Georgia/Missouri . . . . LSU/Florida

Wartdawg wrote:

thriller wrote: If Gurley was the only guy hurt, we'd destroy Missouri. JJ Green can run just fine, and I'd forgotten completely about Turman. But not having Malcolm Mitchell, Michael Bennett, Keith Marshall and Justin Scott-Wesley is just too much to lose. What would anyone have said if we knew that only 5 games into the season every one of those guys would be out? Goodbye championship chances.

Then, you add a defense that made Tennessee's offense look like the Denver Broncos and can't even make that ONE ADDITIONAL STOP that would keep the game from even getting close.

That is a recipe for disaster.

I think I'm a pretty optimistic guy - most of the time. But I can't see us winning this one.

Back to the defense. If you make ONE more stop per game, that's points off the board for the other team. Every game we've played it would have kept a game from getting close, and in one case, could have turned the loss into a win. But we can't do it.

I'm worried.

Our running game's performance this week will be based on the O-line. If they block, then JJ can and will run.
I know we lost all of our WR depth, but we still have Conley who is a stud, Wooten who is experienced and capable
and some tight ends that can catch the ball. We can change the game plan around a little bit and still have plenty
of weapons to use. Involve the TE's a bit more... see if we can't get a couple of screens into the hands of the FB, etc. We can still put out a productive offense.

I understand our D has looked like a net trying to catch water, but we've done a decent job against the run over the past 3 games. Mizzou has been running over people, averaging 234 per game on the ground and using that to
set up the pass.... but they've done that against nobodies. 234 per game is nearly double their 2012 RYPG average, so I think we can hold them down there.

I'm also not convinced we are going to have a monumental ST mistake every single week..maybe every other, but that puts on an off week for Mizzou.

It will be a tough game as usual, but I for one can "see us winning". It may not happen, but I can see perfectly realistic reasons why we CAN win this game.

Thanks Wartdawg. I want to believe . . . I want to believe . . . I want to believe . . .

I worry every week thriller. I will never be on here saying things like "we're gonna lay 51 on UT and beat them by 30 points". I said we would be looking ahead to LSU and the NTexas game would end up closer than people expected, etc.

I tend to be conservative when analyzing our chances each week, and I temper my expectations with a fair amount of
self deprication regarding UGA.

I know it's going to be tough with our loses, but we know what we are going into the game with instead of going in thinking we have Marshall, Bennett, and Scott-Wesley and can plan accordingly. That's a bit different than losing them in game after scheming all week with them being available.

Last year I heard everyone talking about Mizzou's O, and their QB and blah blah and we went into their building
and beat them 41-20. I respect their O a lot, but I'm not going to wet myself because they handled the likes of
Murray St, Toledo, Indiana, Arkansas St, and Vandy.

I'm concerned, but I'm always concerned. I'll leave it at that, lol

Dead on imo, WD.

Also believe we can win but the D (mainly the secondary) and CTG has to prove themselves to me.

I hate to say this because it sounds like I'm being too negative, but - understand where this is coming from - I'd be happy if we hold Missouri to less than 30 points. Isn't that sad? Seriously - holding a team under 30 at this point would seem like a defensive success.

Don't worry about it. The frustation with our D and thinking that holding someone under 30 would make you
happy is understandable looking at the team's performance this year.

I think the probably score around 31-34 on us to be honest, but I also think we can hang 38-41 on them.

Our O output will be based on line play and AM. They play well and we score 38 with our current crop
of remaining skill players. If the line plays well, we might even be able to control the ball and help the D
out a bit by limiting Mizzou's chances.

Avoid 3 and outs and keep our D and Mizzou's O on the dang sidelines.

Well Wartdawg, I (and anybody else) should never have to print something like that.

Someone close to the program, please deliver this to CTG if you can:

Coach Grantham - we would consider Missouri scoring only 4 TDs to be a big success. At least that would be a start. Do you think your defense can handle that?

Baby steps . . . baby steps . . .