Alabama Football 2017 Report Card: Week 5 v. Ole Miss
Defense: A
Nobody can say you're not fair, that's for sure! https://t.co/IfXUoN0r11
— BamaHammer (@Bama_Hammer) October 1, 2017
Apparently, the Tide wanted to give Ole Miss a chance. https://t.co/6NW5EZRKSj
— BamaHammer (@Bama_Hammer) October 1, 2017
The Crimson Tide defense was a stone wall against Ole Miss and their supposedly threatening air assault. Alabama earned five sacks, proving that their pass rush has much improved with the starters slowly becoming healthy again and reentering the roster.
The pressure on scrambling Rebels QB Shea Patterson, who looked more like Johnny Manziel‘s NFL days than Manziel’s Texas A&M glory, forced two interceptions, both to Levi Wallace, one of which he took in for a touchdown. It was the first defensive score for the team, this season.
Yet, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Alabama football. After the Tide took the lead 21-0 in the first quarter, Patterson threw from the 50-yard line and completed a pass to DaMarkus Lodge for 35 yards on the Alabama 15. Ole Miss actually got to within 10 yards of Alabama’s end zone.
That is, until Patterson passed to Jordan Wilkins who was smashed back for a loss of five yards. The play forced Ole Miss to kick a field goal, the only three points that they would score in the game:
After shooting themselves in the foot with a penalty & a pass for a loss, Ole Miss scored a field goal. Comeback coming?
— BamaHammer (@Bama_Hammer) October 1, 2017
The sarcasm of the situation was evident in the next three quarters, as Patterson was being consumed each time he went back to pass:
Sack Lunch Time a la Fitz! https://t.co/IuVJbUSskC
— BamaHammer (@Bama_Hammer) October 1, 2017
Next: Bama Bucket List of 25 things all Crimson Tide fans must do
Final Thoughts
If it wasn’t for a couple of dumb penalties, including a ‘roughing the passer’ charged to Rashaan Evans, and a missed field goal by Andy Pappanastos, the only one that he had to kick last night, it would have been considered a flawless victory.
However, the Fitzpatrick sack for 12 yards buried any chance of Patterson magic to bring Ole Miss back from the depths in the second quarter, negating the Evans penalty hurting Alabama.
Since Alabama scored 66 points last night, not many Crimson Tide fans are too worried this morning about Pappanastos’ putrid attempt to pound the ball through the posts.
One thing is for certain: anyone cheering for Texas A&M next Saturday should not worry about having the second coming of Manziel as their QB. Ole Miss already tried that. It got them three points.
Domination Nation took over last night, making another statement to the rest of the country that Alabama football reigns supreme and looking more fearsome than ever.