Re: "Neutralizing" a strength

[Handsome Squidbum]

Yes they can. I posted this in another thread but since Chambliss took over they are averaging 1 scoring drive of 50+ yards without a play of 20 or more yards a game.

You think averaging 1 scoring drive per game without a big play indicates they are able to regularly move the ball down the field and score TDs without explosive plays? Looks to me like your stats say exactly the opposite.

 

[flips]

You think averaging 1 scoring drive per game without a big play indicates they are able to regularly move the ball down the field and score TDs without explosive plays? Looks to me like your stats say exactly the opposite.

Lol you asked "Can they really [score without big plays]?" The can and they do. QED.

Now I think you're asking a different question, can they regularly score TDs in a single game with methodical drives? They haven't really had to do that most of the year, because they hit so many explosive plays.

However, in the first game against UGA they had 4 10+ play drives of at least 65 yards that resulted in TDs. They scored TDs on their first 3 drives averaging just 5.8 ypp and they had just one moderately explosive play of 24 yards. They were only +10 net on penalty yards across those 4 drives, so it wasn't a case of UGA giving them half the field with penalties. They scored 28 points, ran 47 plays at less than 6ypp, and had just 2 plays of 20+ yards (24 & 32 yards). They only ran the ball for 76 yards at 3.2ypc on those four drives. So UGA shut down their run game and limited them to an explosive play rate of just over 4% and they still scored 4 TDs that way.

That game is why I think we need our offense to score 30+ points against them. We are going to try to limit their explosive plays and try to stuff Lacy (just like UGA did for every play except the 75 yard TD they had on their other scoring drive), but they proved that they can score more points in 4 drives playing offense that way than we have scored on offense in 2 total playoff games.