JessN: Georgia preview: Bama already had a tough task before Saban's illness

[JessN]

Georgia preview: Bama already had a tough task before Saban's illness
by Jess Nicholas, TideFans.com Editor-in-Chief

When word broke that Nick Saban had tested positive for Covid-19 and would all but certainly miss this weekend's game against Georgia, most fans had two questions: One, is Coach Saban OK; and two, did he manage to fix the defense yet?

Coming off a most unsatisfying win over Ole Miss last Saturday in which everything that could go wrong for the defense did, once it had been made clear that Saban appears to have a very mild case of Covid-19, the focus turned directly back to a defense that had made every Alabama fan sick to their stomach just a few days before.

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[Saban4Ever]

NIce write up, Jess. I think it is an honest assessment for the most part. I predicted Bama would win by 3 though, not lose. It really is a hard game to predict with each team having either a great Offense or great Defense. I think it may come down to special teams and/or turnovers. I also think Saban not being there could be an issue if it is a close game and certain decisions have to be made. He will try to prepare for that as much as possible prior to the game, however.

Hopefully, on Sunday you can write about how Bama won against Kirby again ! RTR

 

[B1GTide]

Sorry, can't thank you for such a pessimistic article.

 

[81usaf92]

Sorry, can't thank you for such a pessimistic article.

Im just surprised the Pick thread isn’t rank with pessimistic picks. But I get the direction. There was also a trend in 2014 after the Ole Miss and Arkansas games. I believe the 2014 aTm game was the last time Jess picked against Bama.

idk I think if Oeaux can whoop their butts without coaching with an average defense and an all star OC then I guess we can do the same.

 

[B1GTide]

Im just surprised the Pick thread isn’t rank with pessimistic picks. But I get the direction. There was also a trend in 2014 after the Ole Miss and Arkansas games. I believe the 2014 aTm game was the last time Jess picked against Bama.

idk I think if Oeaux can whoop their butts without coaching with an average defense and an all star OC then I guess we can do the same.

There is no reason to be pessimistic as an Alabama fan. Honestly, I just don't understand why folks find it hard to just believe.

 

[CoachJeff]

When is the last time you picked Bama to lose a regular season game?

 

[Padreruf]

Meant to post this here...Jess picking UGA doesn't bother me...I can understand it.

You may not be off...though I hate to read it. Quite frankly I would rather lose to them now and beat them in the SEC Championship game. I do think that whoever loses this game will win that one...

 

[cubzwin]

If Mac has another near perfect game, 'Bama will win. Stetson Bennet just needs to have a pretty good game for Georgia to win. Advantage Georgia--on paper.

However, Stetson Bennet is still an inexperienced QB. He's played steady so far, hit passes over the middle and run out of trouble. Alabama needs to make his life hell tomorrow. Disguise and confuse. Mix in blitz with zone coverage over the middle. Hurry him, sack him, flush him out, hit him hard, pick him off--I could easily see SB having the worst game of his brief college career and Alabama winning by 14 plus.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Jess is in a position of having to separate the Bama fandom in him and write as close to an unbiased analysis as possible. Games are won on the offensive line and the last two games I've watched our defensive line has gotten beat by the opposing team's OL. Ole Miss and aTm's OL handled our DL quite well, especially Ole Miss. They opened up holes the entire game that if they had any form of a defense they would have easily won that game.

I said it after the Ole Miss game Georgia wouldn't have to be able to do everything Ole Miss did offensively to beat us. I know we focused a lot of our attention post game to players being out of position and the poor tackling. But after going back and watching it again, the most alarming thing the second time through was the battle lost at the LOS. We were physically dominated from tackle to tackle. I don't know if they were just stronger, more powerful than our guys, or if they had better technique or what. But it was sickening to watch. The aggies did a bang up job at keeping our DL at bay then Ole Miss just stuck their foot up their rear ends and drove them down the field.

Georgia may not have the innovation on offense Ole Miss has, but they do have the manpower on the OL to do the same to our DL that Ole Miss did. If they JUST do that it will be very hard to win this game. So I see why Jess came to the conclusion he did, not that I think it's going to playout that way. Because I do think we find a way to win. But it is not unreasonable to see why someone could pick UGA, especially after watching the Ole Miss game and parts of the aTm game with respect to our defense.

SO Y'ALL QUIT PICKING ON OLE JESS!!!!

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I’ll take Bama in a close one.........

 

[NorthernTide]

This is exactly as an analysis should read. Very well done, but...... as an old coach I will go with the motivation factor in our players. I read the article 2 days ago on Trent Richardson's reaction to Coach being out due to the Rona. I just have this sneaky feeling that the team is ( and I say this knowing what school it originally refers to and I know it's almost blasphemy) "win one for the Gipper".
I believe the d will being playing lights out and the offense will be basically unstoppable, so they whip the dawgs pretty good! But then I start worrying about a let down vs 10rc, but I'll worry about that next week, so Roll Tide! Teach those bulldogs to behave!

 

[TideEngineer08]

I do not agree their DL is stronger against our OL. I agree with pretty much everything else.

I still think we win by double digits.

 

[CrimsonEyeshade]

Jess has always been the journalist to balance out this great fan board. I don't agree with everything he writes. But I've never doubted his clear-eyed and honest work.

 

[Al A Bama]

Sorry, can't thank you for such a pessimistic article.

It took an EXTRA day of INTERNALIZING to get this pessimistic? JessN, what was your prediction PRIOR to the COVID-19 positive test by Coach Saban? Now, that you are pessimistic, this makes me much more OPTIMISTIC about Bama's DEFENSE. Now, based on what has occurred so far for both teams, I agree with JessN about Alabama's OFFENSE, every position, being better than the Dawgs and the Dawgs DEFENSE being better than Bama's DEFENSE. Maybe #17 will return a couple of punts or Kickoffs for TD's. Maybe the DEFENSE will FINALLY show-up. Maybe Coach Sark will have a few surprises for Jawga, Jess, et al. Maybe our Defense will stop playing COVID-19 DEFENSE. #9 missing the 1st half could hurt some. However, NEXT MAN up. I normally do NOT make a prediction, but Bama 45 Jawga 24 enters my brain. Recommendation for Coach Sark, we may need you again NEXT week, so do NOT get closer than 10 feet to THAT Jawga coach, before or after the game. Just wave at him. P. S. To Alabama's DEFENSE, JessN doesn't think very highly of you guys. It's time to prove to him and me that our DEFENSE can play SOLID DEFENSE! Remember! You are playing at HOME. Don't let Jawga come into YOUR house and embarrass you! Kick Dawg BUTT for Coach Saban!

 

[Al A Bama]

UPDATE! Maybe JessN is being REALISTIC instead of PESSIMISTIC. However, I will remain OPTIMISTIC. He does know more about this than I do. I am normally REALISTIC, but my OPTIMISM is winning this week.

 

[78Alum]

Thanks for the write-up as always, Jess. I truly think, though, that our defense is going to play better and we can outscore them at the very least. It may be my "crimson-colored" glasses but I think we win and cover. RTR!

 

[81usaf92]

When is the last time you picked Bama to lose a regular season game?

2014 aTm

 

[jashleyren2]

Great review, Jess, as always. To the point, I asked you a couple weeks ago when the last time was that you picked the underdog to win, when the underdog wasn't Alabama. And here it is. To say that UGA is an underdog has been tough for me, anyway, even though Vegas has given Bama anywhere from 4-6 points on this one. And UGA fans have so little faith that they can win this one, given how they have been so disappointed by their team in recent years, especially against the Tide.

I'm with you 100%. The defense will be the difference maker in this game. If our defense were to play with a chip on it's shoulder, and we get even half the offensive production, we could win. But, hard to imagine our defense making that big of a leap after last week. I'll take UGA, go put my finger down my throat, and look to see them again in Atlanta in December.

 

[jashleyren2]

There is no reason to be pessimistic as an Alabama fan. Honestly, I just don't understand why folks find it hard to just believe.

I get you. We all have a ton of faith and hope in how Bama plays. But, we do like an objective opinion too, some times . Jess is giving a pretty objective opinion, and I share it. As much as I'll be watching and hoping and believing we will find a way, the stats don't look good right now. Bama more than matches up great offense, and UGA hasn't played one like that, but our defense can't hold water in a bucket.

 

[Jkl0802]

Well, thought it couldn’t get much worse Than COVID hades...and then this.

Does anyone know how many times JessN has picked against Bama since Saban’s arrival? I know it doesn’t happen often, but I am hoping that Jess’ record When picking against Bama is not too good? Anyone know how many times he has been right and wrong when picking against Bama?