Tommy was Tommy, Huskers beat Rutgers

            I got all the confirmation I need. Once, an accident, the Miami game, missing the comeback and coming back to watch the pick in overtime. Twice, a coincidence, the Minnesota game, not being able to watch the most complete game of the year. Three times, it's a conspiracy, the Michigan State game, the biggest win in at least five years.

            Hypothesis tested, Rutgers game, a good win against a team that Nebraska should beat. That equals confirmation, in my book. I am going to deliberately avoid watching the Iowa game, for fear of further ruing Nebraska's season.

            I'm sorry it took this long to figure out. I figure I'm worth about a touchdown a game, so, it stands to reason that Nebraska should be 10-1, if I had figured out that I was the source of the bad mojo.

            Sorry, Husker Nation.

            On to more positive things. Huskers get the win, a desperately needed win in order to remain bowl eligible. I don't want to put too much stock into the correlation between the success of the football team, and the overall vibe of the town...bull, this town lives and dies in the success or failure of the football team. Things have been a lot mellower, lately. the fans aren't completely embracing Riley, yet, but they seem to be less apt to spit when you mention his name and ward off the evil eye. It's kind of like the scene in Blazing Saddles, when the old lady brings Bart a pie, but reminds him to have the decency not to mention that she had been there.

            Tommy had a Tommy game. Three touchdowns and three picks. All fourteen of Rutgers' points came from Tommy picks. I have to hand it to Rutgers on their drive that made it 21-14. They got the pick, aggressively attacked with a long pass, then called a special to punch it in.

            Outside of that, there wasn't a lot for the Scarlet Knights, which sounds like a 50's do-wop group, or possibly a fabulously well-dressed crime-fighting team, to cheer about.

            The Blackshirts looked presentable. I know it was just Rutgers, but they have been doing an excellent job of making bad offenses look pretty good, this year. A couple of picks, six sacks, and blowing up a fake punt attempt, are all good bonus points on a performance that made the Rutgers quarterback look really bad.

            The controlled the ground game, only giving up one explosive play and keeping rushing yards to under a hundred. 41 yards lost on sacks help that number, too. Overall, Rutgers had a tough time getting ahead of the chains, which made life more difficult to get a passing game going.

            The secondary did a decent job, only giving up a couple of big plays, maintaining good coverage, which helped to pressure the quarterback, and containing, for the most part, Leonte Caroo. Caroo is a good receiver, he was playing hurt, but he made life miserable for Michigan State, earlier, this year. I don't know who was doing the play-by-play, (which I watched, on Sunday, on BTN To Go, thank you) but he seemed to really enjoy saying 'Leonte Caroo'. Not just when he made the catch, or was the intended receiver, that I understand, but it was almost like every time he caught sight of the kid. It wasn't that he would just say Caroo, either. Every time he mentioned him, it was the full, 'Leonte Caroo'. I can understand it, to some degree. I always enjoyed saying Manu Tuiasosopo, but, when he got a sack, you just say, 'Manuuuuuuuu'. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is another one of the fun names to say, but he's German, and played soccer, so it doesn't really count.

            Back to the 'Skers.

            Tommy started hot, hitting all of his first eight passes. Then he got sloppy, and impatient. Given the situation, and the success the offense had been having, I get why they wanted to put one more in before the half. To go up 28-0 at halftime would have had the proverbial foot on the throat. Two picks in the final 5 minutes is not how you want to do it, Tommy. Yet again, slow it down, just a tad. Oh, and let's quit calling that middle screen, shall we?

            How about Cethan Carter? I've been waiting for him to emerge. Made four catches, including a TD and ran a tight end reverse for a touchdown. I haven't seen a play like that since Keith Jackson, (the freakishly fast tight end from OU, not the pasty, portly announcer) did that to us in the 1985 game.

            Imani Cross looked pretty good. Solid, between the tackles running, with one big play to boost his numbers. He doesn't have breakaway speed, but he's pretty good in traffic, and is probably the best back for a run it right at 'em approach.

            The receivers did their bit. Westy and Zo did what we have grown accustomed to, and Carter made huge contributions, Brandon Reilly got a little dinged up, so we saw more of Lane Hovey, but I have to admit, 14 catches on 21 attempts means that the running game is working and the services of the receivers isn't quite as critical. To really break it down, of the 14 catches, four were by the tight end, and two by the running back. Eight catches for the receivers, but not horrible, considering the grind out the clock nature of the offense when you're up 17 in the fourth quarter.

            I kind of like it when Tommy has under 25 attempts. It means that things have gone well.

            We have a week off, now, to get healthy, get a little extra practice in, and watch lots of game film of Iowa. I want Iowa to beat Purdue, but I want Purdue to at least take them into the fourth quarter. I want Iowa to roll into town undefeated, with 'Hawkeyes' penciled in to one of the playoff slots. I want to be the ones that completely ruin their season.