Anyone with eyes could see that Alabama dominated the third installment of the Swinney-Saban saga. The Tide took advantage of turnovers and kept Clemson’s offense from breaking out at all. After some time to re-watch the film (and a snow-induced power outage), these are the top five plays that shaped the 2018 Sugar Bowl.
5. Deon Cain drops the ball on third-and-16
Near the end of the first quarter, Clemson’s defense looked good, forcing punt after punt from the Alabama offense. The Tiger offense looked as inept as the defense looked strong. With a chance to get a first down and rest the defense a little longer, quarterback Kelly Bryant threw an easy ball to Cain who turned quickly toward the line without securing the football. Alabama only sent a two-man rush which is meant to blanket all other receivers by defenders, but Cain had some separation.
Instead of making sure to catch the ball then run, he instinctively looked ahead to the first down marker. This was a common problem for Cain during the 2017 season, and something he will have to fix next year or in the pros.
4. Kelly Bryant’s 17-yard scamper on third-and-13
Most would look at this play and think it was really good. I’m not saying this was a bad play, but it is indicative of how Bryant was the major reason for his team’s downfall. Before this play, which was at 14:35 in the second quarter, Clemson had totaled negative three yards on offense. Negative three in an entire quarter. Clearly something wasn’t working. The Tigers did as they always do by trying to run the ball and throw screens to Ray-Ray McCloud. Alabama had none of it.
Clemson decides to come out instead with an empty-set look (five wide receivers, no one in the backfield) indicating a pass. Alabama sends a four-man rush which collapses the center of the pocket. Bryant is now hurried and bolts out of there weaving his way through the defense. The problem is that he didn’t keep his eyes downfield. Due to the camera angle, I can’t see whether there was a player open downfield or not, but Bryant needs to keep his eyes up because an even bigger play could have presented itself by him moving around.
3. Jalen Hurts throws a touchdown to Calvin Ridley to give the Tide a 10-point lead
Hurts does the exact opposite of Bryant. It’s near the end of the first quarter and the Tide only have three points to show for their offensive output, but they have made it into the red zone with a chance to score. Alabama sets up in a passing set with three receivers out wide left with another on the right and running back Bo Scarborough in the backfield, likely as a blocker.
Clelin Ferrell throws the left tackle aside and rushes right toward Hurts. Hurts sees this, scrambles to his right and finds Ridley in the back of the end zone all alone. He might have been able to get a few extra yards by running, but by keeping his eyes up and tracking his receiver, he put the ball where it could do the most good for his team.
2. Da’Ron Payne intercepts Kelly Bryant and later scores on offense
This was the dagger that put the game out of reach. It’s bad enough when a ball-hawk like strong safety Minkah Fitzpatrick makes a great play to intercept a quarterback, but when a big-man like nose tackle Payne not only intercepts a ball, that really hurts.
The pass was from Bryant was deflected at the line and Payne was in good position to snag it. But Payne wasn’t done yet. On second-and-goal, Alabama came out in a goal-line set with Da’Ron Payne set up to block for the running back. Instead of pushing his way up the middle to open a hole, he split out and caught a pass at the goal line to put the Tide up 17-6. This is technically two plays, but they tie together to illustrate why this game went so badly for the Tigers.
1. Anthony Jennings sacks Kelly Bryant on first-and-10
You may be asking yourself why this is the number one play that shaped the 2018 Sugar Bowl. A sack is generally pretty good, but on a first down it wouldn’t seem to have much merit. The reason, of course, is the context. Anthony Jennings gets what amounts to a free rush of Bryant, taking him down for a loss of two. Again, normally this isn’t a big deal, but it happens right after Clemson recovered a fumble by Alabama in the red zone.
The momentum should have shifted to the Tigers. With this defensive play by the Tide, they effectively challenged Clemson to do outplay them, despite the fact that Alabama should have been the ones reeling. It was a brute show of force that pulverized Clemson’s confidence in themselves early in the second half, and it led to Clemson having to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown to tie which changed the entire complexion of the game.
Five plays that shaped the Sugar Bowl
Colin Halm, Asst. Sports Editor
January 4, 2018
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