A once potent Alabama offense has hit a wall in recent weeks, outside of some two-minute brilliance. If it wasn't for the Crimson Tide's defense coming up with timely play after timely play, Alabama may have been on upset alert against LSU.
After struggling to open the night, Alabama's offense put together a couple of nice drives in the second quarter to take a 17-3 halftime lead. That included - thanks to some questionable clock-management by LSU - a brilliant touchdown drive with under a minute to go before the half. Simpson hit a big pass to Lotzeir Brooks before finding Ryan Williams for a touchdown to give Alabama a touchdown lead at the half.
But what has consistently been the case this season, Alabama's offense could do little coming out of the locker room. Alabama was shut out in the third quarter and nursed just a 17-6 lead heading into the final 15 minutes. It was the fourth time this year the Tide was held to three points or less in the third quarter, and the third time they'd been shut out entirely.
Simpson missed some throws, looking just slightly off for the second straight game. And the Alabama ground game was once again terrible, despite plenty of bye-week posturing about improvement. As it turns out, you are who you are in November, and Alabama is an offense that cannot run the football against any team with a pulse.
Alabama managed 59 yards on 23 rushing attempts against LSU. It is severely limiting the offense's ability to be what it is capable of being.
Alabama did put together a solid fourth-quarter drive leading to a Connor Talty field goal that gave it a two-possession lead at 20-9, but that was the only points of the second half for the Crimson Tide. Alabama fans couldn't breathe a sigh of relief until Yhonzae Pierre scored a strip-sack of LSU QB Michael Van Buren effectively sealed the deal
Alabama's offense continues to flirt with disaster
Alabama will not reach its lofty goals this season if the offense can't figure some things out. The defense saved them on Saturday night, but scoring three points in the second half isn't going to get it done against the better opponents on its schedule.
It's not going to be good enough next week against Oklahoma. It sure as hell isn't going to be good enough to beat Texas A&M, Ohio State, Indiana, or any team it may face in the College Football Playoff.
Alabama needs Simpson to be superhuman to have a shot. The run game isn't fixable. It is what it is. The offensive line isn't good enough, and the backs just aren't difference makers. Simpson has the potential to play at a much higher level than he did against LSU.
He was uncharacteristically inaccurate, completing just 21-of-35 pass attempts. He wasn't off by much, but it was enough to keep points off the board.
At the end of the day, a win is a win. Alabama is 8-1 and 6-0 in the SEC, winners of eight consecutive games since the season-opening loss. But if fans hoped that the issues would be ironed out over the bye week, they were sorely mistaken.
This team has some fatal flaws that will likely keep it from reaching its ultimate goal, barring a superhuman run from Simpson down the stretch.