This is simultaneously the most aggravating and exciting Tennessee team ever

[Creek Walker]

I guess everyone has given up trying to figure out the slow starts. We can't continue to live this way. It will come crashing down -- probably the next two weeks. What worries me, though, is this: We can survive losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. I want to beat one of them if for no reason other than the one BDV pointed out this week. But losing both won't be the end of the world. However, if this team can't come out with the mental fortitude to take charge early against Florida, or against Georgia, how are they going to come out fired up against someone like South Carolina, or Missouri, or Vanderbilt, or Kentucky? As exciting as these early games have been, I'm concerned we lose one of those November games, which would obviously kill just about every goal this team has set for itself.

I keep hearing that there's no way Tennessee can win at Texas A&M, and no way we can beat Alabama. I tend to agree that, given the way this team is playing right now, they can't beat either, because a slow start against either of those teams just might see us get buried. Either of those teams could put a hurting on us to the tune of 42-14 or so if we get started slow. But if this team could put a complete game together, it could beat both of them.

Tonight's game was exciting. But it sure as heck wasn't exciting when we were trailing 17-0 in the first half. Frustrating!

[BanditVol]

Tamu was sluggish against USC jr today, and they typically collapse about this time of year.  Bammer is more vulnerable, IMO, than they have been in years.  They already lacked experience at RB for the first time in the Satan era, but then their best RB went down last week.  That leaves them with (by the Satan standard) sub-par running backs with a QB who, IMO, makes Dobbs look accurate.  Yes, his legs will hurt us a bit, but I think we can take them this year in Neyland.

A big wild card is when Kirkland and JRM can come back.  Hope it's sooner rather than later.

If we didn't have all the injuries on D, I'd actually be confident about the next two games.  As it is, I have faith we can at least split them.

Just win....

[VinnieVOL]

I look at it differently, I think these first few weeks have been a great learning experience for the team.  They're building so much confidence.  I know it's coachspeak but the resiliency of these guys has been just amazing.  I think we get one of the next two.

This team is special.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I guess everyone has given up trying to figure out the slow starts. We can't continue to live this way. It will come crashing down -- probably the next two weeks. What worries me, though, is this: We can survive losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. I want to beat one of them if for no reason other than the one BDV pointed out this week. But losing both won't be the end of the world. However, if this team can't come out with the mental fortitude to take charge early against Florida, or against Georgia, how are they going to come out fired up against someone like South Carolina, or Missouri, or Vanderbilt, or Kentucky? As exciting as these early games have been, I'm concerned we lose one of those November games, which would obviously kill just about every goal this team has set for itself.

I keep hearing that there's no way Tennessee can win at Texas A&M, and no way we can beat Alabama. I tend to agree that, given the way this team is playing right now, they can't beat either, because a slow start against either of those teams just might see us get buried. Either of those teams could put a hurting on us to the tune of 42-14 or so if we get started slow. But if this team could put a complete game together, it could beat both of them.

Tonight's game was exciting. But it sure as heck wasn't exciting when we were trailing 17-0 in the first half. Frustrating!

I dunno.  I've given up on trying to figure how this team keeps getting off to slow starts, and at this point I'm just enjoying the ride.  Even today, at no point did I think we'd lose- until UGA scored their last TD.  And even then, I was like, "we've got the best return man in America, we've still got a chance".  I didn't expect a Hail Mary TD, but I probably should have. Given what we have seen this season, you can't doubt them now until the clock hits zero.  

I don't expect the win either of the next two, which should make them even more enjoyable to watch.  I expected to win today, and it was stressful.  There will be no such stress the next two weeks.  But even so, I won't be at all surprised if we pull some more magic out of our ass.  It seems to be this team's identity.  

[BanditVol]

The starts have definitely been slow, but the last two weeks have been different IMO.  Against VaTech early, about half the Ohio game and almost the entire Appy State game, I felt we (unexplainedly) struggled to move the ball. 

The last two weeks, against talented SEC defenses (and one that was described as the country's best prior to playing us  ), we moved the ball well enough in the first half, but just didn't capitalize.  This was particularly true against UF.  In four red zone visits spanning the first half and early third quarter, we had two ints, a to on downs, and a FG.  Today Jalen blew an easy TD and another time we moved out of FG position by allowing a big sack on Dobbs.  Kamara may have stopped another likely FG (or more) with his fumble was well.

What changed int he second half is that we defintely executed better but also made fewer mistakes. 

I definitiely see improvement in the last two games from earlier in the season, even though they were still "slow starts".

Against our next two opponents, I am not concerned we won't move the ball, but we have to capitalize on early scoring ops better than we have.