M
Moostache
Guest
This week's game will be my only chance to see the Irish in person this year and the first time I have been to Notre Dame stadium since 1999. To say that I am pessimistic would be an understatement - my pent up frustrations with this season just seem to be boiling over on me this week.... The excitement of heading to the ND-USC game is overshadowed by the gloom of a historically inept and poor offense which gives us absolutely no realistic chance to win the game.
Bottom line is this - our offensive line is just that, OFFENSIVE. They can't run block (at all, period, end of sentence, full stop). They can't pass block (even though this seems to have progressed from horrifying to just merely bad over the last month). They can't execute screen plays or draws with anything close to competence. They can't gain short yardage, they can't spring big runs by opening so much as 6-inches of daylight. They can't pick up a blitz. In a nut shell, the O-line is putrid and a festering sore that has become gangrenous and threatens to infect the entire team.
The defense shows up (again) on Saturday and Booty or Sanchez gift the Irish a first half pick-6. The momentum is quickly squandered as Whitaker kicks it "deep" and the ball is run back 79 yards for a TD. After that, the game devolves into a grinding, TV-timeout infested bore. USC has a nasty habit lately of playing down to their competition more than anything else, and I expect Saturday to be more of the same; but even that trend will be put to the test on Saturday. The only way for them to play down to our level right now would be to leave their entire offensive line in LA, find 5 random fat guys from Michiana to suit up, vaguely get in the way of the defense for a 1/2 count before diving at the ground in front of the defender; as if the papal ring itself had been dropped and their was a eternal reward in heaven for the first lineman to find it.
ND's defense is valiant and extends their solid (if not yet spectactular) play to 14 consecutive quarters; but the offense continues mired in their own crap-ulence, and can't get out of their own way long enough to score points when needed - and certainly won't score as many as the 24 (which would unbelievably be an ND season high) Stanford did to beat the Trojans.
This week's circus sideshow - Sharpley or Clausen at QB - won't matter; because for the third time in four weeks, both see the field, and both continue to look equally inept. (Sharpley did have that ONE drive for 79 yards against BC - which was kept alive in the first place by a questionable, ok downright attrocious roughing the passer call - aside from that he was 7-for-22 and Clausen was 7-for-20...oooooh, yeah, I can see why changing to Sharpley would be such a no brainer decision next week...)
Based on what I have seen this year, I expect no fewer than 3 Irish turnovers; all of which result in gimme points for USC, either on direct returns or by putting the defense on the field with USC already in the red zone.
Bottomline, if we had an offense capable of doing anything other than auditioning for the new instructional video "How NOT to Block", this game would be a close USC win. Since we do not have that offense, I expect another 31-point USC beatdown. Call it 38-7 as USC tries to salvage their season and the ND ship continues locked in dry dock...
The mere fact that a 4th 31-point beating from USC in the decade is probable, if not very likely, is depressing beyond words....
Bottom line is this - our offensive line is just that, OFFENSIVE. They can't run block (at all, period, end of sentence, full stop). They can't pass block (even though this seems to have progressed from horrifying to just merely bad over the last month). They can't execute screen plays or draws with anything close to competence. They can't gain short yardage, they can't spring big runs by opening so much as 6-inches of daylight. They can't pick up a blitz. In a nut shell, the O-line is putrid and a festering sore that has become gangrenous and threatens to infect the entire team.
The defense shows up (again) on Saturday and Booty or Sanchez gift the Irish a first half pick-6. The momentum is quickly squandered as Whitaker kicks it "deep" and the ball is run back 79 yards for a TD. After that, the game devolves into a grinding, TV-timeout infested bore. USC has a nasty habit lately of playing down to their competition more than anything else, and I expect Saturday to be more of the same; but even that trend will be put to the test on Saturday. The only way for them to play down to our level right now would be to leave their entire offensive line in LA, find 5 random fat guys from Michiana to suit up, vaguely get in the way of the defense for a 1/2 count before diving at the ground in front of the defender; as if the papal ring itself had been dropped and their was a eternal reward in heaven for the first lineman to find it.
ND's defense is valiant and extends their solid (if not yet spectactular) play to 14 consecutive quarters; but the offense continues mired in their own crap-ulence, and can't get out of their own way long enough to score points when needed - and certainly won't score as many as the 24 (which would unbelievably be an ND season high) Stanford did to beat the Trojans.
This week's circus sideshow - Sharpley or Clausen at QB - won't matter; because for the third time in four weeks, both see the field, and both continue to look equally inept. (Sharpley did have that ONE drive for 79 yards against BC - which was kept alive in the first place by a questionable, ok downright attrocious roughing the passer call - aside from that he was 7-for-22 and Clausen was 7-for-20...oooooh, yeah, I can see why changing to Sharpley would be such a no brainer decision next week...)
Based on what I have seen this year, I expect no fewer than 3 Irish turnovers; all of which result in gimme points for USC, either on direct returns or by putting the defense on the field with USC already in the red zone.
Bottomline, if we had an offense capable of doing anything other than auditioning for the new instructional video "How NOT to Block", this game would be a close USC win. Since we do not have that offense, I expect another 31-point USC beatdown. Call it 38-7 as USC tries to salvage their season and the ND ship continues locked in dry dock...
The mere fact that a 4th 31-point beating from USC in the decade is probable, if not very likely, is depressing beyond words....
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