LSU 19, Mississippi State 6: Defense Wins Championships -- And LSU is Trying to Prove It
by cocknfire on Sep 15, 2011 11:41 PM EDT
in SEC Football
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PrintIt's still too early, two weeks and one game into the season, to dub LSU as the best defense in the nation or say that they can win a national championship without a competent offense. But as the season develops, it's getting harder to make the contrary case.
The Thursday night game against Mississippi State was more of the same. The Western Division Bulldogs gained 190 yards on 69 offensive snaps -- an average of 2.8 yards a play. The running game that is State's bread and butter was shut down, held to 49 yards on 34 plays for an anemic average of 1.4 yards a carry.
And while the offense wasn't what you would call great, it wasn't exactly a disaster, either. Jarrett Lee was 21-of-27 for 213 yards and a touchdown, though his single interception came at the worst possible time. But when you have an offense that will promptly shut down the other side for a three-and-out, you can do that. Meanwhile, the Tigers ground out 3.9 yards a carry on the ground to help kill the clock. Again, with that defense, that's going to be more than enough most days.
Even in the SEC, it's hard to win a championship entirely on defense. There are going to be shootouts in the future, and the offense will have to win one game -- right?
Maybe not. Les Miles has certainly never been one to follow conventional wisdom, so it wouldn't be out of the question for him to win a championship in a way that's rarely done. And after Thursday night's game, it's awfully hard to bet against him.
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The title of this one says it all.
I hate watching old Big Ten style offense, but I hate losing much worse. We’re going to have to do more than run it up the gut to get to Atlanta, but I don’t think we were full throttle on the air game tonight (didn’t have to be). Still, I’m almost happy Lee finally got a pick in, if anything to take the pressue off. Maybe now everyone will stop talking about it.
Very impressive
Having survived that MSU ground game, I am very impressed with what LSU accomplished tonight in a very charged enviironment.in Starkville. That looked like a junior version of a Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore defensive slugfest.
LSU looks to be the class of the SEC in my eyes….which means they are #1 in the country as well. I am not looking forward to our Death Valley date in a few weeks.
Poor Miss State showed such potential and now looks like they will go 0-for Relevance again. Maybe they can squek out a win against Arky.
Place, I say, place your bets! Money plays, loser stays! Everyone's a winn - well, not everyone.
Okay, I'll shut up. I'm not one that has to keep talkin'. Some fellas just have to keep their mouths flappin', but not me! I was brought up right, my pa used to tell me "shut up" and I'd shut up! I wouldn't say nothin'! One time, darn-near starved to death -
Want to know the scary part?
LSU’s defense is mainly juniors and sophomores, with a sprinkling of freshmen up and coming stars….
Jordan Jefferson ...errrr...Jarrett Lee for Heisman!
Not scarier than normal....
LSU always has a pretty impressive defense. Plus those elite Juniors will go to the NFL.
Place, I say, place your bets! Money plays, loser stays! Everyone's a winn - well, not everyone.
Okay, I'll shut up. I'm not one that has to keep talkin'. Some fellas just have to keep their mouths flappin', but not me! I was brought up right, my pa used to tell me "shut up" and I'd shut up! I wouldn't say nothin'! One time, darn-near starved to death -
There's only 1 elite junior
Morris Claiborne
Seniors are S Brandon Taylor and a 3 of our top 4 LBs (of which 2 are easily replaceable).
Bad timing on interception?
Our open thread had multiple comments to the effect of, “Bad throw, but at least it happened here rather than somewhere else.” We were comfortably ahead by more than a touchdown mid-way through the 4th with a defense that had put the clamps down, and were in the middle of the field rather than backed up in
our end.
When is the timing for an interception better?
Father. Husband. Lawyer. Nerd.
by Richard Pittman on Sep 16, 2011 1:58 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
The best defense in this conference
is at Alabama, thank you very much
People who live in glass houses should not hang out with Charles Barkley.
Based on Penn St? Cmon WW
I would take MSU to whip Penn St on a neutral field, so Bama MAY have the best defense based on media coronation but based on LSU’s actual performance last night and against Oregon, I’ll take LSU anyday of the week. Holding MSU under 200 total yards on their home field was STRONG…with a K
Place, I say, place your bets! Money plays, loser stays! Everyone's a winn - well, not everyone.
Okay, I'll shut up. I'm not one that has to keep talkin'. Some fellas just have to keep their mouths flappin', but not me! I was brought up right, my pa used to tell me "shut up" and I'd shut up! I wouldn't say nothin'! One time, darn-near starved to death -
by Col.Angus on Sep 16, 2011 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It may be...
But to believe that takes faith.
LSU has evidence on their side.
2011 LSU Accolades:
"Imperial Intergalactic Overlord Barkevious Mingo" -Andy Staples
"If Alabama's defense is a boa constrictor, slowly sucking the life out of opposing offenses, LSU's is more like a goon that throws the offense into a burlap sack and starts beating it with a stick." -Matt Hinton
"Oregon’s Chip Kelly is generally considered a coaching mastermind. Miles toyed with him here Saturday night." -Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports
"I don’t want to say that I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson…..but I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson." -Les Miles
based on what?
Alabama’s defense is better than LSU’s D based on what? What LSU’s D has done to really good offenses thus far trumps the outings of Bama’s D easy. Show me differently.
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