Without looking at the stats, it was one of Auburn’s best offensive performances of the season. That’s not meant as a chest-thumping point. It’s just what it says.
Passes were caught (and dropped), runs were longer than they had been, kicks were missed. It was another winnable game that Auburn didn’t win.
The Auburn defense, for the most part, played great. They looked like a defense playing at home at night against a team that hasn’t left home yet. They were relentless.
Until 3rd down.
I’m not really sure why the defense gets a total pass over the offense (it’s because most people don’t understand defense and they hate the guy with the ball that’s not scoring and making them happy), but there were multiple chances for the defense to get off the field and give Auburn better field position all night.
They mostly kept Missouri out of the endzone, which is their job, but get off the field. 3rd and 7+ was almost a for sure 1st down. Again, they overall played great, but let’s stop with the “they don’t deserve this offense” crap that simpletons love to use.
I watched the entire 2nd half of the Georgia game in silence. I could tell what was going to happen. The silence stayed until Auburn took the lead in the 2nd half against Missouri. I cheered. I got excited.
Then Missouri tied it up after being given 30-yards in one penalty, then there was missed pass interference call that likely would’ve won Auburn the game, but you’re not allowed to talk about officiating because it makes you weak and it has zero bearing on how games end up. Just don’t do it, okay?
For as many kicks as Auburn missed, Missouri refuses to make big kicks in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Remember a few years ago when the thicker kicker missed a literal extra point to go to overtime in which the good Tigers won? They had their chance to right that wrong, and despite Drinkwitz’s premature celebration and one of their dudes doing backflips on the field, they just couldn’t do it.
But then their quarterback scored in double OT and Auburn couldn’t gain a yard. Game over.
Auburn has had a chance to make a game-winning drive or score in every loss this year. In every one of them, that drive has been riddled with sacks. The defense is pinning their ears back and destroying the offensive line.
Simpletons will tell you that it’s only because Jackson Arnold holds the ball too long. It might be in some cases, but man with ball isn’t always bad. Sometimes man have no time to do anything and nowhere to go. But he has the ball, so he must be the problem.
Whatever. Almost every loss is the same. Get a lead, lose it, get it again, some terrible call, sacks, and then a close loss that simpletons equate to losing by 100.
Now we get to go play Bobby Petrino who loves to beat Auburn and is now scoring 40 points in losses. Weeeeee.
