For the Alabama Crimson Tide, the time for talking is over

After two disappointing games, Alabama Crimson Tide fans are sure of one thing. The time for talking is over. For months Crimson Tide players relished letting naysayers know. Against Vanderbilt and South Carolina, the Crimson Tide proved many naysayer observations were correct.

No naysayer is quoted in this post. For those interested, they are not hard to find. Much of what they are now saying about Alabama cannot be refuted by words. The situation is past any meaningful debate. Only the play of the Alabama football team can make a counterargument. The chance will come on Saturday in Knoxville.

Anyone predicting the outcome of the Third Saturday in October is talking nonsense. What is known now is since the second quarter of the Georgia game, Alabama has not been a good football team. It has been good at times and a few times even great, but too often inconsistencies have shackled the Crimson Tide to mediocrity.

It was not a fluke that Vanderbilt beat Alabama. The Commodores were the physically tougher team and they were better coached. Against South Carolina, Alabama was lucky the Gamecocks' redshirt freshman quarterback could not hit a wide-open receiver that would have led to overtime. The Alabama team that raced out to a 28-0 lead over Georgia has regressed so much that bottom-tier SEC teams play Alabama toe-to-toe. Shane Beamer was not blowing smoke when he said his team "expected" to beat Alabama. Except for Mercer, there is no team on Alabama's schedule that has any reason to fear the Crimson Tide.

Kalen Deboer was not wrong after the game when he commended his team for "finding a way to win." Having his guy's backs is good in this era of college football. Hopefully, behind the scenes, DeBoer is doing some verbal butt-kicking. After the loss to Vandy, DeBoer said Alabama Football is "not a finished product." It is no more of a finished product after the win over South Carolina.

Alabama Crimson Tide and reasons for optimism

Some Alabama Crimson Tide fans are more optimistic than the perspective offered here. I hope I am wrong and they are correct. One particular comparison dampens optimism. It is that Pete Golding's Ole Miss defense is better than Kane Wommack's Alabama defense. That fact is a harsh reality.

Championship-contending football teams don't need a second wake-up call after a loss. What that says about Alabama could be telling. Alabama has the potential to be an outstanding team, but it must improve quickly.