Their defense is so horrible it won't matter how rejuvenated they'll be. As far as Duke goes I don't think he has even practiced yet since his knee injury. Even so him worrying about re-injuring his knee again would probably effect the way he plays assuming he even returns for the iron bowl.Auburns defense is the same it had last year. I think they have been run down through this gauntlet of a schedule. You better believe they'll be rejuvenated for the iron bowl. If duke can play, it will give them another weapon we'll have to account for whether he's 100% or not. I just hope we play our best game of the season.
I've gotten the impression that it was more than just a mild sprain. I'm in mild disagreement about it's not affecting his play downfield. We'll just have to see...I heard that, too. A sprained MCL, unless severe, can be easily overcome. The pain can be masked, and knee stability is not as compromised. It would be a greater concern for a RB, but WRs like Williams don't have to rely on hard cuts. He makes most of his plays down the field, and a sprained MCL will not limit his speed.
I expect him to play.
I agree. Scoring won't be the issue. Stopping them score will be the challenge.You play your standard defense with two safeties helping over the top. Your LBs are going to have to have a good game, but the real key to stopping Auburn's offense is pressure up the middle, and Alabama has been awesome at creating pressure up the middle this season.
Alabama's D-line will decide this game.
I disagree. Scoring for us is almost always the issue in big games. See Ole Miss, LSU, and MSU. Offense was pretty shaky in all 3 of those games. Our defense will almost always play well enough to win..I agree. Scoring won't be the issue. Stopping them score will be the challenge.
Well to be fair. Those three teams are #1, #5, and #11 in scoring defense this year.I disagree. Scoring for us is almost always the issue in big games. See Ole Miss, LSU, and MSU. Offense was pretty shaky in all 3 of those games. Our defense will almost always play well enough to win..
Yep. And that's my point. We should have no trouble hanging 35+ points on AU but I doubt we do. We should have scored much more on them last year also..Well to be fair. Those three teams are #1, #5, and #11 in scoring defense this year.
*raises finger to say something.....stops*Yep. And that's my point. We should have no trouble hanging 35+ points on AU but I doubt we do. We should have scored much more on them last year also..
I still think we will win. Just saying that to me, I'm almost always more concerned about our offense than our defense. That's all..*raises finger to say something.....stops*
Well you got me there (until I can think of something else). Auburn does seem to bring its best defensive game against bama.
I don't even think it is really their defense....our play calling is a head scratcher in those games like A&M 2012 and Auburn 2013.*raises finger to say something.....stops*
Well you got me there (until I can think of something else). Auburn does seem to bring its best defensive game against bama.
*raises finger to say something.....stops*
Well you got me there (until I can think of something else). Auburn does seem to bring its best defensive game against bama.
And Kenyan Drake didn't play in the 2nd half after running the ball good on them in the 1st half. I still have never heard why he didn't see the field after halftime last year??They didn't have their best defense last year.. last year game was more on us... we didn't finish some plays... and we questioned some of Nuss playcalling....
Yes, and a lot of their fans are very unhappy with NM as a passing QB. I think we intend to make them pass...Agree--the key to stopping teams like Oregon and Auburn is to get strong defensive line penetration and disrupt them in the backfield.
(Ironically--that was how Auburn was effective against Oregon in the 2010 National Title game--it was a low scoring game)
Another key defensively is to play Zone or some combination Man to Man and Zone--this will assist in stopping the QB from running wild.
If Bama does these things it will limit Auburn offensively. Hopefully Bama can force some interceptions as Auburn gets frustrated trying to run and then it will have to rely on its passing game.