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Thoughts - Week 5

Thoughts - Week 5
« on: October 01, 2011, 11:19:59 PM »
"It got twisted and just kept on just twisting, and I had to kick 'em to get them off of me."

The "them" is you and me.  We are the crucifiers.  We are the sanhedrin. 

Auburn...

- What is this team?  And where did our old team go? 

- The first three games painted the picture for this season: awful defense with a high-octane offense.  Points vs. points.  We'd match your 500 yard day with a 501 yard day.  It caught up with us against Clemson, and they put 626 up.  And more points up.  And the picture began to look smudged.  And we didn't like the painters anymore.

- Today I saw a defense that was alive.  A defense that blitzed.  That tackled well.  That played each position correctly.  That shed blocks.  That caught interceptions.  That sacked the quarterback. 

- Who the hell was that out there?

- Granted, our defense was up against the jester of college football.  But we were also up against the worst offense in the NCAA last week and struggled.  We were up against Utah state and filled a canyon with their yards after contact. 

- So the jester comment is null.  We tackled.  We intercepted the ball.  We showed up with swagger and stuffed them when it counted.  We should be praising this defense and even complimenting Ted Roof.

- Our defensive game plan was perfect.  Bottle up Lattimore and make Garcia beat you.  We knew they'd go deep, and our defensive backs ran with their receivers.  Bell even turned around to find the ball.  We blitzed.  We ran stunts on the line.  We fooled Spurrier.  We haven't fooled anybody all year. 

- Offensively was a different story.  The game plan was obviously run Dyer up the middle and out-physical the Gamecock line.  It worked in the sense that we won the game; but it didn't work.

- Dyer ran 41 times for 141 yards.  Some have compared that performance to Lattimore's performances when he takes over games, but they are giving a faulty comparison.  Lattimore is usually dominating the game and is fed the rock until he gets the victory for his team.  Dyer was averaging 3.9 yards per carry, and while his warrior-like performance was admirable, he was not dominating anything.  He had a few good runs and remained physical until the end, but he was getting stuffed most of the time.  And that's not his fault. 

- Whose fault was it?  I don't know.  Could be Malzahn.  Looks like Trotter.  We don't throw the ball downfield.  We just don't, and that's enabling defenses to key in on Dyer.  The middle is bottled up, and we have to churn out 2-3 yards a play.  We have to hope to God that defense shows up from today and not from Clemson.  Imagine if our defense didn't show up.  Just imagine that for a second.

- Why not throw Frazier to the fire and run the Pat White offense?  We're running the ball at least 41 times a game anyway.  Might as well have a real threat with the option.  A real threat with the quarterback draw.  A real threat with multiple running styles on the field.  If we're okay with cranking out 3-4 yards a play, why not have multiple fresh legs doing the work? 

- It hit me today that we can't afford injuries.  We can't have Dyer go down.  Or Blake.  That can't happen. 

South Carolina...

- Still South Carolina. Soft Carolina.  Unable-to-get-the-win Carolina. 

- Quarterback?  5th year senior.  Running back?  Best in the country.  Wide receiver?  One of the best in the country.  Defensive line?  One of the best veterans and the best freshman in the country.  Cornerback?  One of the best in the country. 

What, exactly, is the problem? 

- The problem is Steve Spurrier if you ask me.  It's no secret that Auburn's defense struggles to tackle.  It's no secret that Lattimore is a bruiser who can own games with 40 carries.  It's no secret that if you give Lattimore the ball 20 times, the opposing defense will get worn out.  So this falls on the playcaller.  The person responsible for letting Garcia have so much responsibility.  The person for taking the ball away from Lattimore who would have eventually slashed Auburn's defense. 

Georgia...

- Have a nice day, today?  Completely owned Miss St.  South Carolina goes down.  Florida goes down.  Florida loses starting quarterback. 

- Enjoy it. 

Alabama...

- This game is still on in the background, so this could change. 

- I've unfairly credited Alabama with an advantage most other teams don't have:  Bama Luck.

- Bama Luck is when Kentucky is giving Alabama a game and the football bounces off the shoulders of three players and lands directly into a Bama linebacker's hands for a touchdown.  Or when Colt McCoy goes down in the BCSCG.  Or when Jeff Brantley throws the ball directly to Courtney Upshaw for a pick 6 and then breaks his knee.  Or any of the other blatant mistakes, miscues, and injuries from other teams that seem to occur only when they play Alabama.

- But the truth is that Bama Luck doesn't exist.  Alabama doesn't make mistakes.  They haven't really made a mistake since 2007.  Last year had a few miscues, and the Ingram fumble in the Iron Bowl was probably the only true mistake they've made in four years. 

- Alabama doesn't make many mistakes, so when the other team does, it completely ruins them.  It's a glaring moment that gives Alabama the momentum. 

- This team is on track to win the national championship.  There's only one true road block: LSU.  LSU has the #1 tool to pull off the upset, though.  A little ball of hate that causes turnovers.  And McCarron is ripe for someone to make him turnover the ball. 

Florida...

- Still too young.  Muschamp is doing great things with this team, and Florida will definitely be a force over the next few years.  This year is too immature.  Too young.  Too inexperienced with big time football. 

- They couldn't handle...Driskel just got injured...the physicality of Alabama's team.  Bostic threw a punch.  Players were  acting undisciplined.  They need another year of good coaching to be competitive. 

Alabama Part Two...

- Richardson is a beast. 

Heisman...

- My ballot after five weeks:

1. Tyrann Mathieu
2. Robert Griffin III
3. Trent Richardson
4. Russell Wilson
5. Andrew Luck

Final Thought...

- Auburn is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the SEC.  Arkansas is not the threat everyone proclaimed them to be.  Florida lost their starting quarterback.  LSU's quarterback situation is shaky.  Ole Miss is terrible.  Georgia is hoping to improve.  Don't tell me this season is shot, and hopefully I won't tell you that either. 
« Last Edit: October 02, 2011, 08:50:32 AM by Townhallsavoy »
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dallaswareagle

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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2011, 11:31:02 PM »
I agree with what you say. But with our QB the way it is, one game is going to get ugly.  Lsu???  Turds? Arky?

We are going to get ass raped.
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A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'

Kaos

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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2011, 11:31:55 PM »
Richardson does not impress me.  Never really has. 

Alabama's offense is dysfunctional enough that this team is vulnerable somewhere.  McCarron is a skinnier Trotter.  And a bit of a bitch. 

BTW?  It will be bad, bad, bad for the SEC if UGA ends up winning the East because they got gorilla fucked by Boise Horseteeth State.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2011, 11:33:33 PM by Kaos »
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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2011, 01:14:31 AM »
ROBERT Griffin III (correction needed) is still my Heisman #1 if the award goes to the best player in CFB and not the best player on the best TEAM in CFB. The guy has ZERO support but made Baylor look like a world beater until today.  RGIII made one mistake and that cost Baylor the game. To me, that emphasizes his importance to his team - when his mistake costs that much. Until today, he had as many TD as INCOMPLETIONS.  Even Cam did not have that stat.  Unheard of.

So to me, he is still in the picture for the Heisman, if it is not a popularity contest.
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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2011, 08:51:54 AM »
Correction fixed.

You should note that the announcers during the Bama game last night were very honest.  The best player on an undefeated team will win the Heisman.  Talent and production be damned. 
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RWS

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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2011, 09:08:50 AM »
Watching Alabama's offense is like watching somebody being bludgeoned with a wiffle ball bat. It's effective, but it just takes all night.
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"You're too stupid to realize that I'm one of the levelheaded Auburn fans around here" - The Prowler

Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2011, 09:12:52 AM »
Watching Alabama's offense is like watching somebody being bludgeoned with a wiffle ball bat. It's effective, but it just takes all night.

Seriously?  Is this some kind of weak attempt to be humble? 

Richardson bludgeoned Florida's defensive line from the first snap.  And the game plan made it easy after McElwain started throwing curl routes on every first down.

Florida had zero chance to win that game unless they started throwing bombs on Alabama's defense.

By the way, Mr. Swagger was getting abused for the most part last night.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2011, 09:24:05 AM by Townhallsavoy »
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GH2001

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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2011, 09:22:19 AM »
ROBERT Griffin III (correction needed) is still my Heisman #1 if the award goes to the best player in CFB and not the best player on the best TEAM in CFB. The guy has ZERO support but made Baylor look like a world beater until today.  RGIII made one mistake and that cost Baylor the game. To me, that emphasizes his importance to his team - when his mistake costs that much. Until today, he had as many TD as INCOMPLETIONS.  Even Cam did not have that stat.  Unheard of.

So to me, he is still in the picture for the Heisman, if it is not a popularity contest.

Agree....RG3 IS the best player in the country. But he won't win the Heisman because Baylor isn't an elite team. Unfortunately, the media has decided it is between Trent and Luck.
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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2011, 09:33:23 AM »
Seriously?  Is this like some kind of weak attempt to be humble? 

Richardson bludgeoned Florida's defensive line from the first snap.  And the game plan made it easy after McElwain started throwing curl routes on every first down.

Florida had zero chance to win that game unless they started throwing bombs on Alabama's defense.

By the way, Mr. Swagger was getting abused for the most part last night.
No.

I don't know how many Alabama games you have watched all the way through this season, but it was the same story as the others. Predictable play calling 1st and 2nd down, get in an obvious passing situation on 3rd down, pass to Maze or Hanks on 3rd. Sprinkle in the occasional McCarron overthrow by about a yard on a deep ball here and there. Even when Richardson was done for the night and I saw Lacy line up for a running play, I turned to my wife and said "And now we're going to see Lacy up the middle for a TD". And it happened. It will fuck us at some point. I guess I can't bitch because it's winning games, but we can't always rely on Maze returning everything kicked his way to the 50, a pick six, and the defense knocking it out of the park every game.

I agree on the throwing bombs part. I think once Bama realized that the front 7 could handle UF's run attack, they left the safeties over the top to help with that. And yes, I don't know if Kirkpatrick just couldn't handle the speed or what. It's been a while since I've seen him owned like that.
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GH2001

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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2011, 09:35:54 AM »
No.

I don't know how many Alabama games you have watched all the way through this season, but it was the same story as the others. Predictable play calling 1st and 2nd down, get in an obvious passing situation on 3rd down, pass to Maze or Hanks on 3rd. Sprinkle in the occasional McCarron overthrow by about a yard on a deep ball here and there. Even when Richardson was done for the night and I saw Lacy line up for a running play, I turned to my wife and said "And now we're going to see Lacy up the middle for a TD". And it happened. It will fuck us at some point. I guess I can't bitch because it's winning games, but we can't always rely on Maze returning everything kicked his way to the 50, a pick six, and the defense knocking it out of the park every game.

I agree on the throwing bombs part. I think once Bama realized that the front 7 could handle UF's run attack, they left the safeties over the top to help with that. And yes, I don't know if Kirkpatrick just couldn't handle the speed or what. It's been a while since I've seen him owned like that.
I did hear one of the commentators say that they thought McElwain was playing not to lose after the 2nd quarter, and Saban kind of put an end to that and wasn't comfortable with it. Is it true? Who knews. But right after they said that, Bama reeled off 2 straight TD's quickly, and THEN shut it down.
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Re: Thoughts - Week 5
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2011, 09:43:57 AM »
I did hear one of the commentators say that they thought McElwain was playing not to lose after the 2nd quarter, and Saban kind of put an end to that and wasn't comfortable with it. Is it true? Who knews. But right after they said that, Bama reeled off 2 straight TD's quickly, and THEN shut it down.
I don't know. The fact that they can stink it up, and then go out there like "Oh, well fuck, I guess we need to score on this one" and smash a defense's face into the ground tells me it is playcalling. Maybe I'm just being overly negative. I'm about to the point where I just think they should rub one out on every team they play and just put 60 points on the board every game. Everybody already hates Alabama anyway, it's not like they're not already motivated to beat us.

One thing I was happy with was McCarron. Is he elite? No. But he doesn't fuck things up either. For a true sophomore, I think he is playing above what I expected. He knows what he's doing, and he knows the offense. He needs to work on not staring down receivers, though.
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"You're too stupid to realize that I'm one of the levelheaded Auburn fans around here" - The Prowler