Two of Ty Simpson's three worst games of the season have occurred in the last two weeks. After posting a 64.4 QBR in Alabama's loss to Oklahoma a week ago - a number that was his worst since the season-opening loss to Florida State - Simpson posted a 46.7 QBR against FCS Eastern Illinois on Saturday.
Simpson threw two interceptions, marking the seventh consecutive game the Tide's QB turned the ball over. One was a throw across the middle where an Eastern Illinois defender made a good play on the ball, while the other occurred on a Hail Mary attempt before halftime.
Simpson has become turnover-prone in recent weeks. He's also missing throws that he made in his sleep in September and October. The big plays have completely evaporated from the Tide's offense as Simpson has struggled to push the ball down the field. He's clearly pressing, trying to do too much, and not trusting what he's seeing out there.
It's a concerning downward trend for the Alabama QB in the most important stretch of the regular season. Heading into next week's Iron Bowl, with everything on the line, Simpson's performance is now a wildcard for the Tide's offense after being steady as it gets for the majority of the season.
Whether a lack of confidence or something deeper, Simpson needs to get it figured out before Alabama heads to Jordan-Hare Stadium next weekend.
Alabama needs Ty Simpson to snap out of his recent slump
Simpson has been the ceiling-raiser at QB that Alabama didn't know it needed this year. Conventional wisdom coming in was that a game manager would be enough for a team with talent all over and an elite defense.
The loss to Florida State proved that it wasn't the case. And Simpson's performance over the next couple of months in the aftermath of that humbling defeat proved that he was much more than a game manager.
But perhaps a game manager is what Alabama needs the most right now. The Crimson Tide's defense has morphed into one of the best in the country over the last month. While the offense has been stuck in the mud, the defense has consistently answered the call. Against Eastern Illinois, Kane Wommack's defense allowed only 34 total yards.
Even with the offense struggling a week ago against Oklahoma, Alabama's defense would have been enough to lift the Tide to victory if it wasn't for three turnovers, two of which came from Simpson.
He has to take care of the football next weekend on the Plains. He has to be willing to accept that some plays aren't there and get rid of the football. He has desperately tried to keep plays alive this season, and, more times than not, bad things have happened for Alabama.
If Alabama wants to win the SEC and compete for a National Championship, it will need the Simpson that has No. 1 overall pick potential. But for next week against Auburn, they just need Simpson to take care of the football and trust the Tide's defense is good enough to keep the Tigers' offense from doing much.