That is how you win football games. The offense didn’t explode overall, and I think most of us understood it likely wouldn’t. Make no mistake, that’s the best defense in America. But the way you win a game like that is you stay on schedule, you don’t turn the ball over, you don’t take negative plays, and you convert your third downs. We went 7/14 on 3rd down against the best defense in America. And the majority of it was due to Beck. Check out how well these plays went for Beck on 3rd and 4th down. Remember, we converted 50% against a team coming in giving up 29%, which was 3rd in America.
3rd and 7 from our 28, Beck is flushed from the pocket and does a good job climbing to the right and throws a catchable ball to Marion, but it's low and Marion can't come up with it. Punt.
3rd and 9 from the +40. Beck throws a GORGEOUS ball to Daniels on a square in, and the coverage was excellent. Ball was placed absolutely perfectly, gain on 13, drive continues.
3rd and 2 from the +42. Another great, patient decision by Beck. We run a bit of a switch release, they drop Curry into a zone and Beck lasers one to the outside shoulder of Daniels, avoiding a diving Curry, first down. A+ read and throw by both Beck and Daniels, and a nice call against the zone.
3rd and 1 from the +9. 9 yard touchdown to Fletcher. Again, another awesome call and A+ execution. Beck is patient on the QB counter action, they fool Styles, it's an easy walk-in TD. 7 linemen in the game on 3rd and 1....WHAT HAVE I BEEN SCREAMING ALL YEAR? Break a **** tendency. All we did all year was run the ball with 7 linemen on 3rd and short. So what happens here? You do something different, and the defense is ******* clueless. So, so, so good on Dawson. Fake a QB counter and run RB rail. I could cry.
3rd and 3 from our 29. Beck steps up and gets this first down, and in one of the most outrageous reversals I've ever seen, they back the ball up a half a yard and we have to punt. Absolute lunacy. I'll just leave it at that, but another great play by Beck and he picks up the first down and it's completely robbed from us.
4th and 2 from the OSU 36. Again, great design by Dawson, Toney runs a little choice delay route out of bunch, is incredibly patient, Beck knows where he's going the whole time, and throws a perfect strike as soon as Toney comes out of his break. Actually a good tackle by their DB or this might've been a house call. But again, patient, decisive, and accurate as ****. First down.
3rd and 20 from the OSU 40. I didn't like this call, we don't have much for 3rd and 20, I get it, but if you can get 5-10 yards here you can kick a FG. Beck decides to throw a go ball to Marion, it's well covered and isn't a great throw, incomplete and we punt instead of try a 57 yard FG. Lack of awareness here IMO from our OC and QB, just a few yards here can possibly get you 3 points.
Now in the 2nd half, 3rd and 5 from our 30. Another nice ball to Marion. Not perfect, it's a little to the inside, but with the coverage, it doesn't matter. They are playing off coverage on the outside, Beck recognizes it, rips it, first down. Such a gigantic play, OSU had just taken the 2nd half kick for a TD, it's 14-7, this play is to avoid a three and out and give them ALL the momentum, and Beck is calm, great recognition, good enough throw, nice route by Marion, and off we go.
3rd and 9 from the +39. As much as I hated the play above on 3rd and 20, I really liked this one equally in reverse. Yes, the ball is short of the sticks, but as I mentioned above, you have to understand you have 3 points in your pocket if you can just get a few yards. If this is incomplete, it's probably another punt. Throw goes to Toney, he fumbles (again), and thank god, again, regains possession. Davis follows with a 49 yard FG, and we are 17-7 with a massive drive to answer their TD drive.
3rd and 11 from our 24. This was the one for me. What a **** effort, man. All year, Beck has been hesitant to run, and when he has, frankly, he's been slow and soft. Sliding way before he needs to, never going head first, etc. He let his nuts hang all **** day in this one. Needs 11, and runs a DB the **** over to get exactly 11. I was sitting behind the bench, you could really see the kids on the sideline going nuts after this play. When your franchise QB who is not a runner makes a play like this is in a game like this, he gains a ton of respect from his teammates. Such a massive effort and PHYSICAL run here.
3rd and 6 from our 39. He gets some pressure off the edges and has to step up, tries to make a great throw to Lofton but it's too high. Punt. One thing I noticed here though that blew my mind, go back and watch this play, they are SPYING Beck with a backer because he's hurt them so much with his legs in this game. If you put a gun to Matt Patricia's head pregame there's no way he'd have ever considered that's something they'd have to do. Testament to how much 11 wanted this one and did everything he could do get a dub.
3rd and 3 from the +44. Probably the play of the game. We leak Marty out, Beck recognizes it, and gets him the football for a gain of 5. A+ awareness from both kids, and **** what a great grab by Marty in the clutchest of spots. Makes a WR level catch, drive continues.
3rd and 4 from the +20. Shannon Dawson, I see you AGAIN, sir. Little slip screen to Daniels, just gorgeous design and genius call in the situation, again, more tendency breakers. 3rd and short, Mario Cristobal hanging onto a lead, what do we always do? Run the ball, kick the FG if you get stopped. But nope. Go snatch that ***** by the throat, Shannon. Perfect call, perfect execution, ballgame.
By my count, on 3rd/4th down, here's all Beck did:
8/11 passing, 74 yards, 7 first downs, and a TD
Also ran on two 3rd downs, converted one with an 11 yard rush and was blatantly robbed on a 2nd conversion.
Good. Lord.
THAT is how you manage a football game, and beat a **** good defense. Nothing spectacular. Just good, smart, solid, accurate QB play, and laying your *** on the line to run when you need to. I am fairly certain he didn't throw a single pass the entire night that even had a chance to be a turnover. They call these money downs for a reason, and Carson was MONEY.
Bravo, young man. Just a professional performance from a kid who has gotten FAR more negative press than he's ever deserved.
Go do it again next week in Glendale, sir. But hats all the way off for what I watched in Dallas. **** of a game from a really good, competitive kid.
One final note, Dawson deserves his flowers, too. You cannot live in 3rd and long against good defenses. We knew that, but we learned it again the hard way in College Station. Look how well we did keeping on schedule. If we live in 3rd and 4-ish, we're hard to beat because Beck excels at getting the ball out quick and he's accurate as ****.
