Alabama's offense is broken. That wasn't a new development against Georgia on Saturday, though the Bulldogs made it look worse than anyone else has. But the Crimson Tide's offense had been stuck in neutral for weeks now, relying on an elite defense to win some games in spite of the struggles.
A lot of the blame has fallen on the shoulders of QB Ty Simpson. Such is the burden of playing quarterback at Alabama. But the issues go far beyond just Simpson himself; he hasn't played well, but he's not getting the help he needs from anyone else - from players to coaches - that he needs to put himself in a position to be successful.
Alabama managed just 209 total yards against Georgia. It had -3 rushing yards as the season-long struggles with the ground game came home to roost in the biggest game of the season. Alabama was thoroughly outclassed by Georgia in Atlanta.
Now, the Crimson Tide limps into the College Football Playoff and will face another elite defense on December 19th in the opening round. If Kalen DeBoer wants to lead his team to a playoff win or two, then figuring things out offensively is a must.
But is it possible to fix a systemic problem going into the 14th game of the season? The answer to that question will determine how far Alabama can advance in the playoff.
Some of Alabama's offensive issues are fixable. Some are not
It was clear from the opening drive in Saturday's SEC Championship Game that Alabama's game plan was to be physical and run the football. Alabama ran the ball three straight times before punting against Georgia. They quickly got away from that game plan after falling behind early.
Alabama called seven (7!!!) designed runs to the running backs against Georgia. It was Ryan Grubb's worst habits coming home to roost. He abandoned the running game far too early against the Bulldogs, making the Tide's already one-dimensional offense even more predictable for one of the nation's elite defensive minds.
Redshirt freshman Daniel Hill struggled in pass protection and as a receiver. Freshman AK Dear simply wasn't ready for the role he was asked to play.
Alabama's receivers didn't do Simpson any favors either, dropping six passes during the game. Simpson wasn't as accurate as he has been, but at a certain point, your receivers have to bail your quarterback out, and that didn't happen on Saturday.
Alabama's offensive line was consistently confused by the different pressure packages Georgia sent. Simpson faced constant heat in the pocket. That's been a consistent theme, and has caused Simpson to anticipate it even when it isn't there. He's abandoned the rare clean pockets as a result because he doesn't trust the guys up front to protect him.
Vocal Tide fans wanted Simpson benched against Georgia. DeBoer made the right call in ignoring that noise. With how Alabama was blocking and how Georgia was covering, neither Austin Mack nor Keelon Russell would have fared better. Throwing either to the wolves against that defense would have been coaching malpractice.
The good news is that there is some help on the way for Alabama in the playoff. We've sounded the alarm all year about the Crimson Tide not having a true difference-maker at RB on this team. It's true, but Jam Miller's return from injury is significant. The senior is the best Alabama has to offer right now, and in the very least, he'll make a big difference as a blocker.
So will senior TE Josh Cuevas, who will hopefully return from injury in two weeks in Norman. Cuevas has missed the last three games, but he was a difference-maker in the regular-season matchup against Oklahoma as the Tide's leading receiver in that game.
Left guard Kam Dewberry being healthy is key, too. The five-man offensive line of Kadyn Proctor, Dewberry, Parker Brailsford, Wilkin Formby, and Michael Carroll has been the best group for Alabama this year. They are far from perfect, but they played a pretty good game overall against Oklahoma a few weeks ago.
Brailsford approaching 100% by the time of kickoff on the 19th will be pivotal, too. Brailsford has been playing the last few games on one foot, and that has made a noticeable difference up front.
One reason for optimism is that Alabama put up over 400 yards of offense against Oklahoma a few weeks ago in Tuscaloosa. It ran the ball semi-effectively, eclipsing 100 sack-adjusted rushing yards against an elite Sooners front-seven.
The Tide's undoing was three turnovers, which Oklahoma turned into 17 points in a 23-21 win.
But Brent Venables is one of the best defensive coaches in the sport. He will undoubtedly dissect the Georgia film and look to duplicate what mystified Simpson and Alabama's offense in Atlanta.
It will be on DeBoer, Ryan Grubb, and Simpson to counterpunch.