Game Thread: Northwestern vs. Illinois

[AdamOnFirst]

We're bowl eligible. Like playing with House Money.

Not house money at all. The opportunity to finish 5-4 in the Big Ten and knock Illinois below 500 is huge!

 

[AdamOnFirst]

What a pick play haha.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Competent QB play is fun.

 

[NUFan0207]

Imagine what this team would have been if Bryant had been healthy all year. I’d give us a good chance to flip the results against both Iowa and Nebraska.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

What a pick play haha.

Second try’s the charm?

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

Bryant looks cool as a cucumber

 

[TheC]

Nice little 89 yard drive there!

 

[kaTNap]

Competent QB play is fun.

We need to start growing these "competent QB" guys at home again!

 

[NUCat320]

What a great drive.

So far:
17-22, 179 for Bryant.
7-124 for Johnson.

 

[corbi2961]

I think a key turning point for the season was the decision to insert Josh Thompson in the starting lineup at RT. The OL play has progressively gotten better since then and really been the catalyst for the improved offensive results.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

I think a key turning point for the season was the decision to insert Josh Thompson in the starting lineup at RT. The OL play has progressively gotten better since then and really been the catalyst for the improved offensive results.

Also helps that the defensive fronts we’ve faced have decreased in difficulty (save for Newton today, at least individually).

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

Crap. Can we get a stop?

 

[TheC]

Maybe we should cover their best playr

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Maybe we should cover their best playr

If a team is gonna throw 5-yard hitches all day, then they’re probably going to hit most of them. Rallying and tackling is the key.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Crap. Can we get a stop?

Yes.

 

[NUCat320]

Crap. Can we get a stop?

Yes. Four scores for NU, five for Illinois today. But three Illinois kicks.

We allllllll goooooood.

 

[Fanaticat98]

Yes. Four scores for NU, five for Illinois today. But three Illinois kicks.

We allllllll goooooood.

We are not really built for a shootout. O needs to keep executing and D needs STOPS like in their territory.

 

[TerraCat]

Why does Jake start every drive with a dive left? Looking forward to some creativity next year. Though today's game has been somewhat creative. Let's keep moving the ball, and keep scoring! Go Cats!

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Why does Jake start every drive with a dive left? Looking forward to some creativity next year. Though today's game has been somewhat creative. Let's keep moving the ball, and keep scoring! Go Cats!

Because Priebe is probably our best offensive lineman.

 

[NUCat320]

We are not really built for a shootout. O needs to keep executing and D needs STOPS like in their territory.

Agreed, though this has been NU’s best offensive performance of the season. Let Benny cook.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

How he miss that short? Very weird kick.

 

[TheC]

Again... do our kickers lift weights?

 

[Fanaticat98]

That is a killer. We can’t come up empty on drives.

 

[corbi2961]

How he miss that short? Very weird kick.

He didn’t hit it clean. Hit it high above the sweet spot.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Again... do our kickers lift weights?

Lifting doesn’t really impact kickers the same way as other positions.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

We are not really built for a shootout. O needs to keep executing and D needs STOPS like in their territory.

So you’re saying we need to try to score points while preventing them from scoring points in turn?

 

[AdamOnFirst]

He didn’t hit it clean.

Obviously, but a very weird trajectory and velocity combo. Dead straight, low, and slow. Weird.

 

[SadCat_rivals518182]

Dumb to go for such a ridiculously long FG. He almost got it there, though.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Dumb to go for such a ridiculously long FG. He almost got it there, though.

A 45 yarder?

 

[corbi2961]

Dumb to go for such a ridiculously long FG. He almost got it there, though.

45 yards is not a long kick.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Dumb to go for such a ridiculously long FG. He almost got it there, though.

45 yards is not a “ridiculously long FG.”

 

[SadCat_rivals518182]

45 yards is not a long kick.

For us it is.

 

[NUCat320]

Dumb to go for such a ridiculously long FG. He almost got it there, though.

A 45 yarder?

To be fair, we’ve been trained to think a 45-yarder is insurmountable. I wouldn’t have minded a fourth down run, but I understand the kick decision.

Not a great start to this defensive drive…

 

[corbi2961]

A turnover would be ideal here.

 

[phatcat_rivals223240]

Feels like we only stop them when they stop themselves

 

[corbi2961]

For us it is.

Have you watched Olsen kick this year?

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

For us it is.

No. Olsen’s long this year is 47.

 

[SadCat_rivals518182]

45 yards is not a “ridiculously long FG.”

It is if it is beyond the range of your kicker. In the NFL it is a chip shot. For Northwestern it is ridiculously long.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Both secondaries are really struggling

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

It is if it is beyond the range of your kicker. In the NFL it is a chip shot. For Northwestern it is ridiculously long.

…except it isn’t beyond his range…