Originally Posted by
NoDak
And every single "what if" changes the whole template of the game. I usually say, "OK, I'll give you all those catches...and NDSU wins 38-20" because, afterall, if you can pick and choose a couple things to change--all of which benefit your team--then I get to change the same number of things. There were lots of plays that 'should have' been huge gains, and probably touch downs if only JMU didn't get 'lucky' and tackle. Afterall, it was just 'luck' that they happened to have a guy in position to cover the gap that they were responsible for."
When it comes down to it I am becoming convinced that it was, at least in some instances, a "timing thing." If it was "NDSU just got lucky" then 1 receiver having an off day would be believeable. But multiple receivers having drops? Were the passes poorly thrown? Maybe. Or, even if they were "on target" if the receiver was used to catching the ball 4 steps after he had made his break and, suddenly it was there after only 1 step it can be hard to adjust. And I remember a time where Antonio Brown dropped a pass that hit him chest high and in the hands. The broadcasters were mystified, until one of them, a former QB or receiver (don't remember which), pointed out that the QB was Michael Vick, not Roethlisberger so the ball was spinning the opposite direction (Vick throws with his left hand). Just that little change can throw off an athlete like Antonio Brown. How much more can something like a throw coming in at an unexpected time it throw off a receiver in college?
I can also see how frustration would start to set in and the players try to "do too much" and that lead to drops. And, also, knowing that yards and first downs are hard to come by, thinking about YAC and dropping the ball. But those are not "NDSU got lucky." They aren't "JMU played badly." I keep coming back to the statement made by a JMU player after the game, "They made fewer mistakes than we did."