It was a busy weekend, so here are some thoughts as the air is starting to get chillier, the days shorter and football games more meaningful.
• Georgia needs to pack those black jerseys away and write on the box: “Do not open until at least 2010.” Last year when they needed some type of boost after a slow start, the black jerseys were needed. But now this team needs to go out and focus on football, and show why it was given that preseason No. 1 ranking. The beatdown the Bulldogs took from Alabama in the first half Saturday night in Athens shocked everyone, including many on the Crimson Tide sideline, though I will say there were some early warning signs, one that I have pointed out on several occasions. I don’t care who you are; no team can afford to lose its best offensive lineman (Trinton Sturdivant) and defensive lineman (Jeff Owens) for the season and expect to be the same. It just doesn’t happen, and it was very apparent against Alabama that they were struggling on both fronts. It was also very apparent that head coach Mark Richt was frustrated with his team’s play, snapping at ESPN reporter Holly Rowe during a halftime interview, though afterwards he did take the full blame for the loss.
The Bulldogs, however, got a huge break earlier in the day when Florida took it on the chin against Ole Miss. Otherwise, another conference loss likely would have taken them out of contention to get to the conference championship game. Interestingly, the Bulldogs could still lose a game, say to Tennessee, and if they then win the rest of their conference games they would still win the SEC East. But the problem now is that before the season the Alabama game was supposed to be a win, and the tough part of the schedule is still ahead with games against the Vols and an undefeated Vanderbilt team in Athens, then games at LSU, Florida, Kentucky (undefeated) and at Auburn before ending with a much-improved Georgia Tech team.
Richt and his team have never been tested like this. It’s going to be fun to follow but here are a few suggestions. Throw the football more. It is obvious that Georgia’s offensive line can’t consistently open holes against good defenses and running back Knowshon Moreno (bruised elbow) may miss the Tennessee game. Also, the Bulldogs need to find a way to put pressure on the opposing quarterback, which may mean a new blitzing scheme, and this team needs to get more disciplined and cut out all these penalties. Those are my two cents.
• At 3-1 and after an off week, Georgia Tech hosts a surprising Duke team which comes in here with an identical record. Now this is the type of game Chan Gailey might have lost. I feel much differently about current head coach Paul Johnson and it is realistic to think that this team will beat the Blue Devils and Gardner-Webb, and then go up to Clemson and have a chance to beat what now appears to be a very average team. If that happens and Tech is 6-1, they then get a terrible Virginia team back here in Atlanta as well as Florida State before going to North Carolina and finishing up here with Miami and at Georgia. Could Tech finish 9-3, go to the ACC Championship and a good bowl game? There is no reason right now to think otherwise, especially considering the ACC is an awful conference this year. Interestingly, the Yellow Jackets could have a better record than Georgia when they face each other in Athens on Nov. 29.
• The Falcons hung in there for three quarters Sunday at Carolina, but like in the Tampa Bay game, they just don’t have enough right now to win games like this on the road. Unlike the Buccaneers game, I felt this was one the Falcons could have won considering the Panthers didn’t play very well. But there were way too many dropped passes as well as missed tackles. I feel that with a good week of practice, the Falcons may be able to go into Green Bay this Sunday and win. The Packers have lost two straight and were beaten by Tampa Bay on Sunday. I don’t think Green Bay is going to be able to shut down the Falcons’ running attack like Tampa and Carolina did. The Packers are 14th in the league in rush defense, allowing more than 157 yards a game. I am calling for a 20-17 win before the Falcons come back here and beat the Bears, then head into the bye week at 4-2.
AND SPEAKING OF …
I have to stray from the sports scene for a second to make a comment on the state government in Georgia. I mean, what’s the deal here? This gas shortage situation is ridiculous; I talk to friends all over the country and it seems like we are the only ones that are having these problems. I just wonder what our governor and his office are doing. Looking for gas? First, we become the first state in some 40 years to have a school system (Clayton County) lose its accreditation, and now this gas problem. Sounds like governor Sonny Perdue, who I heard is doing something in Europe, needs to get his act and his office together very quickly. I know there are a lot of upset Georgians right now who want some answers. The last time I looked, the buck in this state was supposed to stop in the governor’s office. Hey Sonny, are you listening? So much for my political soapbox, but I do invite Sonny to come on my Sunday show on 790 The Zone and give us some answers. The number is 404-233-7979.
AND FINALLY …
My friend Jayson Stark, who is not having problems finding gas in Philadelphia, calls former Braves center fielder Andruw Jones baseball’s least valuable player this season. He writes: “I can think of a lot of excellent ways to make use of $36 million. In retrospect, depositing it in Andruw Jones’s checking account probably wouldn’t make the top 100,000. In fairness to Andruw, he wasn’t 100 percent (although a scope on the patella isn’t quite up there with reconstructive ACL surgery, or possibly even the avian flu). But that doesn’t excuse this man for coming to camp 25 pounds overweight. And it doesn’t fully explain how he could have a year this disastrous: a .158 average, .249 on-base percentage, .256 slugging percentage, three homers, 14 RBIs and an incomprehensible 76-33 strikeouts-hits ratio.” Good job, Scott Boras.
Rosenberg can be reached at 404-256-1572 or shoot him an email at ijrosenberg@scoreatl.com. Score also continues to look for more writing, editing and graphics interns as well as help with our Internet site and Webcasting business. Email us at info@scoreatl.com.
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