Our fourth drive...
We switch to the tight formation. I like that we keep varying formations.
JT keeper on the tight formation option for 11.
Same play for 2 yards.
Laskey for 3.
The 3rd and 5 pass is one of two pick plays we run out of this formation. The one I like is where the As streak and the WRs cross, but this time we had the As cross and the WRs go down and out for comeback routes. Really bad pass pro here, JT is forced to scramble, but two of the receiver options are out of the play because they're at the other side of the field, and he can't deliver the ball to either of the ones on the correct side. Everybody was covered. He didn't really have any room to scramble for the first either. So we punt.
Interesting thing here, Johnson punting. I think it's the right call, but in prior years he would have been more stubborn and gone for it. Despite the horrid results on the field, it seems to me that Johnson is staying level headed, which is an improvement over some of the games in the past couple of years. IMO.
Southern's last drive...
Run up the gut for 5. DL looks tired.
Next play is well contained and defended, illegal formation on them (accepted)
One hops his receiver on the out, OK coverage, not a great pass rush.
Huge cushions on 3rd and 10, they audible. Even with the cushion, we turn a guy completely loose behind the safety. We look like we're in a deep zone for this play, but still can't cover the guy. I can't tell why from the camera angle. No pass rush. Big 3rd down and long conversion.
Next play that same WR is behind our safety and they don't connect, even though we have five in coverage. That would have been a TD. What is going on with our secondary? Tired? We now have two spies on the QB/RB for draws.
Next play is the triple counter, we cover it great. Seems like we made this adjustment schematically. So now it's 3rd and long again.
They throw a swing pass, we have the guys there to make the play, and we miss four tackles to give them a first down. Tired?
Next down is a designed QB sweep for a dozen and we're all blocked. Tired?
Run up the middle for 6. Tired.
Run off tackle for 6. Tired.
Crazy pitch and we recover.
Looked to me like it was an obvious lateral. Not sure why the refs jumped to "forward pass," we never get that benefit of the doubt vs us.
So my take away at this point is that our conditioning blows. The defensive calls weren't terrible, but we were gassed. And you can't blame the O, because they were taking time off the clock on their drives. The D needs to do better.