I'm doing two games this week, and lucky me, the first one is the Georgia massacre that rivaled the 2008 blackout game in Athens against Alabama. I was there in the stands for most of it. I'm not ashamed to say I left that trainwreck after it was 31-3, but I didn't miss much. The outcome was already a forgone conclusion with Alabama winning 38-10.
So with that said, I take my fan hat off and put my analyst hat on to review the film. Like many people who watch such a one-sided game, you completely forget the circumstances both good and bad that led to the outcome. All you remember is the feeling of despair or elation depending what side you happen on be on. That euphoria or depression can often color the game in tones that aren't 100% accurate. That's why it's good to take a second look, no matter how painful.
One thing I'd immediately forgotten is how good the game started for Georgia. Even though they didn't get a first down on the first possession, they turned over Alabama with a fumble and had the ball in opposing territory. But they couldn't seem to get any push up front in the run game, and QB Greyson Lambert kept missing open guys that could have been huge plays. In the first possession he underthrew a wide open Malcom Mitchell that would have been a 30 yard play, and in the second possession he completely didn't see a wide open Nick Chubb streaking across the middle that would have gone for at least 25 yards if not more. Instead he checked it down and ran out of bounds. Making those plays really would have changed the complexion of the game.
But no matter how the game started it was a see-saw ugly offensive affair until the second quarter. With the score 3-3 and 12 minutes left in the half, it looked like anybody's game. Exactly 17 minutes later in game time with 10 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, it was 38-3 and Alabama took their foot off the gas. That's right, 35 points in 17 game minutes. That's over 2 points a minute. Even TCU can't put up that kind of offense across the board. And what's worse, Saban actually took pity on the Bulldogs, calling off his offense, and running out the clock with run plays for the rest of the game. They never scored again after getting to 38 with 25 minutes left in the game, and they didn't have to.
How did it go so wrong so fast? It wasn't just one thing. It was like watching dominos slowly fall over in a cascading series of lines until eventually it's 1000 lines of dominos clacking away, echoing the sound and fury of your impending doom. The first domino was Derrick Henry running for a touchdown to make it 10-3. That happened because Alabama's Center, Ryan Kelly who I've remarked about as one of their best blockers in previous posts, put the wood to two Dawgs lineman in the middle and swung open a hole that only #51 Jake Ganus could have filled. Instead, he overpursued and got blasted out of the way while Derrick Henry strolled through the tulips.
The next domino came in what I think of as the defining point of the game, the blocked punt by Alabama for the TD. Georgia's #91 who is a defensive end but for some reason blocks on punts, completely looked the wrong way as Minkah Fitzpatrick came free on the right side with the block, scoop, and score. After that, the next domino it was Jake Coker going deep to Calvin Ridley for a 45 yard TD as coverage completely broke down with #35 Aaron Davis and #20 Quincey Mauger. Both of those secondary players for Georgia had a horrific day. By that point all the dominos were falling and Georgia was powerless to stop it. If I'm watching film as Tennessee I'm telling Josh Dobbs to find #35 and light him up.
But it wasn't over. Brice Ramsey came in as QB for Georgia and immediately threw a Pick 6 right over the middle to make it 31-3. It was one of the dumbest throws you'll ever see. If you were one of those people who wondered why Georgia never started Ramsey, this is why. He's an idiot. You can't make that throw in high school, let along in the rain, down 21 points, over the middle, with the safety literally standing by himself between the hashes. It's crap they teach QBs the moment they learn to throw. Don't throw late across your body, and don't throw deep middle with a safety sitting between the hashmarks.
The reason Brice came into the game is because Greyson Lambert looked completely shell shocked. He went from making some short throws and barely missing targets to suddenly one-hopping passes and completely missing receivers by the end of the second half. Basically, he looked like a guy from UVA who realized he was actually playing in the SEC against Alabama. I don't blame Richt for making the change because Lambert mentally was toast. I do blame Richt for making the change to Brice instead of Bauta, because Brice has never been responsible with the ball while Bauta was known for his work ethic and intelligence, just not his gunner arm. I'd have prefered the game manager at the point to calm things down, not the gunslinger who lost the game.
Make no mistake, Alabama won this game in all phases. They dominated the line of scrimmage, the passing game, the running game, and special games. They had almost every version of a TD you can think of except the sack-fumble score. And the MVP of the game for me was QB Jake Coker. He was looking off safeties, making great decisions, and finding the open man with ease. On the TD pass he stood in the pocket and got blasted, but absolutely delivered on a dime for that 45 yard score. Coker looked like the guy I was so impressed with against Wisconsin, and the Alabama defense looked more dominant than I'd seen it all season. Oh and Alabama fans who hate Lane Kiffin? He called a masterful game. I don't like the guy but even I can see how good he is when the offense is working the way he wants it.
However, the rain played a factor in that, and I think Georgia panicked because of it. Georgia coaches realized that in a rain-soaked game, they were subject to getting dump-trucked by Alabama's bigger, more aggressive lineman. They were correct. The problem was they put the game in the hands of Lambert, who was woefully unqualified in his first game against real competition to handle that kind of responsibility. And so Georgia got trampled, and Alabama looked like world-beaters the week after looking completely inept against Ole Miss.
Now, many Alabama supporters will say since Ole Miss lost to Florida and they dominated Georgia that they Ole Miss loss was a fluke. Not really in my estimation. If anything I'd say the Georgia blowout was the fluke. In a good weather game, or in a dome, I don't think this game goes anything like what we saw. Alabama was getting tested and getting beaten by Malcolm Mitchell on #26 Marlon Humphrey, but the rain was making it impossible for Lambert to get him the ball. In fact, the ball actually slipped completely out of Lambert's hands at one point and flew backwards.
Alabama is and always be bigger. If you get into an ass-kicking contest with them, you shall find you ass-kicked. That's just weight, height, and physics. HOWEVER, if you get into a speed contest with them and test them on the outside with a spread? It's a different ballgame. And Alabama has at least 2 of those games left, along with another interestingly fast team in LSU who runs a variation of the run-option with one of the more talented RB's in the country.
Georgia is also not as bad as they looked. I think this game was a series of events that just led the kids involved to completely get caught in quicksand and give up. A lot of that hangs on the coaches for not having them better prepared, but more of it hangs on the coaches for putting in a gameplan that was completely unfeasible. You were never going to beat Alabama with Greyson Lambert. Better to let Nick Chubb run it 30 times and see what happened, grinding it out with punts and field position, than to try and fling it around and bury yourself in a blowout. Like they say in baseball to pitchers, you never want to get beat on your 2nd best pitch.
But while Georgia wasn't as bad in all facets, the offensive line absolutely was. That's my biggest concern about Georgia going forward when they get ready to face a tough defensive line in Tennessee, and an even tougher defensive line in Florida. Guys like #73 Greg Pyke, #75 Kolton Houston, and the new Center #54 Brandon Kublanow? They were getting tossed around like rag dolls on rollerskates. And that's a huge problem considering that it's a new QB and a new center at Georgia. When you're not on the same page, things unravel just like they did in this game.
Next up, the Dogs face Tennesse, and Alabama faces a down Arkansas team. Both teams SHOULD have no trouble getting wins if they stick to their gameplans. However, I'd say the seat is way hotter for Georgia, who can't let Alabama beat them twice. Once on the field, and once more in their minds as they get ready to play the Vols.
No comments:
Post a Comment