Oklahoma 42, Baylor 34: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
OU should have put Baylor away early, but a combo of missed passes and missed tackles allowed the Bears back in the game.
There are some real concerns on defense (especially run defense versus Oklahoma State), and the offense is executing but not dominating.
The Good
*The wide receivers are simply making some great plays for Landry Jones, and he's finding them for key third downs to move the chains. The catch of the day was Justin Brown right before half time. But there were excellent plays by Sterling Shepard, Jalen Saunders and Kenny Stills. That quartet is primed for a huge game next weekend against the swiss cheese-like West Virginia secondary.
*The running back corps – Brennan Clay had a nice game looking again like his high school self. Then, Damian Williams came back in and looked more like his previous self. Add in some nice pass receptions by Clay/Williams/Trey Millard and the excellent special teams plays of Clay and Roy Finch, and the RB corps is a
real asset.
*The return of Patrick O'Hara and his touchbacks are very much appreciated.
*The pass defense overall was in the right place. Baylor WRs were not running free 30 yards behind coverage all night. After last year, that is certainly good.
*A glimpse of our future offense? Was Blake Bell running for 50 yards a preview of our future offense? Defenses are spread out and so focused on our RBs/passing game that a zone read lane opens up like the blocking for Bell?
*Again, the Sooners did a good job covering an onside kick and not creating any late game drama.
The Bad
*This is the fourth game where OU has not forced a turnover in the first three quarters to extend a lead or capture momentum. The DBs are in right place, but just not making plays on the ball or just dropping interceptions – early in the game, OU almost had two or three pick-six, jump-the-route INTs). OU's not stripping the ball or forcing any fumbles. OU cannot continue to lose the turnover battle and win games.
*OU's season-long problems stopping the run out of shotgun/zone-read spread looks almost cost them the game. If Baylor had a functional defense, the Bears' run game success in the second quarter onwards could have really hurt OU. OU's defensive ends and defensive tackles are not getting any penetration, and the LBs are not making tackles.
The Ugly
*Tom Wort's horrible missed tackle in the first half on what should have been a 5-yard loss that put Baylor in 2nd-and-very long turned into a first down and Baylor driving the field, where Wort would blow another tackle on Nick Florence's scramble. That missed tackle was a huge momentum swing.
*Jones' pick into double coverage was bad. He cannot keep making rookie QB throws like this when other receivers are wide open. The back-to-back turnovers could have been deadly.
*Durron Neal's drop killed a drive for OU when the Sooners appeared ready to go up 21-3 and put Baylor away.