My thoughts on this team after 3 games

Con

Hall of Fame
Dec 19, 2006
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It amazes me that people forget the bias every fan has - we know our players, their strengths, weaknesses, and have our expectations. We also know we have a coach that doesn't care about winning by 50 but would rather experiment and allow younger players to develop via playing time. We analyze plays that work, plays that don't, etc.

Conversely, none of us know much about the other teams out there that look impressive right now - we don't know the teams they've played well, yet, either. Yet so many are quick to act like we have glaring weaknesses another teams do not...

I know some of you guys expect Bama to look like and NFL team week in and out, but it's never been that way and never will be. Bama will improve each week (as they have through the first three weeks). And the teams that look immortal right now will almost certainly all fall to earth before the season is over.

How quickly people forget, we do this every single year. Every. Year.

Calm down and enjoy it.
This post has me ready for Saturday. I had to explain this sort of thing to a Clemson fan I work with this morning. They are all kind of worked up because they weren't #1 right now. All they knew was our score and nothing else that happened in our game.
 

JustNeedMe81

Hall of Fame
Sep 30, 2011
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One more thing: Why are we so obsessed about playing like we're no. 1? I don't think it matters right now. What the team needs to focus on correcting some mental mistakes and just continue to get better each week.
 

RollTide_HTTR

Hall of Fame
Feb 22, 2017
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One more thing: Why are we so obsessed about playing like we're no. 1? I don't think it matters right now. What the team needs to focus on correcting some mental mistakes and just continue to get better each week.
I don't believe anyone here is on the team. We can focus on the fact that we haven't looked as good the past 2 weeks as some of us wanted us to. I think that's pretty fair.
 

Tide&True

All-American
Sep 24, 2004
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There is no doubt Alabama could have scored more (if they wanted to) in the last two games. I do believe the coaches chose to experiment instead of throttling our opponent. Yes the defense is a work in progress right now...but I'm convinced we will get there. In the meantime we may need to call on the offense to play ball control and give opponents less opportunities to score. I look for Bama to hunker down and use short passes and a very good running game to keep the ball away from the other team. Our defense has been taken out of their usual operating mode due to injury at linebacker. Once the linebacker issues are solved then the line and D-backs will play differently as well.


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JustNeedMe81

Hall of Fame
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I don't believe anyone here is on the team. We can focus on the fact that we haven't looked as good the past 2 weeks as some of us wanted us to. I think that's pretty fair.
Kicking didn't look good but got better.
Offense didn't look good but got better.
Defense looked okay, but continuing to get better... Its a progress. Lot of mistakes that the team made was based on mental mistakes. On offense, Team didn't finish blocks and were 1 or 2 plays away from explosive plays. on Defense, they just didn't execute their plays. Saban and players have said that. I may be the only one who feels this way, but I strongly believe they will focus on small details and correct mental mistakes and we'll be fine.
 

JustNeedMe81

Hall of Fame
Sep 30, 2011
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There is no doubt Alabama could have scored more (if they wanted to) in the last two games. I do believe the coaches chose to experiment instead of throttling our opponent. Yes the defense is a work in progress right now...but I'm convinced we will get there. In the meantime we may need to call on the offense to play ball control and give opponents less opportunities to score. I look for Bama to hunker down and use short passes and a very good running game to keep the ball away from the other team. Our defense has been taken out of their usual operating mode due to injury at linebacker. Once the linebacker issues are solved then the line and D-backs will play differently as well.


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I believe we'll see combination of using the clock, scoring quick. We want to strike balance on offense. Know when to hurry up, when to use the clock. But, I do agree with you.
 

Tide&True

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Sep 24, 2004
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The defense as a whole has been trying to compensate for the play at linebacker. Once everybody can get back to just taking care of their own area the defense will improve tremendously.


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selmaborntidefan

TideFans Legend
Mar 31, 2000
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Years ago, I complained about how our 2008 team didn't seem to be able to put TWO GOOD HALVES together in the same game. Go back and watch those games - we would shoot lights out in one half (sometimes the first, sometimes the second) and phone in the rest of the game. I complained about this and was told, "Well, you can only REALLY get up for maybe 3-4 games per year," which, okay.


Why are so many forgetting this apparent infallible truth now?

This has seemingly always been an Alabama problem.......give us a top five and we can get ready to kill. Give us a lackluster cupcake game, and we play like WE are lackluster cupcakes more often than not.
 

Mystical

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Sep 28, 2009
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This has seemingly always been an Alabama problem.......give us a top five and we can get ready to kill. Give us a lackluster cupcake game, and we play like WE are lackluster cupcakes more often than not.
So your saying the players feel like a portion of the fan base and would rather play a named school on the schedule.
 

Professor

Scout Team
Sep 3, 2017
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In these early games it seems as though we play just good enough to win. It is now time for a blowout! I don't like being nervous for three quarters.
Vandy should be that blowout in spite of their 3-0 record.
 

RollinTider1335

All-SEC
Jun 12, 2010
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Spring Hill, TN
In these early games it seems as though we play just good enough to win. It is now time for a blowout! I don't like being nervous for three quarters.
Vandy should be that blowout in spite of their 3-0 record.
Really???????

24-7
41-10
41-23

And what would you consider a blow out???? You kids are getting spoiled.....

RTR



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Moro Creek

All-SEC
Jan 21, 2014
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After last year and the first of this year, I was critical of our passing game, our play calling, and the fact that our QB ran too much. After three games, I am coming around to this offense. Jalen's throws to the first option (usually designed) have been crisp and mostly successful. When that first option is covered or the pocket breaks down, Jalen runs and again usually picks up good yardage. I now agree more with the play calls because they are safe (low interceptions and fumbles) and for the most part have worked well. Even if Jalen runs 10 to 15 times a game, I don't believe he will be hurt because he has the uncanny ability to avoid hard hits. The main thing we need to improve on is to get our third down conversion up to about 60% so we can control the clock better. On the down side, I don't know how our running backs and receivers feel about mostly blocking.
 

Bamabuzzard

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Aug 15, 2004
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There is no doubt Alabama could have scored more (if they wanted to) in the last two games. I do believe the coaches chose to experiment instead of throttling our opponent. Yes the defense is a work in progress right now...but I'm convinced we will get there. In the meantime we may need to call on the offense to play ball control and give opponents less opportunities to score. I look for Bama to hunker down and use short passes and a very good running game to keep the ball away from the other team. Our defense has been taken out of their usual operating mode due to injury at linebacker. Once the linebacker issues are solved then the line and D-backs will play differently as well.


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I think that's the direction the staff is taking this team as well, especially the offense. I believe there's zero intention to make this a vertical passing team. It doesn't mean we won't take vertical shots down the field. But I don't think we're going to see pass after pass being 15+ yards all over the field either. We will pick our moments and take our shots. But outside of that I think we're going to play "small ball", much like the NE Patriots do with their offense. They dink and dunk you to death, lul you in to keep bringing safeties down then they pull the top off a few plays and burn you for a long touchdown. I see us going to a more ball controlled style with Jalen being just as much apart of the running game as the other backs. It's not what I would prefer. But my phone has yet to ring with Coach Saban on the other end asking me what I prefer. So it will be what it will be.
 

Con

Hall of Fame
Dec 19, 2006
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After last year and the first of this year, I was critical of our passing game, our play calling, and the fact that our QB ran too much. After three games, I am coming around to this offense. Jalen's throws to the first option (usually designed) have been crisp and mostly successful. When that first option is covered or the pocket breaks down, Jalen runs and again usually picks up good yardage. I now agree more with the play calls because they are safe (low interceptions and fumbles) and for the most part have worked well. Even if Jalen runs 10 to 15 times a game, I don't believe he will be hurt because he has the uncanny ability to avoid hard hits. The main thing we need to improve on is to get our third down conversion up to about 60% so we can control the clock better. On the down side, I don't know how our running backs and receivers feel about mostly blocking.
I don't think so either. He doesn't pass the lick to the defender. He just kind of goes down without a fight which makes him seem to be less susceptible to being hurt.
 

theballguy

Hall of Fame
Nov 5, 2012
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Everything's gonna be all right, guys. We're just getting started.

We played very well against FSU who is at the very least a real top 10 team. I'll take how we won that game EVERY weekend :) Btw, if we played like that for every game, we beat any team there is this season and win another NC.

We played one cupcake team (Fresno) and demolished them AND we got to play several players to give them some experience.

I don't count Colorado State as a cupcake -- they're a decent team and would probably beat a couple of SEC teams this season. I watch them fairly often up here. We still managed to get some players some experience against those guys.

Right before we played UGA in 2015, we were ranked #13. Would you say we were not a championship team then? I couldn't tell honestly. I felt that we had a great team and just played poorly against Ole Miss. I honestly didn't think we couldn't win an SEC championship even at that time in the season.
 

westide

All-SEC
Jan 22, 2011
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My take on the first three games. A lot of young talented players are getting needed experience on both sides of the ball. Expect to see Bama steadily improve.
 

RT27

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Aug 13, 2017
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I see it this way, first few games are always a test. WE beat FSU that is all that mattered in that game. The next 2 were not as pretty as I like but wins and with lots of injuries. Next we have a new OC, may take a few real games to get that engine humming like a bird. I have lived the Bear years, to the Saban years. CALM down we are fine. Every thing I see that is a bit off is all fixable with some coaching. Not like we have no talent and a coach who cannot control the clock in close games. Will we win it all??? Our chances are better than most and even with the top few. All depends on breaks luck and concentration. I love we have gotten so used to this team being ...... all the time that we pick it apart more than ever. THAT is great, that tells me we are not hopping up and down with just winning, we want domination, as does Nick.Sit down, pop a cold one and watch, we are getting there, we will get er done. Roll Tide
 

RT27

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Aug 13, 2017
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I think that's the direction the staff is taking this team as well, especially the offense. I believe there's zero intention to make this a vertical passing team. It doesn't mean we won't take vertical shots down the field. But I don't think we're going to see pass after pass being 15+ yards all over the field either. We will pick our moments and take our shots. But outside of that I think we're going to play "small ball", much like the NE Patriots do with their offense. They dink and dunk you to death, lul you in to keep bringing safeties down then they pull the top off a few plays and burn you for a long touchdown. I see us going to a more ball controlled style with Jalen being just as much apart of the running game as the other backs. It's not what I would prefer. But my phone has yet to ring with Coach Saban on the other end asking me what I prefer. So it will be what it will be.
No worries he does call me and I will pass that thought along to him. :eek2:
 

RT27

All-American
Aug 13, 2017
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Kicking didn't look good but got better.
Offense didn't look good but got better.
Defense looked okay, but continuing to get better... Its a progress. Lot of mistakes that the team made was based on mental mistakes. On offense, Team didn't finish blocks and were 1 or 2 plays away from explosive plays. on Defense, they just didn't execute their plays. Saban and players have said that. I may be the only one who feels this way, but I strongly believe they will focus on small details and correct mental mistakes and we'll be fine.
AMEN this is that cool thing Nicky calls the "PROCESS" and it has served him and us fans well, remember the NC's , as long as you win while ironing out the wrinkles it is all good. Just imagine how good it is going to be when we get, wrinkle free, when it really counts, in the playoffs.
 

WylieTexasTider

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Sep 24, 2006
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My thoughts after 3 games is there are at least 6 teams that would beat us if we played them next Saturday: Clemson, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, USCw, Penn State and tOSU.
Do you still think Okie St who got beat up by TCU and Kenny Trill would beat us? USC who has struggled against UT and Cal Berkeley? OU whose D looked horrible VS Baylor? Penn St who looked very beatable VS Iowa?

I think everyone saw how good our D is when we have Evans and Jennings out there.
 

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