Having concentrated on putting up numbers lately, I thought it was time to maybe draw some conclusions. Most would agree that other than Boise State our competition so far has been very, very, weak. But, other than BSU, we have beaten the teams we have played. That makes us able to logically say that we may be weak, but we aren't as weak as them, ergo we are better. Stop and think about that. We are better. It has been awhile since we could utter those words. There is so much that involves but not now.
So, right now we can say we are actually better and we are better than some teams, there is the immediate future, Saturday's game with Southern Miss and then the season beyond that. Unfortunately, Southern Miss is another team that won't help prove much about how good or bad the Miners are if they win the game. It will simply be another bad team beaten. If the Miners were to lose it would be the crumbling of the fa?ade the Miners presented until tested by even the weakest of competition. Guess what, that makes this game a must win game for the Miners! Traveling east and playing away with the added pressure of being the slight favorite, while the Golden Eagles and their fans are starving for a feast of a humbling defeat of the Miners will be a serious test for the men from El Paso. We all know how it has gone when we travel east. To play anyone. There is a lot on the line in this game. Just to keep our hard fought but perhaps fragile gains. If ever the team needed a win, it is now. Go Miners!
Another thing we know is that while Hardison may not have the highest completion percentage, he is putting up the yards in games and in big chunks. Of course I must state the damned disclaimer, our level of competition we have played...blah, blah, blah.
So far. OK? So after 5 games I think it is time to look at the way the passing game is going. There are a couple of factors that contribute to this. Cowing is one. He is a football player who plays receiver. He is getting behind defenders, he catches anything close, and gets yards after he catches the ball. Hardison has the arm to reach him and is getting the time to allow Cowing to get behind and some distance on the defender. Herein lies the key and sonofabitch if it isn't the insanely, forehead bruising running game. It is the fact that defences know that we are going to be stupid and run it again that sucks them in while Cowing goes by. And the minute they don't overload the box we have the running backs and run blocking line that loves it and rips you for chunks of turf on the ground and bruising your defensive players in the process. I grew up watching the Raiders do this. It is fun to watch.
So, the only question about the future is will the Miners be able to do this against tougher competition. Time will tell. But, we won't have to wait long to get an answer if the Miners are pretenders. Personally, I think I have already seen that these guy are going to show the Southern Miss guys that it is them that are fragile! That is going to turn the tables on them and shock them. The thing is, when the Miners are kicking ass it looks like nothing is happening. About the only movement is the time coming off of the clock. That's when the game is going just right. Sometimes the bomb is needed to allow you to go back to pushing the ball another few yards up the field and more importantly using up more time. A Miners rout in their style of play is when they win by ten to 14 points. Those ten to 14 points represent a bunch of extra minutes you didn't really get to play, if you were behind and on defense! Like Chinese Water Torture. Three backs and then the damned quarterback comes in and runs, too. Grinds. On a defense's nerves.
I think the Miners are spoiling for a fight. I think they figure this one is going to be fun. Some of you may have never hit someone in the face with a punch that came all the way from your feet through your legs and body and out to the end of your fist. There is no other feeling like it on Earth. Civilized people keep it harnessed for use only in emergencies. But football isn't civilized. I think our guys have felt it and are ready to get some more of that, and a touch of revenge is icing on the cake.
