Bama defense not getting enough credit

[CajunCrimson]

I would respectfully disagree re: Dart. IMHO I think the play of the D had a lot to do with appearances concerning Dart.

You disagree with my comment that Dart didnt appear to be very good.

He appeared to be very good in that game to you ?

 

[CajunCrimson]

If they played like that they did in 2nd half for every half for the rest of the season, they'd win the NC.

Baby steps.

 

[JohnD]

It's too early to tell. We have the benefit of seeing the entire seasons of past defenses and only the first 4 games of this season. They still struggle watching the QB taking off, and covering the TE, which a lot of teams do. And they didn't get off the field on a couple 3rd or 4th and forevers yesterday. But they do look to be getting a little better each week. Yesterday they were pretty salty in the second half. Really got after the QB. Very promising!

 

[Tideflyer]

You disagree with my comment that Dart didnt appear to be very good.

He appeared to be very good in that game to you ?

No, all I`m saying is that his difficulties were contributed to by the play of the defense more so than any lack of ability as a QB. He was under duress.

 

[BamaInBham]

The point wasn’t to compare the 2023 D to the 2022 D other than to suggest we tap the brakes on suggesting Bama’s D is back. When they’re top10 in the primary defensive statistical rankings we can talk - that’s where the legit Saban defenses have been ranked.

Is Bama‘s D better in 2023? I believe so, but they have lots of room to improve.

Those rankings don’t mean much at this time since many teams haven’t played anyone with a pulse yet, much less a top 5 and top 20. At this point in the season this looks like at least a top 10 D despite stats with no context - maybe the best Bama D since 2017.

 

[Tenntiderman]

I think the ILB play after Lawson left was very good. Promising.

Jackson Dart didn’t appear to be very good.

It looked to me as though he was affected by the pressures. Noticeably more than Ewers experienced. Texas has a better OL I am sure. I didn't look at the Baylor vs UTx game at all, so I am not sure about that.

 

[Scobaman]

The improvement in the defense from last year to this year has been remarkable. I love seeing our linebackers stop running backs in their tracks when they try to turn the corner. And who would have thought a backer could run Dart down like happened when he tried to escape and Turner took him down from behind. We also have three DB's that can run step for step with receivers. With these units playing like they are, it will be especially tough on the opposing offense if the defensive line continues to get better.

 

[KrAzY3]

To follow up on Alabama's schedule thus far, Sagarin actually has Alabama ranked #1 and has them with an SoS of 10. Of course you have to take computers with a grain of salt, especially early, but it's obviously indicative of a tough schedule.

The Miss. State game should be a really good indicator of where this Alabama team is. Miss. State is a competitive but ultimately mediocre team, so we should learn some things.

 

[Down4ttown]

We look much better. UT and LSU and maybe Arkansas will tell us what we need to know. I want championship caliber to cover the offenses growth. Kentucky game is gonna be sneaky hard.

 

[GrayTide]

The point wasn’t to compare the 2023 D to the 2022 D other than to suggest we tap the brakes on suggesting Bama’s D is back. When they’re top10 in the primary defensive statistical rankings we can talk - that’s where the legit Saban defenses have been ranked.

Is Bama‘s D better in 2023? I believe so, but they have lots of room to improve.

I agree with Brad on the 2023 defense, it is too soon to tell. Our defense is better, but Ole Miss doesn't look as good as they did last year at this point. They play LSU in Oxford on Saturday which should say something about their 2023 team.

 

[Padreruf]

It looked to me as though he was affected by the pressures. Noticeably more than Ewers experienced. Texas has a better OL I am sure. I didn't look at the Baylor vs UTx game at all, so I am not sure about that.

I did...and their OL was better, but they also had lapses. They easily should have hung 60 on the Bears.

 

[CrimsonNagus]

I just don't understand why, no matter who our DC has been recently, we refuse to cover the middle of the field. Whether it is a running QB, a TE or a slant to a WR, the middle of the field was open the whole game.

 

[davefrat]

On a sort of related note (for which there can be no actual answer), I wonder how many points Golding would have given up to Ole Miss if he were on our sideline?

I'm guessing it would have been more than 10.

 

[TideEngineer08]

To follow up on Alabama's schedule thus far, Sagarin actually has Alabama ranked #1 and has them with an SoS of 10. Of course you have to take computers with a grain of salt, especially early, but it's obviously indicative of a tough schedule.

The Miss. State game should be a really good indicator of where this Alabama team is. Miss. State is a competitive but ultimately mediocre team, so we should learn some things.

I'm concerned with the start time and location.

This will be Milroe's first road start...

If the team comes out and plays with the same discipline and intensity they displayed in the 2nd half last week, that will say a lot about their maturity.

 

[spidermayin]

There's too many instances of me saying "There was nobody covering that guy" during the game, but they do look much improved so far.

 

[TS1926]

Lost in the shuffle, this is one of the best Bama defenses in years. They have had only one bad quarter out of 16 quarters, which is incredible. And that one bad quarter, the defense was tired in that fourth quarter of the game, because our offense couldn’t sustain drives.

Thank you Mr. Steele and Mr. Saban.

I agree to an extent. I think they can be very good to almost elite based on what I've seen so far. The primary issues keeping them from elite are they do not have a Day 1 draft pick at the tackle position and they don't have the talented depth up front that they used to enjoy. I also think the LBs are good but not elite.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

I agree with Brad on the 2023 defense, it is too soon to tell. Our defense is better, but Ole Miss doesn't look as good as they did last year at this point. They play LSU in Oxford on Saturday which should say something about their 2023 team.

I agree to an extent. I think they can be very good to almost elite based on what I've seen so far. The primary issues keeping them from elite are they do not have a Day 1 draft pick at the tackle position and they don't have the talented depth up front that they used to enjoy. I also think the LBs are good but not elite.

I am not going to argue either of these points because yall could both be very right. I want to see Bama play more games. I will argue I can see a difference already. There is more intensity, guys seem to be out of place less and less, and we are getting more turnovers. I know some fans are harping on qb's getting away when the play breaks down, but I don't know how you prepare for that. Overall, I would say this is a step in the right direction.

 

[glorydays1990]

We have a championship caliber defense. If we stay healthy.

 

[CajunCrimson]

I just don't understand why, no matter who our DC has been recently, we refuse to cover the middle of the field. Whether it is a running QB, a TE or a slant to a WR, the middle of the field was open the whole game.

Nick Saban defense 101. Cornerbacks on an island. And get enough pressure early so routes don’t have enough time to develop. And have linebackers and ball-hawking safeties who play out of their mind to defend the middle. It works 98% of the time.

 

[TS1926]

I am not going to argue either of these points because yall could both be very right. I want to see Bama play more games. I will argue I can see a difference already. There is more intensity, guys seem to be out of place less and less, and we are getting more turnovers. I know some fans are harping on qb's getting away when the play breaks down, but I don't know how you prepare for that. Overall, I would say this is a step in the right direction.

I can’t argue with that.