Shots Across The Bow

Vols Still Best of the East

No, it wasn't a great game, and no, it wasn't a heart breaking loss.

And no, it wasn't a moral victory.

Tennessee played just ok against a wounded LSU team and when the final whistle blew, the better team walked away with the win.

The Tennessee defense played an excellent game for the most part, with the glaring exception of third downs, which they allowed LSU to convert with alarming frequency. Even so, they held the Tigers to 21 points, a major accomplishment against a team that averaged almost 38 points per game. Unfortunately the Big Orange offense wasn't up to the challenge, scoring 20 points less than their 34 point per game season average.(These averages include overtime points.) Ainge made a couple of key mistakes, one of which, an interception for a touchdown, gave the Tigers the margin of victory.

Cutcliffe showed he was willing to gamble, bringing in wide receiver Gerald Jones at quarterback twice, resulting in two carries for 38 yards. Unfortunately the Vols weren't opportunistic enough to take advantage of multiple scoring opportunities, including two missed Lincoln field goals.

In short, I still get the feeling that this team is not playing the caliber of football that they are capable of. This team is better than they way they are playing.

Posted by Rich at December 1, 2007 9:31 PM | TrackBack