So, I went back and re-watched the game last night with an emphasis on watching for mistakes like missed tackles, missed blocks, and blown assignments. Of course, there is a difference between a bad play on defense where a defender didn't do his job and a bad play on defense that was just a good play by the offense[ive player]. When looking for blown assignments, for example, you need to take into consideration the difference between what is actually a blown assignment versus what just looks like a blown assignment but is really a well schemed, well executed play by the opposing team.
After doing so, I realized three things:
1) The best team did win the game.
2) This game shouldn't have been a close, back-and-forth game.
3) If you change the outcome of a handful of plays, this game is most likely a Bama blowout.
It certainly didn't feel that way during the game but going back and looking at it from a "film study" standpoint makes this clear. While Watson made a lot of big plays, many of those plays and all but one of their TD drives were aided by Bama mistakes. We easily missed more tackles in this game than any other game this season. And while Clemson's defense made some big plays, almost every Bama drive that stalled can be linked to one or two particular Bama mistakes. Also, schematically Bama had the right game-plan on both offense and defense; we just didn't always execute them properly. You could also argue that Kiffin got away from the initial game-plan with his play-calling, which may or may not have been caused by poor execution by the offensive unit.
Here's my game breakdown:
Bama Drive 1:
On Bama's first drive, the key play was the pop-pass to Drake on 2nd and 7 at our 47 yard line that went for no gain. This put us in a 3rd and long which we weren't able to convert. On this play, however, Lawson was lined up offside which should have resulted in a replay of the down at 2nd and 2 - most likely continuing the drive into Clemson territory. However, we'll chalk up refereeing mistakes to just being a part of the game.
Clemson Drive 1:
Bama defense played well on this drive. Clemson came out with a good game-plan to start and Watson made one great third down play to extend the drive but Bama held them to a punt.
Bama Drive 2:
Three plays, 59 yards, seven points. Henry's 50 yard TD scamper was a big play and big plays are often the result of a mistake by the defense. In this case, though, the only defensive mistake was the call from the sideline. This was simply the perfect run play to call against Clemson's defensive play call and the result was a touchdown.
Clemson Drive 2:
The touchdown pass was a thing of beauty. A good route plus a perfect throw equals seven points. However, the key play was really the play before that one, a 3rd and 4 from the Bama 37 yard line. Watson drops back, can't find anyone open, feels pressure in the pocket, and scampers around left end for a first down. The key to this play? A'Shawn Robinson trying to push back inside rather than maintaining his outside containment responsibility. If Robinson had stayed high, he could have forced Watson back to the inside where the help that was waiting there could have stopped Watson short of the first down if not short of the line of scrimmage. By being just two yards out of position, he allowed a drive that should have ended in either a punt or a 50+ yard field goal attempt to end in a TD.
Bama Drive 3:
Missed 44 yard field goal attempt. It happens.
Clemson Drive 3:
This was Clemson's best drive of the game. Bama's defense didn't really make any mistakes but Clemson simply had some really good play-calling and their players made some good plays on that drive. On the two big pass plays as well as the TD pass, Bama actually had good coverage but was simply beaten by good routes, good throws, and good catches.
Bama Drive 4:
On the second play of this drive, there was either a miscommunication on the Offensive Line or a horribly blown assignment by Dominick Jackson. On a run play to the right, letting the defensive end on that side into the backfield untouched spells disaster. A loss of five yards on 1st and 10 there doomed the drive but Scott did at least pin Clemson inside their own 20.
Clemson Drive 4:
Good play by the defense and a great play by Eddie Jackson results in a big interception.
Bama Drive 5:
Following the turnover, the Bama offense promptly scores a touchdown.
Clemson Drive 5:
Bama's defense forces a three and out.
Bama Drive 6:
The key play of this drive was the five-yard sack Coker took on 2nd and 5 from our 27. It was a coverage sack, as the O-Line did a decent job at giving Coker time. He certainly had enough time to have recognized that the play wasn't there and either thrown it away or tucked it and ran. That mistake made what should have been, at worst, a 3rd and 5 play a 3rd and 10 play which we couldn't convert.
Clemson Drive 6:
Watson made a couple plays but Bama's D stiffened and forced a punt.
Bama Drive 7:
The play that killed this drive was the first one. Coker's initial read wasn't there and - instead of stepping up into the pocket giving him a chance to either get to his second read, throw the ball away, or scramble - he hesitates and steps backward into a nine yard sack. It may have still been a three and out had he stepped up and thrown the ball away but taking the sack meant this drive had no chance from the start.
Clemson Drive 7:
Clemson moved into field goal range just before the half but Pettway's block kept points off the board.
Bama Drive 8:
A 12 yard run to close out the half.
Clemson Drive 8:
Bama's defense stepped up big, coming out of the half and forcing a three and out.
Bama Drive 9:
A three play, touchdown drive capped by O.J. Howard's 53 yard TD catch. The big play was partly good play design by Alabama and either bad play design and/or an incorrect alignment by Clemson's defense. With Ridley and Mullaney bunched wide left (field), Clemson had a CB on the line and a Safety off in coverage as well as a Safety over the top. With Stewart and Howard bunched wide right (boundary), however, Clemson only had a CB close to the line in coverage while their other Safety was playing a run/pass read assignment in the middle of the field. At the snap, the corner on the boundary side takes the short receiver, expecting help over the top which isn't there, leaving Howard wide open for the TD. What should have happened was either the Safety that was lined up over the top on the field side should have dropped into a single deep assignment or the Safety to the boundary side should have slid out into an off coverage position with the Mike LB taking over the run/pass read assignment in the middle of the field. Whether this was a missed assignment on the field or a bad call from the Clemson sideline, it was as much Bama taking advantage of a good look on the play as it was a mistake by Clemson's D.
Clemson Drive 9:
The key play here was the pass interference call on Minkah on 2nd and 6. While it was a bit of a ticky-tack call, Fitzpatrick was in position to defend the pass without having to interfere. While Clemson may have simply converted the 3rd and 6 play that would have followed, that PI turned what may have been a forced punt into a 37 yard Clemson field goal.
Bama Drive 10:
The key in this drive is, like a couple others, the first one - a seven yard sack. Forty five percent of the blame goes either to Kiffin and/or Coker. If the play call was a designed, pass-only, play-action call then it's on Kiffin. If it was a run/pass option then it's on Coker. The numbers and the alignment in the box said run. Had the play been checked to a dive off-tackle right, Henry would have had four yards. There's a big difference between 2nd and 6 versus 2nd and 17.
Clemson Drive 10:
The key play here is Watson's 16 yard scramble on 2nd and 15 from the Bama 34. There were two mistakes on this play, the first more costly than the second. Watson drops back, sees that Bama has good coverage, feels the pressure, pump fakes, and takes off up the middle for a first down. The first mistake was made by Dalvin Tomlinson, biting on the pump fake after having beaten his man and getting a free line to the QB. There is no reason for him to leave his feet in that situation; he should have continued his run straight toward the QB. If he does so, he either makes the sack or at least gets a hand on Watson allowing Da'Shawn Hand to make the tackle for loss. The second mistake was made by Ragland who dropped back 15 yards or so while playing a Robber/Rat coverage role even though there were no routes coming his way across the middle. If he holds at 8 to 10 yards back he probably makes the tackle on Watson before he gets the first down. Taking away Ragland's mistake probably only delays the inevitable but might have resulted in a forced field goal attempt. Taking away Tomlinson's mistake, though, almost certainly turns a touchdown drive into at worst a field goal attempt.
Bama Drive 11:
Coker makes a good read and a good throw on 3rd and 9 at the Bama 37 but Mullaney un-customarily drops the pass, prematurely ending the drive.
Clemson Drive 11:
Good play by the Bama D forces a punt after Clemson nets five yards in six plays.
Bama Drive 12:
Coker misses a wide open Ridley on 3rd and 3, prematurely ending the drive.
Clemson Drive 12:
Another good drive by the Bama D forces a punt after just four plays.
Bama Drive 13:
A decent drive by Bama results in a field goal.
Clemson Drive 13:
This drive doesn't happen, due to the surprise onside kick call executed perfectly by Bama.
Bama Drive 14:
A huge drive after the stolen possession results in a Bama TD.
Clemson Drive 14:
A good drive by Clemson until the Bama D stiffens up, holding them to a field goal.
Bama Drive 15:
This drive also doesn't happen but, unlike Clemson's missed possession, this was a good thing since Drake took the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.
Clemson Drive 15:
The Bama D that normally tackles so well misses 7 (count 'em, seven) tackles on two Gallman receiving plays that should have gone for about five and eight yards to instead go for a combined 53 yards. Clemson may have just marched down the field for a TD anyway but giving away an extra 40 yards is still giving away 40 yards.
Bama Drive 16:
In response, Bama's offense goes on a soul-crushing, 75 yard, touchdown drive to effectively seal the win.
Clemson Drive 16:
Bama plays basically a prevent defense, allowing Clemson to march down the field for a TD in exchange for attempting - but failing - to force Clemson to run out the clock in doing so.
Bama Drive 17:
Bama recovers the onside kick and then takes a knee to end the game.
By looking at the drives and the number of key mistakes made by Bama, you can easily see how this game could have turned out much differently. Clemson is to be commended for how they played but Bama did its part keeping them in the game.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree?
After doing so, I realized three things:
1) The best team did win the game.
2) This game shouldn't have been a close, back-and-forth game.
3) If you change the outcome of a handful of plays, this game is most likely a Bama blowout.
It certainly didn't feel that way during the game but going back and looking at it from a "film study" standpoint makes this clear. While Watson made a lot of big plays, many of those plays and all but one of their TD drives were aided by Bama mistakes. We easily missed more tackles in this game than any other game this season. And while Clemson's defense made some big plays, almost every Bama drive that stalled can be linked to one or two particular Bama mistakes. Also, schematically Bama had the right game-plan on both offense and defense; we just didn't always execute them properly. You could also argue that Kiffin got away from the initial game-plan with his play-calling, which may or may not have been caused by poor execution by the offensive unit.
Here's my game breakdown:
Bama Drive 1:
On Bama's first drive, the key play was the pop-pass to Drake on 2nd and 7 at our 47 yard line that went for no gain. This put us in a 3rd and long which we weren't able to convert. On this play, however, Lawson was lined up offside which should have resulted in a replay of the down at 2nd and 2 - most likely continuing the drive into Clemson territory. However, we'll chalk up refereeing mistakes to just being a part of the game.
Clemson Drive 1:
Bama defense played well on this drive. Clemson came out with a good game-plan to start and Watson made one great third down play to extend the drive but Bama held them to a punt.
Bama Drive 2:
Three plays, 59 yards, seven points. Henry's 50 yard TD scamper was a big play and big plays are often the result of a mistake by the defense. In this case, though, the only defensive mistake was the call from the sideline. This was simply the perfect run play to call against Clemson's defensive play call and the result was a touchdown.
Clemson Drive 2:
The touchdown pass was a thing of beauty. A good route plus a perfect throw equals seven points. However, the key play was really the play before that one, a 3rd and 4 from the Bama 37 yard line. Watson drops back, can't find anyone open, feels pressure in the pocket, and scampers around left end for a first down. The key to this play? A'Shawn Robinson trying to push back inside rather than maintaining his outside containment responsibility. If Robinson had stayed high, he could have forced Watson back to the inside where the help that was waiting there could have stopped Watson short of the first down if not short of the line of scrimmage. By being just two yards out of position, he allowed a drive that should have ended in either a punt or a 50+ yard field goal attempt to end in a TD.
Bama Drive 3:
Missed 44 yard field goal attempt. It happens.
Clemson Drive 3:
This was Clemson's best drive of the game. Bama's defense didn't really make any mistakes but Clemson simply had some really good play-calling and their players made some good plays on that drive. On the two big pass plays as well as the TD pass, Bama actually had good coverage but was simply beaten by good routes, good throws, and good catches.
Bama Drive 4:
On the second play of this drive, there was either a miscommunication on the Offensive Line or a horribly blown assignment by Dominick Jackson. On a run play to the right, letting the defensive end on that side into the backfield untouched spells disaster. A loss of five yards on 1st and 10 there doomed the drive but Scott did at least pin Clemson inside their own 20.
Clemson Drive 4:
Good play by the defense and a great play by Eddie Jackson results in a big interception.
Bama Drive 5:
Following the turnover, the Bama offense promptly scores a touchdown.
Clemson Drive 5:
Bama's defense forces a three and out.
Bama Drive 6:
The key play of this drive was the five-yard sack Coker took on 2nd and 5 from our 27. It was a coverage sack, as the O-Line did a decent job at giving Coker time. He certainly had enough time to have recognized that the play wasn't there and either thrown it away or tucked it and ran. That mistake made what should have been, at worst, a 3rd and 5 play a 3rd and 10 play which we couldn't convert.
Clemson Drive 6:
Watson made a couple plays but Bama's D stiffened and forced a punt.
Bama Drive 7:
The play that killed this drive was the first one. Coker's initial read wasn't there and - instead of stepping up into the pocket giving him a chance to either get to his second read, throw the ball away, or scramble - he hesitates and steps backward into a nine yard sack. It may have still been a three and out had he stepped up and thrown the ball away but taking the sack meant this drive had no chance from the start.
Clemson Drive 7:
Clemson moved into field goal range just before the half but Pettway's block kept points off the board.
Bama Drive 8:
A 12 yard run to close out the half.
Clemson Drive 8:
Bama's defense stepped up big, coming out of the half and forcing a three and out.
Bama Drive 9:
A three play, touchdown drive capped by O.J. Howard's 53 yard TD catch. The big play was partly good play design by Alabama and either bad play design and/or an incorrect alignment by Clemson's defense. With Ridley and Mullaney bunched wide left (field), Clemson had a CB on the line and a Safety off in coverage as well as a Safety over the top. With Stewart and Howard bunched wide right (boundary), however, Clemson only had a CB close to the line in coverage while their other Safety was playing a run/pass read assignment in the middle of the field. At the snap, the corner on the boundary side takes the short receiver, expecting help over the top which isn't there, leaving Howard wide open for the TD. What should have happened was either the Safety that was lined up over the top on the field side should have dropped into a single deep assignment or the Safety to the boundary side should have slid out into an off coverage position with the Mike LB taking over the run/pass read assignment in the middle of the field. Whether this was a missed assignment on the field or a bad call from the Clemson sideline, it was as much Bama taking advantage of a good look on the play as it was a mistake by Clemson's D.
Clemson Drive 9:
The key play here was the pass interference call on Minkah on 2nd and 6. While it was a bit of a ticky-tack call, Fitzpatrick was in position to defend the pass without having to interfere. While Clemson may have simply converted the 3rd and 6 play that would have followed, that PI turned what may have been a forced punt into a 37 yard Clemson field goal.
Bama Drive 10:
The key in this drive is, like a couple others, the first one - a seven yard sack. Forty five percent of the blame goes either to Kiffin and/or Coker. If the play call was a designed, pass-only, play-action call then it's on Kiffin. If it was a run/pass option then it's on Coker. The numbers and the alignment in the box said run. Had the play been checked to a dive off-tackle right, Henry would have had four yards. There's a big difference between 2nd and 6 versus 2nd and 17.
Clemson Drive 10:
The key play here is Watson's 16 yard scramble on 2nd and 15 from the Bama 34. There were two mistakes on this play, the first more costly than the second. Watson drops back, sees that Bama has good coverage, feels the pressure, pump fakes, and takes off up the middle for a first down. The first mistake was made by Dalvin Tomlinson, biting on the pump fake after having beaten his man and getting a free line to the QB. There is no reason for him to leave his feet in that situation; he should have continued his run straight toward the QB. If he does so, he either makes the sack or at least gets a hand on Watson allowing Da'Shawn Hand to make the tackle for loss. The second mistake was made by Ragland who dropped back 15 yards or so while playing a Robber/Rat coverage role even though there were no routes coming his way across the middle. If he holds at 8 to 10 yards back he probably makes the tackle on Watson before he gets the first down. Taking away Ragland's mistake probably only delays the inevitable but might have resulted in a forced field goal attempt. Taking away Tomlinson's mistake, though, almost certainly turns a touchdown drive into at worst a field goal attempt.
Bama Drive 11:
Coker makes a good read and a good throw on 3rd and 9 at the Bama 37 but Mullaney un-customarily drops the pass, prematurely ending the drive.
Clemson Drive 11:
Good play by the Bama D forces a punt after Clemson nets five yards in six plays.
Bama Drive 12:
Coker misses a wide open Ridley on 3rd and 3, prematurely ending the drive.
Clemson Drive 12:
Another good drive by the Bama D forces a punt after just four plays.
Bama Drive 13:
A decent drive by Bama results in a field goal.
Clemson Drive 13:
This drive doesn't happen, due to the surprise onside kick call executed perfectly by Bama.
Bama Drive 14:
A huge drive after the stolen possession results in a Bama TD.
Clemson Drive 14:
A good drive by Clemson until the Bama D stiffens up, holding them to a field goal.
Bama Drive 15:
This drive also doesn't happen but, unlike Clemson's missed possession, this was a good thing since Drake took the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.
Clemson Drive 15:
The Bama D that normally tackles so well misses 7 (count 'em, seven) tackles on two Gallman receiving plays that should have gone for about five and eight yards to instead go for a combined 53 yards. Clemson may have just marched down the field for a TD anyway but giving away an extra 40 yards is still giving away 40 yards.
Bama Drive 16:
In response, Bama's offense goes on a soul-crushing, 75 yard, touchdown drive to effectively seal the win.
Clemson Drive 16:
Bama plays basically a prevent defense, allowing Clemson to march down the field for a TD in exchange for attempting - but failing - to force Clemson to run out the clock in doing so.
Bama Drive 17:
Bama recovers the onside kick and then takes a knee to end the game.
By looking at the drives and the number of key mistakes made by Bama, you can easily see how this game could have turned out much differently. Clemson is to be commended for how they played but Bama did its part keeping them in the game.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree?
