It's Time To Play "Rank That Turnover!" (In Other Words, Which One Was The Worst?)
by Jon Johnston on Oct 26, 2009 1:11 PM CDT
in Football
7 comments
It's the Monday after your favorite team tied a school record for turnovers and set another one for turnover margin. The only thing you can do today is stare at your monitor and try to remember all the stupid crap you said and did because you started drinking too much after the three turnovers in the first half. Then you spent Sunday secretly enjoying the fact that the Minnesota Vikings lost because you wanted other people to experience pain. Now you're at work and everyone is depressed, looking for answers.
Vikings fans have an easy solution. Blame Brett Favre. Husker fans - not so much. There are too many options.
Well, here at CN, we understand your pain. In an effort to assist, we've decided to run a poll that will allow you to pick the absolute worst of all of the turnovers in Saturday's game. That way you won't have to think about all of them, just the one that Husker fans collectively pick.
Then we can blame that play for being the one that ultimately lost the game for us.
For a refresher, here's the list of Nebraska turnovers:
- Roy Helu's fumble on Nebraska's first offensive play of the game
- ISU's James Smith stripped a pass from Mike McNeill, then Helu tried to get it and knocked it up in the air just enough for ISU's David Sims to intercept it.
- Niles Paul dropping the ball after doing a great job tip-toeing the sideline, a play which looked like a sure touchdown until Paul got shoe-string tripped and dropped the ball into the end zone for a touchback.
- Helu's second fumble near the Iowa State goal line in the second half.
- Dontrayevous "Tray" Robinson's fumble at the five while fighting for extra yardage.
- Menelik Holt's fumble after a pass reception
- Zac Lee intercepted after throwing high and behind Curenski Gilleylen, who got two hands on it but ultimately tipped it to an ISU defender.
- Zac Lee's interception on a bad pass with less than two minutes left in the game.
You are only allowed to vote for one turnover. Please explain your choice in the comments section.
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There’s only one turnover that obviously would have been the 7 points and the difference in the game. It rhymes with “smiles scrawl”. That one I hated the worst. Easier for me to blame than an injured Helu or the freshman Robinson.
by davereid on Oct 26, 2009 1:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I was torn
between the Niles Paul fumble and Helu’s second fumble. I think what made Niles’ the worst for me was the shock factor of, “really? that just happened?”
Of course, there were others with the shock factor as well (interception bounces off like 4 players), but the complete swing from touchdown(!!!) to touchback(??? @#%$!!!) numbed me for the rest of the afternoon.
by Husker_in_KC on Oct 26, 2009 1:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
this game should've been in the bag
long before Lee threw that last pick. And that is not an apology for that last pick…just an observation.
Niles Paul, I humbly think, should’ve either stepped up and made some magic happen by not losing that ball or should’ve stepped out of bounds on the sideline…I realize that’s a fairly ridiculous two pronged ultimatum, but the guy’s supposed to be “the guy” AND I’ve seen him step up and show flashes of being “the guy” (Mizzou!), I believe he can do it and that guy had 2 chances to save the collective ass of the offense on that one play…AND no one was there stripping the ball as in so many of the others…NOT that that’s an excuse, ’cause anyone who has the ball should assume that the other guys want to strip it and should wrap up accordingly.
I would trade half our receiving corps speed for one smart route running true “hands” guy.
by Nebrascal on Oct 26, 2009 1:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Niles Paul, running away (so to speak)
I won’t bag on Helu, he’s been injured and probably shouldn’t have been playing.
I won’t bag on Robinson, he had at least 3 guys trying to rip that ball from him.
I don’t think you have to specify that Lee threw high and behind Gilleylen, as I’m beginning to think that’s his default throwing position.
But Paul…PAUL! I wouldn’t be surprised if every defender the rest of the year tries shoestring tackles on him, as apparently touching his feet causes a loss of feeling in his hands. At least the others had defenders stripping or putting a hat on the ball. Paul just…dropped it. For no apparent reason!
by Wolvie on Oct 26, 2009 3:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Niles Paul
I was screaming at my TV that Leonard Johnson got beat so bad on that play. I honestly thought he had no chance of touching him when he dove.
That play went from (in my perspective) “Oh no! That’s it!” to “I can’t believe that happened, maybe the Cyclones can win this”.
After watching the replay over and over, I see why it happened though: he lost his balance and tried to recover. In retrospect you may say “just put two hands on it and fall down”, but if he had made it, high stepping his way to the end zone, it’d be a highlight reel play that would be played on Sportscenter and whatever else.
It was the worst in terms of the effect/morale on the game, which is why I voted for it, but it’s also faulting a kid for trying to make a big play when the offense needed it.
I think the most inexcusable one was a tie between Helu’s fumbles. Neither time was it fighting for crazy amounts of yardage: he either didn’t have his head in the game (which is on him), or he was too injured to play (which is on the staff).
by Mark Kieffer on Oct 26, 2009 4:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'd have to agree
with the bit about Helu. He discounts the injury part, though, and doesn’t say much other than it was his fault.
And Paul. Man….. trying to make a play and that happens. What a horrific turn of events. He’s getting skewered pretty good, and I doubt you’ll see him drop much on the depth chart because we already have a problem in finding playmakers.
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by Jon Johnston on Oct 26, 2009 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Niles Paul because
his was a lack of focus. Play the whole play through. He let up, maybe not running, but he let up when protecting the ball. Helu probably isn’t 100 percent and the the other going into the endzone was at least an extra effort play. Eight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still can’t wrap my mind around that many turnovers in a game. They have to be embarrassed. I bet they are glad to be going on the road this week.
by Huzkerfan on Oct 26, 2009 7:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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