he's got to wrap the guy up. We all saw what it lead to, and turned out to be a game defining play.

Ttpical of these days where they want to lay the boom and not bring their arms.

 

[Rolltide24]

From what I remember, he just didn't wrap the guy up when going in for the tackle. He tried tackling him by putting his shoulder into him and missed. Showed great effort in Hawking him down and making the tackle after, but he's got to wrap the guy up. We all saw what it lead to, and turned out to be a game defining play.

Agree. He dove with his shoulder leading at the guy’s feet, kept his arms tucked and his shoulder mostly whiffed. Had his head down and didn’t really see the guy. Rough tackle attempt without using hands or arms.

 

[BamaFan334]

@Scrape&Search1032. I wish we would have gone and given Anthony Hill $5M to play for us. That interception he just made is exactly what I have said our backers don't do. He dropped into his zone, saw Stockton load up, he turned his head and found the receiver and then ran into the passing lane.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

@Scrape&Search1032 will you evaluate Brooks tackle attempt on the first punt (first possession)? We’ve seen too many of these type tackles that have hurt us on big plays this season. I covet your breakdown of that tackle attempt!

What you get asking a WR (freshman at that) trying to make an open field tackle. Not really the drills they are used to doing each weekday. To his credit though, he got his ass back up in a blink and went back after him... didn't quit on it.

 

[BamaFan334]

What you get asking a WR (freshman at that) trying to make an open field tackle. Not really the drills they are used to doing each weekday. To his credit though, he got his ass back up in a blink and went back after him... didn't quit on it.

That ain't a Freshman thing or a receiver thing, that's a generational thing.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

100%. Better than last year, but damn it feels a lot like last year.

I don't like the leveling off in terms of trajectory of the offense now in 2 seasons, though I feel (after that 1 drug induced watch) that the offense did more than enough to win this afternoon... problem is, they fired into their own foot too many times. But at this point in November, they have to find a way. This bullshit where multiple SEC teams get a week off before Bama week while Bama has to play another SEC team needs to be nipped. It should be, and can be, evened out for all teams where it is fair across the board. Some may call it an excuse, and that's fine, but it's an unfair advantage built into some schedules that Bama doesn't get to benefit from.

But going forward, it's just going to be heavyweight fights most weeks in conference play. Gotta be prepared and fight smart.

 

[TideatMileHigh]

So here’s the thing, y’all. If you want to know who this Alabama team reminds me of, I’ll tell you straight up: the mid-to-late ’80s Denver Broncos.

Back when I lived in Colorado, I was deep into the Denver Broncos lore. And if you know anything about those ’80s Broncos teams, you know they went to three Super Bowls with John Elway… and got their asses handed to them every single time. They were good teams, don’t get me wrong. They had a defense that could make plays, force turnovers, and keep you in the fight — but they weren’t the ’86 Giants by any stretch of the imagination.

That’s Alabama right now.

On defense? Solid. Opportunistic. Playmakers here and there. Not generational, but not bad.

But the offense… the offense is where the comparison gets real spooky.

Just like those ’80s Broncos, this Alabama offense is completely carried by one dude. Back then it was John Elway dragging a bunch of average parts to the Super Bowl. For us, it’s Ty Simpson dragging this offense — kicking, screaming, and wheezing — into relevance. Our receivers? They’re fine. Decent. But they ain’t elite.

Same with Denver back then. Ricky Nattiel was fine, but he wasn’t exactly Jerry Rice.

And the biggest parallel? No running game. None. Zip. It sucks. And when your running game is that nonexistent, every team knows the same damn formula: take away the run (which isn’t hard), heat up Ty Simpson, force him into one or two mistakes, and boom — you just put yourself in position to beat Alabama.

That’s exactly why those Denver teams got smacked around in the Super Bowl. They were one-dimensional and everyone knew it.

At this point in the season, it’s obvious: you are what you are. Alabama’s got a decent-but-not-great receiving corps, absolutely no damn running game, and everything lives or dies by Ty Simpson. If he gets sacked, pressured, or coughs up the ball, our chances of winning evaporate into thin air.

And here’s the truth that tonight’s Oklahoma game finally put in perspective for me: Alabama is a good team. They are not a great team. They’re still building. They'll probably win the Iron Bowl. They will probably finish 10–2. They’ll probably make the playoff, and hell, maybe they even win a playoff game. But winning it all? Absolutely not.

If this team lined up against Ohio State right now? They’d get the absolute dog shit stomped out of them. And that’s not me being negative — that’s just what the tape says.

But it’s fine. They’re growing. They’re developing. They’re laying the foundation for something better down the road. They’re just not elite this year, and that’s the unfortunate truth.

 

[BamaFan334]

I don't like the leveling off in terms of trajectory of the offense now in 2 seasons, though I feel (after that 1 drug induced watch) that the offense did more than enough to win this afternoon... problem is, they fired into their own foot too many times. But at this point in November, they have to find a way. This bullshit where multiple SEC teams get a week off before Bama week while Bama has to play another SEC team needs to be nipped. It should be, and can be, evened out for all teams where it is fair across the board. Some may call it an excuse, and that's fine, but it's an unfair advantage built into some schedules that Bama doesn't get to benefit from.

But going forward, it's just going to be heavyweight fights most weeks in conference play. Gotta be prepared and fight smart.

I agree. Been an issue for a while based on conversations and data produced here. It absolutely matters to get an extra week of film and practice to break down a scheme. A lot different than planning for LSU and then a day or two to impliment Oklahoma plan.

 

['65 Cobra]

I don't like the leveling off in terms of trajectory of the offense now in 2 seasons, though I feel (after that 1 drug induced watch) that the offense did more than enough to win this afternoon... problem is, they fired into their own foot too many times. But at this point in November, they have to find a way. This bullshit where multiple SEC teams get a week off before Bama week while Bama has to play another SEC team needs to be nipped. It should be, and can be, evened out for all teams where it is fair across the board. Some may call it an excuse, and that's fine, but it's an unfair advantage built into some schedules that Bama doesn't get to benefit from.

But going forward, it's just going to be heavyweight fights most weeks in conference play. Gotta be prepared and fight smart.

Even Saban teams had ebbs and flows throughout the season. But I agree 100% about teams coming off the bye week. It really is a significant advantage and the SEC needs to standardize... All SEC teams have the same number of conference byes, therefore, all SEC teams should face the same number of conference teams coming off a bye. Period. Why isn't this rule already in place?

 

[Bammerboy321]

What does this dude even do?

 

[Rolltide24]

What does this dude even do?

We’ve done good at fair catching punts this season and not fumbling them. Well, except for that one when Mbakwe ran into Adams.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Even Saban teams had ebbs and flows throughout the season. But I agree 100% about teams coming off the bye week. It really is a significant advantage and the SEC needs to standardize... All SEC teams have the same number of conference byes, therefore, all SEC teams should face the same number of conference teams coming off a bye. Period. Why isn't this rule already in place?

I don't know. Would be really easy to do. Half the SEC teams have a week 4 bye, other half have a week 5 bye. Same happens again in weeks 9 and 10. The teams on the week 4 bye, match up in week 5, the teams on the week 5 bye, match up in week 4. Same goes for weeks 9 and 10. Even and fair across the board and gives TV 4 conference matchups to draw from in each of those 4 weeks.

Additionally, week 13 (the weekend before rivalry week) should be OOC games only, cupcakes welcome if one so chooses.