Jumbo Package: Tide still #1 after lackluster performance

Happy Monday, everyone. Following the Tide’s 45-23 win over Texas A&M on Saturday, Nick Saban asked reporters to look for the things the team didn’t do well and boy, did they ever. The harrowing recaps:

Alabama is No. 107 (of 130 FBS teams) in terms of penalty yardage. It averages 72 yards a game after getting flagged nine times for 82 yards Saturday against Texas A&M. That included two illegal blocks on punt returns, a few holding calls on the offensive line and a delay of game to open a possession.

In four games, Alabama penalties directly led to nine first downs for opponents -- two against the Aggies and both on scoring drives. A touchdown came off the board in the opener because of an illegal block on a punt return on a night the Tide was flagged 10 times for 111 yards.

The Aggies limited Alabama to its lowest single-game rushing total since 2014, when the Crimson Tide only mustered 66 yards in a 14-13 win over Arkansas.

Alabama managed to get into the triple digits against Texas A&M, gaining 109 yards, but the rushing attack failed to produce on a regular basis. At halftime, Alabama had just 41 yards on the ground.

The defensive line was disruptive of Aggie quarterback Kellen Mond’s entire afternoon. But there were occasions where Mond slipped loose and gained big yardage. There were times when Alabama’s offense sputtered. That included the final 20 minutes — Jalen Hurts didn’t look great, although he also had to deal with the restricted playbook that is the lot of the backup quarterback.

Sure, the passing game was nigh unstoppable again, but did you know that they missed covering the spread by more than 20%? This team commits too many penalties, they can’t run the ball consistently, and can’t tackle a running QB. Add to that the lack of depth on the roster that had every one of us holding our breath when Dylan Moses ran into the wall, and you start to question the sanity of those who keep voting them number one.

Here’s the latest #OutworkYesterday videos for those who want to see the few things that actually went well.

Moving on to ULL...

The Crimson Tide is considered a 49-point favorite over the Ragin’ Cajuns, per VegasInsider.com.

Top-ranked Alabama’s Week 5 home game against Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, Sept. 29, will kick off at 11 a.m. CT and will air on the SEC Network, the conference announced on Monday.

Does that say 49 points? Who made that decision? Bet the house on the Cajuns.

Speaking of point spreads...

Vegas is clearly drunk to make such a flawed team a double digit favorite over literally every other team in the country.

That good enough, Coach?

At least some of the alumni played well this weekend.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley became the fifth NFL rookie in the past 18 seasons to catch three touchdown passes in one game on Sunday. The former Alabama standout is first Falcons player to accomplish the feat and the first Atlanta player with three TD receptions in a game since tight end Algee Crumpler in 2006.

Ridley will have everybody rushing to the fantasy football waiver wire this week, and he can dance, too.

Get it, Rid.

Ha Ha and Eddie Jackson are both wanted for larceny...

...while Jonathan Allen owns real estate in the Green Bay backfield.

Running mate Da’Ron Payne got into the act too.

That defensive front is fun to watch. Alabama is taking over the world, y’all.

That’s about it for today. Have a great week.

Roll Tide.