So dissapointed...

[volk]

I didn't get to see the Steelers game until last night, and know that the game has probably been spoken about alot, but I need to vent a little. While I know there are lots of threads about QB, TE, and OL play, what really bothered me most about the game last night was the lack of discipline and concentration of the first unit. This is the third pre-season game for us, and yet we somehow managed to execute like it was a scrimage in early training camp. That we got worse in this game is what bothers me the most.

Saban is a coach of discipline, focus, and effort...the three things that were so obviously missing from their performance. I bet Saban is longing for LSU this morning. I know conditions were adverse, but we played sloppier in this game than we did when we played Pitt last year in the hurricane game. I saw DB's coliding with each other while making bad reads, a TE with teflon hands, a hopelessly outmatched OL and a frequently out of position Madison. They all appeared unprepared and undisciplined in a game where these kinds of things should be dissappearing...if we hadn't had the Hall of Fame Game, we would only have one more pre-season game to get this thing under control.

We are lacking at so many skill positions on this team that we must rely on outcoaching, outthinking, perfect execution and tenacity to win. I can excuse lack of talent at this point and fully understand the difficulty of learning a new system, but that wasn't the problem in this game. If Saban is to have any chance at winning this year, the mental errors must stop...that they have continued this far into pre-season is a truly bad omen for the upcoming season.

 

[Patriot]

pushing the panic button already eh?

don't worry, so are we in regards to our run defense/LB situation :cry:

 

[Phin-o-rama]

seau missed a huge tackle on willie parker and he ripped off like a 20 yard run....sam madison over pursued and got burned by a big run by willie parker again. (damn i thought willie parker looked like a beast)

if roethlisberger didn't miss that TD pass in the back of the endzone might as well call that a surefire TD ....and our defense was better than our offense.

 

[thecoordinator]

good post

 

[volk]

pushing the panic button already eh?

don't worry, so are we in regards to our run defense/LB situation :cry:

It's not so much panic as it is a dose of hard reality. This team just isn't ready to compete yet, and while I expect problems with the system and some awkwardness, I just didn't expect a total team breakdown of discipline and "brook trout" look. This is the one thing I really expected Saban to change, and it was the area they looked the worst at.

 

[albyfinfan]

good thread, i have to agree these mental erors have got to stop. as soon as stockar jumped offsides on the very first play i ahd a bad feeling about this game from that point on

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

It's not so much panic as it is a dose of hard reality. This team just isn't ready to compete yet, and while I expect problems with the system and some awkwardness, I just didn't expect a total team breakdown of discipline and "brook trout" look. This is the one thing I really expected Saban to change, and it was the area they looked the worst at.

Saban is still changing it. The season has yet to start.

 

[volk]

Saban is still changing it. The season has yet to start.

I draw a measure of hope from that, but let's not kid ourselves. Saban has had 3 games to demonstrate increased discipline and execution, and his third game saw the worst discipline and execution to date.

I have no doubt Saban will improve these qualities in the players over time, what concerns me is how much time will it take? Will they finally be prepared by openning day? Mid-season? When?

Even more troubling is what is the route cause of the undisciplined and distracted gameplay? Is team morale low? Does the team not care about pre-season performances? Is the system too complex for the players to learn? Are the players incapable of executing the new system and becoming frustrated? Is Saban being too heavy handed with them?

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

I draw a measure of hope from that, but let's not kid ourselves. Saban has had 3 games to demonstrate increased discipline and execution, and his third game saw the worst discipline and execution to date.

I have no doubt Saban will improve these qualities in the players over time, what concerns me is how much time will it take? Will they finally be prepared by openning day? Mid-season? When?

Even more troubling is what is the route cause of the undisciplined and distracted gameplay? Is team morale low? Does the team not care about pre-season performances? Is the system too complex for the players to learn? Are the players incapable of executing the new system and becoming frustrated? Is Saban being too heavy handed with them?

Mid season sounds about right. That is what good rebuilding teams do.

It is always hard to get players to care about preseason. They say they do, you know they don't.

 

[cltchperf]

Well somethings can be corrected and were from being careless with the ball. The five fumbles, that's just being careless with the ball, I know it was raining at Heinz field but you have to hold on to that ball good. It's not like the team threw five interceptions or something, then I'd be really worried, but hopefully Saban will get this group to not be careless. The D did not to bad though, the o-line, Wr drops, and the qb, I think Ricky could've ran well of the line actually blocked for him, so I'm leaving out rb.

 

[nick1]

what I take from the game is that our D is going to be great and that the Steelers also have a great D. Calm down, Brown wasn't playing and the Steelers are a good team

 

[finmann]

I didn't get to see the Steelers game until last night, and know that the game has probably been spoken about alot, but I need to vent a little. While I know there are lots of threads about QB, TE, and OL play, what really bothered me most about the game last night was the lack of discipline and concentration of the first unit. This is the third pre-season game for us, and yet we somehow managed to execute like it was a scrimage in early training camp. That we got worse in this game is what bothers me the most.

Saban is a coach of discipline, focus, and effort...the three things that were so obviously missing from their performance. I bet Saban is longing for LSU this morning. I know conditions were adverse, but we played sloppier in this game than we did when we played Pitt last year in the hurricane game. I saw DB's coliding with each other while making bad reads, a TE with teflon hands, a hopelessly outmatched OL and a frequently out of position Madison. They all appeared unprepared and undisciplined in a game where these kinds of things should be dissappearing...if we hadn't had the Hall of Fame Game, we would only have one more pre-season game to get this thing under control.

We are lacking at so many skill positions on this team that we must rely on outcoaching, outthinking, perfect execution and tenacity to win. I can excuse lack of talent at this point and fully understand the difficulty of learning a new system, but that wasn't the problem in this game. If Saban is to have any chance at winning this year, the mental errors must stop...that they have continued this far into pre-season is a truly bad omen for the upcoming season.

Good post here, well thought out.