TIDE HAS ANOTHER MAKE OR BREAK GAME...

Make or break time...
    

Mr. Defense

        It’s Friday. Another long day of anticipating the worst. Alabama travels to Texas A&M. Road games are hard. Giving another team an off week to prepare worries me.  You need to read the ESPN.COM  article about how Alabama has played teams getting extra rest than any team in the NCAA  once again. The good news for those teams is the extra rest. The bad news is they have to play Alabama and get no extra rest the next weekend. For the record, the Tide has an open date before their game with LSU. Of all the opponents on the Tide schedule, LSU is probably the one team the a lot of extra preparation doesn’t help. LSU is going to line up and run the ball down your throat if they can. If they can’t, it will not be for a lack of trying. Just why Alabama has been the victim of so many bye weeks is an interesting question. I don’t believe it has been accidental. Saban himself questions whether or not the extra time is beneficial or not. Statistics suggest it does help. Giving a team a bye week to prepare for a home  game has to help in some ways. You might get an injured player back in the lineup, or you get some extra to face a particular style of offense or defense. 

Extra time for Opponent getting Unfair in my Opinion... 

          So how will the extra time help Texas A&M if at all? First and foremost the Tide is going to run the ball. Maybe some extra time in the cafeteria is on tap for Aggie players. The other thing that Sumlin is probably doing involves his two great pass rushing defensive ends. They are probably taking Valium to keep themselves calm before the game. If they watched the videos of the Tide’s offensive line pass protection they must be salivating.  Cam Robinson is clearly limited  on his pass blocking. Is he hurt? He is limited in practice but it is hard to find specific information.  After taking a big step forward against Georgia the Tide seem to lose a step against Arkansas. The right side of the Tide offensive line is just not playing well. If a team knows you are going to run left they’ll be ready. If you can’t seal off the defensive ends you’ll have a hard time on sweeps.  I have no doubt that Alabama will be ready on both sides of the ball. A&M really hasn’t a real test this season, but they have beaten three decent teams. Arkansas, Arizona State, and Mississippi State are not chopped liver down at the deli. Alabama has beaten Wisconsin, Georgia (before the loss of Nick Chubb) and lost to Ole Miss before their defense was so banged up. It took five offensive turnovers and two fluke plays to beat the Tide. I’d say those three games are comparable. 

Sumlin vs. Smart is the match up to watch...

Ragland led Tide defense. The Tide allowed Hogs 3 plays
on their side of the field. You kidding me?

           Kevin Sumlin is a great coach. On the offensive end he may be the best coach in the SEC. Defensively the Aggies are getting better. They are not great, but they are not facing a great offensive team either. Who’s going to win? I have no idea. I know that overall the Tide has better players. I know that the strength of A&M defense is going head to head with what I believe to be the Tide’s weakness. My heart always favors the Tide. My head isn’t nearly as sure.  I’m going to go with Bama but really am not sure. Roll Tide.

            Welcome to all our new readers of five new sites. Let me tell you that TiderInsider is the best site to get the lowdown on Alabama football. They are a cut above the rest. OK, a few of the posters are a little bizarre. But this is football, right? 

Big Kudos for Reggie Ragland who was name the Bednarik Player of the Week. He is a man.