Playoff Hopes

[EQguy]

Re: Playoff Hopes

The playoffs effectively start this weekend for the Jacks . . . win and keep playing, lose and (probably) hang it up after the Bison game.

good to hear from you again filbert. I was just wondering where you had disappeared to.

[FargoBison]

Re: Playoff Hopes

I don't think it depends on Mertens alone. We're better on defense and have an equal, al biet different running game. I've seen our team play well and play poorly, if we play well or even reasonably well, we will beat NDSU in Fargo.

Better on defense? Says the fan of the team that gave up 40 points four times this season. I'll admit our QB is bad and our running games probably are a wash, but our defense continues to get better each week. They are only allowing 251 yards and 17.7 points per game and that is pretty good considering our offense doesn't give them a whole lot of help.

[BTownJack]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Better on defense? Says the fan of the team that gave up 40 points four times this season. I'll admit our QB is bad and our running games probably are a wash, but our defense continues to get better each week. They are only allowing 251 yards and 17.7 points per game and that is pretty good considering our offense doesn't give them a whole lot of help.

Discussing our defenses is a good argument. Our D has looked horrible at times this year, especially against good teams. But they were awesome at the beginning of the year when we picked up big wins against WIU and YSU. And I felt like they held their own at Iowa State considering they were on the field the whole game. Then these past few weeks they've also looked pretty good but our opponents were not very good either.

I can't say much about the Bison defense as I don't know much about them, but looking at the season stats from the MVC shows the Bison D is beating us in almost all statistical categories. And the ones they are beat us in, they are beating us by alot. Check them out here.

[FargoBison]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Discussing our defenses is a good argument. Our D has looked horrible at times this year, especially against good teams. But they were awesome at the beginning of the year when we picked up big wins against WIU and YSU. And I felt like they held their own at Iowa State considering they were on the field the whole game. Then these past few weeks they've also looked pretty good but our opponents were not very good either.

I can't say much about the Bison defense as I don't know much about them, but looking at the season stats from the MVC shows the Bison D is beating us in almost all statistical categories. And the ones they are beat us in, they are beating us by alot. Check them out here.

Our D had a lot of injuries early on, but the unit is finally healthy and has played about as good as they can since the end of the 1st half of the UNI game. Our strength is the secondary, no team has really passed the ball effectively against us and Ramon Humber at LB is just a terror.

I looked at some of your results and your defense perplexes me, they either seem hot or cold. SIU should be a good test at to where you guys are, they are very athletic and have great running back. Lennon's offensive scheme is a pretty similar to what he did up at UND though so it shouldn't be unfamiliar territory for Stig

[Jacks-02]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Our D had a lot of injuries early on, but the unit is finally healthy and has played about as good as they can since the end of the 1st half of the UNI game. Our strength is the secondary, no team has really passed the ball effectively against us and Ramon Humber at LB is just a terror.

I looked at some of your results and your defense perplexes me, they either seem hot or cold. SIU should be a good test at to where you guys are, they are very athletic and have great running back. Lennon's offensive scheme is a pretty similar to what he did up at UND though so it shouldn't be unfamiliar territory for Stig

Our defense was really banged up from the second half of the Western Illinois game until the Indiana State game. Also, I don't know if you guys have played against any offenses like McNeese St., Cal Poly, or Stephen F. Austin. Those tougher offenses unfortunately came when we were short some starters on defense.

Against similar opponents we've given up more points against a couple (Illinois State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa) and you have against others (Youngstown State, Western Illinois).

Anyways, I think we both have pretty solid defenses when healthy and it looks like both of our teams are getting healthier as the season comes to and end. Should be another great game up in Fargo and nothing would be sweeter for us than to break that 45 year losing streak by earning a playoff bid on your field

[jackmd]

Re: Playoff Hopes

I'll take our D head-to-head with any in the MVC right now. We played without our All-American D-lineman and 2 starters in the backfield during the middle of the season when teams scored points. The McNeese game was 24-24 at the end of regulation. The SFA game included special teams scores and the Iowa State game included 6 turnovers by our offense. The Cal-Poly game just plain sucked, we played without any heart or confidence.

In short, I'll take our defense. You're right, we probably aren't better but I'd say we're pretty close to equal.

[JackFan96]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Not to look ahead or anything, but...ANY word on extra tickets in Fargo? Will any be sold before the game? Anyone? Anyone?

[propar80]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Not to look ahead or anything, but...ANY word on extra tickets in Fargo? Will any be sold before the game? Anyone? Anyone?

Don't feel bad about looking ahead and asking about Tickets to the Dakota Marker Game!

Really, there should be just as many folks asking about tickets for this game whether SDSU wins in Carbondale or not! It's to retain the Marker and get a win in Fargo, which hasn't happened in a lot of our lifetimes!!

Go Jacks!!

[FargoBison]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Not to look ahead or anything, but...ANY word on extra tickets in Fargo? Will any be sold before the game? Anyone? Anyone?

You can try calling the Fargodome on Monday, they sometimes release a few tickets on the Monday before gameday.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Don't feel bad about looking ahead and asking about Tickets to the Dakota Marker Game!

Really, there should be just as many folks asking about tickets for this game whether SDSU wins in Carbondale or not! It's to retain the Marker and get a win in Fargo, which hasn't happened in a lot of our lifetimes!!

Go Jacks!!

That's no joke. I was -15 the last time we won there!

[mango4]

Re: Playoff Hopes

That's no joke. I was -15 the last time we won there!

Got you beat i was -23

[Just in the crowd]

Re: Playoff Hopes

I'll take our D head-to-head with any in the MVC right now. We played without our All-American D-lineman and 2 starters in the backfield during the middle of the season when teams scored points. The McNeese game was 24-24 at the end of regulation. The SFA game included special teams scores and the Iowa State game included 6 turnovers by our offense. The Cal-Poly game just plain sucked, we played without any heart or confidence.

In short, I'll take our defense. You're right, we probably aren't better but I'd say we're pretty close to equal.

Just to keep things posted:

Scoring Defense: 5th
Pass Defense: 8th
Rushing Defense: 4th
Total Defense: 5th

[Jacks99]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Would you trade this season if you had to replace the McNeese St. and Cal Poly games with two low to mid teams such as UNC and SUU knowing that they are likely wins putting the Jacks into the playoffs with a win this week?

I like seeing the tough schedule, but doesn't it seem like our opponents are always have a great year? I'm not sure I would change it though. You can't ensure a win on any given day and if we can't knock off at least 1 top 10 team with 4 chances, would we really have a chance to go far in the playoffs?

I think it will make this team hungry and if we win this week will be yet another decent step up the ladder.

[rjacks21]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Would you trade this season if you had to replace the McNeese St. and Cal Poly games with two low to mid teams such as UNC and SUU knowing that they are likely wins putting the Jacks into the playoffs with a win this week?

I like seeing the tough schedule, but doesn't it seem like our opponents are always have a great year? I'm not sure I would change it though. You can't ensure a win on any given day and if we can't knock off at least 1 top 10 team with 4 chances, would we really have a chance to go far in the playoffs?

I think it will make this team hungry and if we win this week will be yet another decent step up the ladder.

I would probably trade at least one of those games if it meant getting into the playoffs. It's tough to think about the season being over after this Saturday.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Playoff Hopes

Would you trade this season if you had to replace the McNeese St. and Cal Poly games with two low to mid teams such as UNC and SUU knowing that they are likely wins putting the Jacks into the playoffs with a win this week?

I like seeing the tough schedule, but doesn't it seem like our opponents are always have a great year? I'm not sure I would change it though. You can't ensure a win on any given day and if we can't knock off at least 1 top 10 team with 4 chances, would we really have a chance to go far in the playoffs?

I think it will make this team hungry and if we win this week will be yet another decent step up the ladder.

I wish you hadn't brought that up. Prior to your post the thought had never actually crossed my head aside from the occasional thought about how hard our schedule was. I will say that I think our team is only as good as it is, in part, because of our schedule. Having to be mentally crisp every game leads to a team that rarely falls into mental lapses. Aside from this year's game against Cal Poly where it looked like the team was running half speed, I'd say there isn't one game we've played this season where the team didn't give it their full effort. Some of our losses are disheartening, to say the least, but at least we can look back with an amount of pride to those losses. I would have much rather watched last week's amazing game (and kick in the fellas loss) than watch us beat up on Northern. It's like being a member of the SEC or Big 12 in FBS. They have to play their best every week or they won't win.

All of that doesn't mean I won't now have another "what if" to add to the list on this year's season. Win against the Bison and all will be good.