GAME DAY: TEXAS A&M VS GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Sorry SD...

I was real busy this week and hadn't checked this thread. I didn't see your "12 hour" comment when I made my "24 hour rule" comment in the other thread.

I have that empty-although-we-won feeling again..... The Legend is rapidly fading to a fleeting myth.....

The defense has been really stout, but when the offense is a 3-and-out habit, the defense begins to wear down. We've been holding on by the skin of our teeth in several games. How many open receivers were badly missed.....some who could've scored...?

When you can't run the ball because everyone is stacking the line, and you can't pass, which is why everyone is stacking the line, then you're setting yourself up for headaches and heartbreaks.

I keep thinking that one day the light will come on and the anticipated abilities will show up during a game.

At this rate, we'll get boat raced by LSU.

I don't feel that way.

To have a chance for the playoffs we needed to win this game. We won it.

This is the same kind of game that we played last week and that we lost earlier this season to a SC team that is vastly inferior to Auburn and A&M, but now we are finding enough to win that type of game.

I get the frustration with the offense, believe me, but we're still in the hunt for the ultimate goal after playing a team whose only losses on the year were to the very best teams in the nation.

The Die is Cast

So here's my redux and thoughts on the game, now that we're safely out of the 24 hour honeymoon glow of another big SEC win...

Ugly or not, this is the team and this is the offensive philosophy that we have. Kirby has established himself as a run-first, conservative ball control coach - at least for this season. But in general, that's his philosophy. I was very heartened to hear his comments in the press conference on Saturday night. If anyone wants to know why we've had back-to-back-to-back games where we're doing great for 3 quarters and then slip in the 4th and let them back in, it's because the offense can't seem to move the chains on 3rd downs. The defense is wearing out in the 4th quarter being on the field too much and that's giving the opposition the ability to start using our weapon of wearing the other team out against us. I agree 100% with CKS's statement: "at some point guys, it's about execution. It's not about the play calling (a nod to those of us concerned with the OC play calling), it's about executing those plays. We've got to go out there and execute the plays." He's 100% right. I actually liked some of the mix ups I saw out of CJC on Saturday. I did not like, once again, seeing overthrow errors by Jake AND dropped passes by our receivers which should have been completions to move the chains. Jake echo'd his coach's comments after the game by saying: "I have to be better. I have to complete those passes." Fair enough, he's right, but he also has another real problem...

And that problem:

I'm going to say something by speaking in broad generalities and not singling any one player out, but here's what I'm starting to come to the realization of: our wide receivers really aren't that good. Outside of Cager, who has been lights out, I am not seeing the growth I should have seen out of our WR corps by this point in the season. Yes, there have been moments of brilliance, but there hasn't been that consistent, game after game growth where guys are emerging as a corps who will take care of the business end of Jake's passes. They're not breaking space with the corners, they're not getting creative, and most concerning, they're dropping passes hitting them on the numbers or in the hands. That's not Jake's fault, that's not Kirby's fault and that's certainly not Coley's fault. Were there bad passes against A&M? Uh huh. But I'm speaking broadly across all games this season. Our WR's just aren't getting the job done.

So yes gents, the die is cast for this season. Accept the fact that there are not going to be any 180 improvements. The season is 95% finished now and this is what we have to work with. There might be "some" improvement in the last remaining game but this is our horse. We're riding this defense to the bitter or to the glorious end. Can we kick our way to victory against LSU? I seriously doubt it. We're going to have to have some offensive production that is consistent and effective. No one is asking anyone to go out there and destroy worlds, but it is required that we string together effective, methodical drives that we saw in the beginning of the season. SC was a turning point for us. Will Muschamp showed all of the SEC exactly how you slow down Georgia, and since that game, that's exactly what everyone has done: stack the box and man the receivers. It's been a tale of two halves of the season.

I really don't care about the glove, the rain, the emotion of Senior Day, the field condition, etc. I'm not about excuses. This isn't a one game thing with us. This is a consistent pattern of inconsistency on offense. That's what I saw on Saturday, and that's what I've seen for a while. I hope they rest Cager against Tech because we're going to need him in a big way against LSU. He's the one spark, and its a BIG spark, on our offense that can change the outcome of games.

I'll stop it there and we'll carry on the conversation

I tried to post unsuccessfully from a different device after the Florida game, so have been read-only for a few games. It's hard to argue with any of the above. I will just say a couple of things, which doesn't mean I disagree with any of the above.

-SC was a bad loss which brought back memories of (at least) annual brain farts of 5-7 years ago

-Throw out the Kentucky game. Conditions aren't an excuse so much as they dictate some things that you can and cannot do. 21-0 in those conditions is acceptable imo

-The Florida, Auburn and A&M wins were against three tough defenses and teams that play top ten SOS, None of them have lost a game to a team that wasn't in the Top Ten. The worst losses were to #8 at the time, Auburn to Florida and A&M to Auburn. Sometimes you have to tip your cap.

-All that said, if Jake hits even one of those throws, the A&M game never gets tense.

-This may not age well, but I do not believe the 'dawgs get boat raced by anybody. The defense and a tougher mindset than in years past will prevent that I truly believe.

-My final thought is that I HATE the fact that the GT game is the last game of the season. It's a must win, but how can you not be looking ahead to the SECCG ESPECIALLY with a playoff spot at stake? Tech is in a weakened state this year with a new system and essentially a total rebuild, but in a couple of years it's going to be a more formidable test with a much bigger game the next week. Plus I worry about injuries in a non-conference games, My sons, and people who have been around this particular game a lot longer than me, tell me I'm crazy, but I wouldn't hate it if they moved it to the first game of the season.

That's all I got. Thanks for keeping me informed and grounded. It's all still out there, so let's go get it. Go 'dawgs.

As one person that really, really enjoys college football, the last three posts that I read in this thread are outstanding. Might be that I am partial to certain thoughts, but reading what Wartdawg, SouthernDawg and dawgs_fans_dad had to say about the "overall" position that our team sits in at this point, solid.

Had wondered about you dawgs_fans_dad, glad that you found your way back. In total agreement with the Tech statements. Back in the day, GT meant everything, not the case at this point in time. Personally, would like to see GT improve, if we are going to be "caught up" in this existing system of reaching the Final Four, supposedly being graded on strength of schedule, need for GT to improve. Little doubt GT will be on our schedule forever. Back in the day, Georgia/GT was where the season was graded as either good or bad. Back then had the Bull Pups and the Baby Jackets. AJC covered several full size pages of photos of the Varsity games. Enough of the past.

Said earlier that I look forward to facing off with LSU. Might be that Jake will have more and better results in ATL. Won't be conflicted with wearing a glove or weather problems.

From where I sit, this is a damn good football team. Can remember when having seasons of 8-3 or beating GT was enough for the FANS (me included). Smart and Company have changed that, now the FAN base thinks "past" winning the SEC East. Most on this board are "all in" for seasons like the ones we are having under the guidance of the present group of coaches. One thing that I understand . . . . there are a "lot" of very good to great college teams this day and time. We just happen to be one of those.

Go Dawgs, Coach'em Up!