How Alabama’s failure to play team football cost Tide vs. Tennessee

The Alabama football offense had ample opportunities in the first half against Tennessee.

The Crimson Tide defense made sure of it.

Malachi Moore forced a fumble and grabbed an interception and Jaylen Mbakwe added another pickoff as the Alabama defense turned in three takeaways before halftime.

Yet the Crimson Tide didn‘t emerge with a single point from any of the takeaways. Alabama only held a 7-0 lead at the break. The defense had done its job, but the offense couldn’t deliver.

An inability to play team football ended up costing Alabama in the second half, too. As a result, No. 7 Alabama fell to No. 11 Tennessee 24-17 on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

“We just can’t mesh right now the offense and defense together and play great team football,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “There’s times when we got to be able to separate ourselves and have that killer instinct. And right now, you know, we don’t do that. And it’s not like they’re not trying. It’s just the execution needs to be better.”

The execution wasn‘t there late either for the Crimson Tide (5-2, 2-2 SEC). The Tennessee offense starting getting the better of the Alabama defense in the second half, scoring a touchdown on three of seven drives (not counting a kneel down at the end) as well as a field goal.

But the Crimson Tide defense stepped up late to force a punt and a field goal on separate fourth-quarter drives in the final minutes. Each one gave Alabama’s offense a chance to go score and either take the lead or tie the score after the field goal.

The Alabama offense couldn‘t take advantage of either, though. Down four with about two minutes to go, the Crimson Tide couldn’t get the first down. It found itself in fourth-and-22 after a personal foul call on Kendrick Law.

Then Tennessee kicked a field goal to take a 24-17 lead, but Alabama still received one more chance with 1:30 to go.

The first play, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw an interception. Game over.

In the loss to Vanderbilt, the Alabama defense couldn‘t get stops when the Alabama offense made plays. Then in the loss to Tennessee, the Alabama offense couldn’t make plays when the defense got stops.

“We just can’t play team football,” DeBoer said. “Can’t bring it together. One side of the ball has highlighted moments and the other side stumbles.”