A handful of random thoughts:
—After the way the BC game played out, I expected this team to turn in its best game of the season. Got exactly the opposite. Every damn phase!
—About the offense: I wish they would play with more tempo. The staff seems intent on rotating receivers from play to play. This is a problem for a couple of reasons. The play clock is often down to 25 or under by the time the subs are made, and then the defense has the option to sub. Then sometimes the play is changed with 6 or 8 seconds on the play clock. And everything gets rushed. For a team that runs the no-huddle, it makes no sense. Plus, Cook has excelled in the two-minute drill at the end of a half. Play fast!
—Baffling that this team is able to run the ball for three quarters but can’t pick up yards in crunch time. It was the same against BC. I don’t get it.
—I can’t believe what we witnessed at the end of the first half. More of the same atrocious clock management at the end of regulation. Have all three timeouts to use on defense, and the game might not have gone to OT.
—Tackling was atrocious, although on the long QB keeper in the first quarter the refs missed a blatant hold/hook at the line of scrimmage. I don’t understand how a defense can be so dominant for long stretches and then suffer the lapses it does. Second-and-16 can’t become third-and-1. Second-and-28 can’t become third-and-12.
—Shoutout to Eddie Kelly for dropping the QB for the 3-yard loss on first-and-10 at the 12. No way Vandy throws it on second down if it picks up any yardage on that play. Which means the offensive PI never happens.
—Based on the lack of success in short yardage, we’re lucky the game didn’t get to a third OT.
—I’ll say this about Craig. He made a FG when they needed him to. That said, who else was holding their breath on the extra point in the first OT?
—Bauer continues to deliver.
—Manning is going to block a punt sometime soon. He was close a couple of times.
—Finally, a shoutout to the crowd. It made a huge difference, especially when things looked bleak. What an electric atmosphere. You could feel it on TV.
—After the way the BC game played out, I expected this team to turn in its best game of the season. Got exactly the opposite. Every damn phase!
—About the offense: I wish they would play with more tempo. The staff seems intent on rotating receivers from play to play. This is a problem for a couple of reasons. The play clock is often down to 25 or under by the time the subs are made, and then the defense has the option to sub. Then sometimes the play is changed with 6 or 8 seconds on the play clock. And everything gets rushed. For a team that runs the no-huddle, it makes no sense. Plus, Cook has excelled in the two-minute drill at the end of a half. Play fast!
—Baffling that this team is able to run the ball for three quarters but can’t pick up yards in crunch time. It was the same against BC. I don’t get it.
—I can’t believe what we witnessed at the end of the first half. More of the same atrocious clock management at the end of regulation. Have all three timeouts to use on defense, and the game might not have gone to OT.
—Tackling was atrocious, although on the long QB keeper in the first quarter the refs missed a blatant hold/hook at the line of scrimmage. I don’t understand how a defense can be so dominant for long stretches and then suffer the lapses it does. Second-and-16 can’t become third-and-1. Second-and-28 can’t become third-and-12.
—Shoutout to Eddie Kelly for dropping the QB for the 3-yard loss on first-and-10 at the 12. No way Vandy throws it on second down if it picks up any yardage on that play. Which means the offensive PI never happens.
—Based on the lack of success in short yardage, we’re lucky the game didn’t get to a third OT.
—I’ll say this about Craig. He made a FG when they needed him to. That said, who else was holding their breath on the extra point in the first OT?
—Bauer continues to deliver.
—Manning is going to block a punt sometime soon. He was close a couple of times.
—Finally, a shoutout to the crowd. It made a huge difference, especially when things looked bleak. What an electric atmosphere. You could feel it on TV.
