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Not a bad win and...

Irish_inPSU

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Sep 22, 2008
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It sure is a crazy year in CFB. I see quite a bit of parity across the board, which is good. I would normally say that ND is not a playoff team at all, and I could be right, but I have to say, it doesn't appear anyone is unbeatable. No one really stands out, with the exception of maybe UGA, who I still feel is the best team in the country.

ND had a solid game on the road. They never let GT in the game really. Just a quality, in control type of game. The defense played very well again, minus a couple blown coverages which happens from time to time. The trash TD late they gave up is no big deal.

I will say it again, I am not impressed with Leonard, think he should be the backup. But the kid surprises me every game with how well he can throw the shorter passes into tight windows. I know we all want to get the deep ball going more and I can't disagree, but I have seen shades of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in our offensive game plan. I say this as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and how maddening it was to watch them dink and dunk their way down the field at will and punch it in. I'm fine with that.

I don't know if we are a playoff team, time will tell and we just need to keep winning and let the chips fall where they do. But I wouldn't be shocked if we do make it in and if we do win a game post season. Its just that kind of year.
 
It sure is a crazy year in CFB. I see quite a bit of parity across the board, which is good. I would normally say that ND is not a playoff team at all, and I could be right, but I have to say, it doesn't appear anyone is unbeatable. No one really stands out, with the exception of maybe UGA, who I still feel is the best team in the country.

ND had a solid game on the road. They never let GT in the game really. Just a quality, in control type of game. The defense played very well again, minus a couple blown coverages which happens from time to time. The trash TD late they gave up is no big deal.

I will say it again, I am not impressed with Leonard, think he should be the backup. But the kid surprises me every game with how well he can throw the shorter passes into tight windows. I know we all want to get the deep ball going more and I can't disagree, but I have seen shades of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in our offensive game plan. I say this as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and how maddening it was to watch them dink and dunk their way down the field at will and punch it in. I'm fine with that.

I don't know if we are a playoff team, time will tell and we just need to keep winning and let the chips fall where they do. But I wouldn't be shocked if we do make it in and if we do win a game post season. Its just that kind of year.
If we win our next 5, then we're a playoff team.
 
It sure is a crazy year in CFB. I see quite a bit of parity across the board, which is good. I would normally say that ND is not a playoff team at all, and I could be right, but I have to say, it doesn't appear anyone is unbeatable. No one really stands out, with the exception of maybe UGA, who I still feel is the best team in the country.

ND had a solid game on the road. They never let GT in the game really. Just a quality, in control type of game. The defense played very well again, minus a couple blown coverages which happens from time to time. The trash TD late they gave up is no big deal.

I will say it again, I am not impressed with Leonard, think he should be the backup. But the kid surprises me every game with how well he can throw the shorter passes into tight windows. I know we all want to get the deep ball going more and I can't disagree, but I have seen shades of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in our offensive game plan. I say this as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and how maddening it was to watch them dink and dunk their way down the field at will and punch it in. I'm fine with that.

I don't know if we are a playoff team, time will tell and we just need to keep winning and let the chips fall where they do. But I wouldn't be shocked if we do make it in and if we do win a game post season. Its just that kind of year.
I agree. I will say every win is a “ good” win. At this point in the season we all see what we see. My take. Just find a way to win. That’s all that matters. One game at a time. Navy will definitely be a challenge. Especially younger players on defense who have not played against this type of offense. I don’t care if it’s a one point win. Just win
 
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I agree. I will say every win is a “ good” win. At this point in the season we all see what we see. My take. Just find a way to win. That’s all that matters. One game at a time. Navy will definitely be a challenge. Especially younger players on defense who have not played against this type of offense. I don’t care if it’s a one point win. Just win
A win is a win you are absolutely right but the performance in your win correlates to your future performance so if you need a miracle last possession TD to beat Navy that performance is probably not going to translate well in the event you're playing OSU in the second round of the playoff. And that's why fans get frustrated and disappointed: Past performance is indicative of future performance.
 
A win is a win you are absolutely right but the performance in your win correlates to your future performance so if you need a miracle last possession TD to beat Navy that performance is probably not going to translate well in the event you're playing OSU in the second round of the playoff. And that's why fans get frustrated and disappointed: Past performance is indicative of future performance.
Yeah, right. No one ever gets better as the season progresses.
 
A win is a win you are absolutely right but the performance in your win correlates to your future performance so if you need a miracle last possession TD to beat Navy that performance is probably not going to translate well in the event you're playing OSU in the second round of the playoff. And that's why fans get frustrated and disappointed: Past performance is indicative of future performance.
Boy has that been disproven forever. Dumb even for you.
 
Yeah, right. No one ever gets better as the season progresses.
Surprisingly not by much

a lot of what people view as a team getting better is simply a team playing a more favorable part of their schedule at the end of the year or getting key players back from injury etc.

On aggregate teams perform to the level of their talent and to the level of their track record it's almost scary how much this lines up
 
Surprisingly not by much

a lot of what people view as a team getting better is simply a team playing a more favorable part of their schedule at the end of the year or getting key players back from injury etc.

On aggregate teams perform to the level of their talent and to the level of their track record it's almost scary how much this lines up
By that response, then you're saying the biggest games of the year (such as the playoffs) are already decided before they're played.

So, why play them? Just look at the rankings and it's all over.
 
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By that response, then you're saying the biggest games of the year (such as the playoffs) are already decided before they're played.

So, why play them? Just look at the rankings and it's all over.
Yes pretty much but you still watch the games because theres still the chance that your team will buck the odds this time

The goal is for your team to do all the things that put them in the favorable category leading up to those postseason games (eg winning on the recruiting trail, developing the best players in the country, blowing out bad competition, winning versus elite teams, etc.) so that they are the favorite in those games at the end of the year and not the underdog hoping for a praying chance
 
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It sure is a crazy year in CFB. I see quite a bit of parity across the board, which is good. I would normally say that ND is not a playoff team at all, and I could be right, but I have to say, it doesn't appear anyone is unbeatable. No one really stands out, with the exception of maybe UGA, who I still feel is the best team in the country.

ND had a solid game on the road. They never let GT in the game really. Just a quality, in control type of game. The defense played very well again, minus a couple blown coverages which happens from time to time. The trash TD late they gave up is no big deal.

I will say it again, I am not impressed with Leonard, think he should be the backup. But the kid surprises me every game with how well he can throw the shorter passes into tight windows. I know we all want to get the deep ball going more and I can't disagree, but I have seen shades of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in our offensive game plan. I say this as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and how maddening it was to watch them dink and dunk their way down the field at will and punch it in. I'm fine with that.

I don't know if we are a playoff team, time will tell and we just need to keep winning and let the chips fall where they do. But I wouldn't be shocked if we do make it in and if we do win a game post season. Its just that kind of year.
I don't know, I'm going to have to say we look really good two weeks in a row now. I mean it is what it is, we can't pass downfield well, and we will never have a loose, explosive passing offense, where our QB just drops back and slings it like LSU. But as far as making do with what we have, we're killing it. We're beginning to anyway. So I don't think offense is going to be our problem, with cautious optimism. And Army and Navy don't have good defenses.

So I think the smart money is on us running the table and making the playoff. And USC sucks, or definitely are very beatable.
 
Yes pretty much but you still watch the games because theres still the chance that your team will buck the odds this time

The goal is for your team to do all the things that put them in the favorable category(winning on the recruiting trail, developing the best players in the country, winning versus elite teams, etc.) so that they are the favorite in those games at the end of the year and not the underdog hoping for a praying chance
Remind me never to take any of your analysis seriously.
 
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It sure is a crazy year in CFB. I see quite a bit of parity across the board, which is good. I would normally say that ND is not a playoff team at all, and I could be right, but I have to say, it doesn't appear anyone is unbeatable. No one really stands out, with the exception of maybe UGA, who I still feel is the best team in the country.

ND had a solid game on the road. They never let GT in the game really. Just a quality, in control type of game. The defense played very well again, minus a couple blown coverages which happens from time to time. The trash TD late they gave up is no big deal.

I will say it again, I am not impressed with Leonard, think he should be the backup. But the kid surprises me every game with how well he can throw the shorter passes into tight windows. I know we all want to get the deep ball going more and I can't disagree, but I have seen shades of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in our offensive game plan. I say this as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and how maddening it was to watch them dink and dunk their way down the field at will and punch it in. I'm fine with that.

I don't know if we are a playoff team, time will tell and we just need to keep winning and let the chips fall where they do. But I wouldn't be shocked if we do make it in and if we do win a game post season. Its just that kind of year.
Not to mention we were down eight starters from the beginning of the season! (*And our best player.) The two defensive players of the game were a Freshman (Moore) and a Sophomore (Brown.)
 
Not to mention we were down eight starters from the beginning of the season! (*And our best player.) The two defensive players of the game were a Freshman (Moore) and a Sophomore (Brown.)
Holy smokes, I honestly didn't realize we are that banged up. Very good point.
 
I agree. I will say every win is a “ good” win. At this point in the season we all see what we see. My take. Just find a way to win. That’s all that matters. One game at a time. Navy will definitely be a challenge. Especially younger players on defense who have not played against this type of offense. I don’t care if it’s a one point win. Just win
Is Navy still running the option on 90+% of its plays? I Thought they had gone away from that. No??
 
And I didn't mean to discount winning. I know this year each win is not going to be a gimme due to some of our own deficiencies. Regardless if USC sucks or not, we have a terrible habit of playing down to opponents. Have for a decade. So I will not be ignoring that game and assuming we walk over them. They played PSU tough and I believe PSU is a pretty stout football team this season. Anything can happen.

Navy bothers me because of how unique they are to play. I used to get picked on by my fellow PSU fans here locally about Navy until Penn State played them a few years ago and struggled.

Compared to everyone ranked ahead of us currently, I have my doubts if we could beat any of them. Thats where my statement of if we're a playoff team or not comes from. But, I as I stated, its anyone's guess this year. ND could beat some of them for sure, but I have my doubts against the teams with the better defenses. Time will tell... still a lot of ball left to play this year!
 
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Yes pretty much but you still watch the games because theres still the chance that your team will buck the odds this time

The goal is for your team to do all the things that put them in the favorable category leading up to those postseason games (eg winning on the recruiting trail, developing the best players in the country, blowing out bad competition, winning versus elite teams, etc.) so that they are the favorite in those games at the end of the year and not the underdog hoping for a praying chance
Thanks for proving yourself the idiot we all know you are.
 
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Yes pretty much but you still watch the games because theres still the chance that your team will buck the odds this time

The goal is for your team to do all the things that put them in the favorable category leading up to those postseason games (eg winning on the recruiting trail, developing the best players in the country, blowing out bad competition, winning versus elite teams, etc.) so that they are the favorite in those games at the end of the year and not the underdog hoping for a praying chance
Remind me never to take any of your analysis seriously.
You need reminded?
 
Is Navy still running the option on 90+% of its plays? I Thought they had gone away from that. No??
Not sure of the % but they still run with a QB that can run and throw really well. ND needs to play tough fundamental football. It’s not a gimme
 
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And I didn't mean to discount winning. I know this year each win is not going to be a gimme due to some of our own deficiencies. Regardless if USC sucks or not, we have a terrible habit of playing down to opponents. Have for a decade. So I will not be ignoring that game and assuming we walk over them. They played PSU tough and I believe PSU is a pretty stout football team this season. Anything can happen.

Navy bothers me because of how unique they are to play. I used to get picked on by my fellow PSU fans here locally about Navy until Penn State played them a few years ago and struggled.

Compared to everyone ranked ahead of us currently, I have my doubts if we could beat any of them. Thats where my statement of if we're a playoff team or not comes from. But, I as I stated, its anyone's guess this year. ND could beat some of them for sure, but I have my doubts against the teams with the better defenses. Time will tell... still a lot of ball left to play this year!
 
Injuries have kept us a bit from the "elite" level of defense we had at TAM......Offense, its just keeps improving even with injuries as RL gets more comfortable with the O and the OL improved.

Every team has "those" games.....UGA-KY, Bama-SC, UT-FL......Good teams have close games against teams they feel they can walk on....happens to all at some time. When its 2 really good teams, IMO, that tells you who has game. UT got blown out by UGA at home. Thats not one they took lightly.

If ND got blown out by A&M, you would have know its not a good team. If they win out, they will have 4 top 25 wins. If AM wins out, 1 against a top 10 at their home.

ND is in if they win out, they lose they are done. The only 2 loss teams that get in this year are either a conf champ or the SEC.
 
Every team has "those" games.....UGA-KY, Bama-SC, UT-FL......Good teams have close games against teams they feel they can walk on....happens to all at some time. When its 2 really good teams, IMO, that tells you who has game. UT got blown out by UGA at home. Thats not one they took lightly.

Yes every team has "those games" where they suck against inferior competition .. it happens. Problem at Notre Dame is that it happens too frequently. And it happens too frequently because Notre Dame isn't good enough to not have "those games" too frequently. Its that simple. There is no magic/external forces at play. Either you are good enough to win consistently against inferior competition or you are not. Either you have a good enough roster/coaching staff/scheme to be a tier 1 team or you don't (period)
 
Yes, it happens yearly to all teams. Every single year it happens. Even Michigan, the Natty winner almost lost to an unranked Maryland. So all too often is yearly, for all of them. Each top 25 team sees it. ND had its one, its unfortunate that we had two FG's blocked and a dropped pass or we would be sitting at #1, maybe 2 behind Oregon. You move on. If ND had the players we had at A&M, I believe with that Elite defense we are favored in most, less than a TD dog against all.
 
Yes, it happens yearly to all teams. Every single year it happens. Even Michigan, the Natty winner almost lost to an unranked Maryland. So all too often is yearly, for all of them. Each top 25 team sees it. ND had its one, its unfortunate that we had two FG's blocked and a dropped pass or we would be sitting at #1, maybe 2 behind Oregon. You move on. If ND had the players we had at A&M, I believe with that Elite defense we are favored in most, less than a TD dog against all.
I definitely agree with you about our defense, but I think our offense would get completely shut down by Georgia and probably several other top teams. I just don't like that our offense is so reliant on RL's ability to run. I still cringe half the time he throws a pass because it seems like his decision is made pre-snap. And how is it possible Love is only getting the ball maybe a dozen times a game?
 
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Yes, it happens yearly to all teams. Every single year it happens. Even Michigan, the Natty winner almost lost to an unranked Maryland. So all too often is yearly, for all of them. Each top 25 team sees it. ND had its one, its unfortunate that we had two FG's blocked and a dropped pass or we would be sitting at #1, maybe 2 behind Oregon. You move on. If ND had the players we had at A&M, I believe with that Elite defense we are favored in most, less than a TD dog against all.
The difference is most of those top 5 teams find a way to win those games. You pointed out Michigan last season, they won that close game.
 
I would say it's Army. Army Vs ND. Winner in, loser out.
Others have already remarked on the irony that Army and Navy are legitimately two of our toughest opponents remaining, but I think it's doubly ironic that those two teams are playoff contenders given that they represent the absolute opposite of what college football has become over the past couple of years.
 
Others have already remarked on the irony that Army and Navy are legitimately two of our toughest opponents remaining, but I think it's doubly ironic that those two teams are playoff contenders given that they represent the absolute opposite of what college football has become over the past couple of years.
I know. They outright are. And if you glance at their schedules, outside of us and each other, who's going to beat them? So if they can run their respective tables, outside of losing to ND for both of them, then they play each other in yet another possibly play-in type game, they could have a fighting shot. And if neither end up in the playoff even though they remained otherwise undefeated, ND will have been the academy slayers. And that will be the most prized scalp in our resume for the season to humbly present to the committee for consideration.

But I think Army and Navy players can make NIL money. So it's not really that different.
 
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