Rutgers @ Michigan, Saturday, November 7th, 3:30 EST, BTN/Btn2GO.

[Jeff Buchanan]

M's issue in this game is going to be shoring up the scheme, S and LB issues that were exposed v. the Gophers. If that asshattery, all of it embarrassingly on video, continues against Rutgers, the probability of loosing the next three games goes up exponentially.

Ross was jobbed when Durkin tried to play him as the WDE in place of the unexplained absence of RJS...... very strange.

Peppers and Hill were flanked outside Morgan and Bolden. This was a new look and Hill was unmercifully exploited by an OC who found a weakness. Not sure if this is just on Hill or the new scheme Durkin rolled out.

Morgan inexplicably had his worst game this season and Bolden was Bolden.

Stribling played OK until he got juked by a double move that nearly cost M the game.

The entire defensive effort was just weird given their history to date and when combined with the fluke plays that Minny chalked up as successes, M ended up with a very fortunate win.

This game was a great example of how a team can play decent defense but give up a handful of key plays at inopportune moments setting up a potential loss with the win being rescued from the certain jaws of defeat by an equally inopportune set of circumstances experienced by the opponent.

[WM Wolverine]

Rutgers doesn't have talent level to take advantage of those issues of course I didn't think Minnesota did either. I don't think M is near as bad defensively as they played vs Minnesota...

I rewatched the Minnesota game and I saw about 5-6 plays by Minnesota that M's defense made a major mistake (Hill, Wilson, Morgan mostly) that led to a big gain (or critical 3rd down conversion) that nearly never happened till this game. I also saw Leidner convert about 3-4 difficult passes that he had to throw a perfect pass to fit it in that I wouldn't expect out of him. M also should've had about two easy interceptions, one of course being Peppers potential pick-6.

[hack]

The defense has a weak spot or two. No doubt! But I think WM is right. Rutgers can gameplan all they want but isn't likely to capitalize, and Minnesota, despite having the right tactics, needed several lucky bounces to make it a game.