Deja Vu...Almost

So here we are, watching another game agaisnt a team from the state of Michigan in which Notre Dame should have been up by a lot more than they were early. So I think to myself, man this is starting to look like last week...and last year...the last two years...the last decade plus. Why does it seem that once again we are going to lose a game we should have won by halftime?

I was hoping that a week after losing a game they would come out fired up, and thinking that was a fluke with our talent, and we should roll. Well it did start that way, the problem is it didn't stay like that. No, instead our defense plays awful again and we get into another tight game.

So how many Notre Dame fans weren't thinking that going into that final drive, with Notre Dame once again winning in the closing seconds, that a team from the awful state of Michigan was going to send each of them crying to an early night? I know the thought unfortunately crossed my mind. Finally though, after waiting for three weeks now dating back to the Nevada game, the defense makes a game changing play (And yes I am ignoring the interception in the 4th quarter of last week's game because that was more a mistake by Forcier than a play by ND).
So finally we were able to breathe easy, but come on Charlie, really?

The final drive, and the apparent ineptitude of Notre Dame ever playing defense again were not the only consitencies from this game. That old injury bug is seeming to sprout its ugly head again.

What is the one thing that could stop this Notre Dame offense? At this point, injuries might truly be the only thing that could stop it. They have averaged 34 points a game so far this year, and it could be higher given the defense ever stopped someone, and some calls this way or that were not so abominable. Well start with all the negative talk because the offense is injured.

Michael Floyd may be the best wide reciever in the country, it is up for debate. But there is one distinction he probably has to himself. He is probably the best reciever in the country that is injured...for the season. The early All-American candidate broke his clavicle, collarbone, whichever term you want to use. This has made two injuries in two years that have kept Floyd out a considerable amount of time. Will he be back this year come bowl season (assuming there is a bowl season for ND), that remains to be seen. At this point he could have a medical redshirt, but would he really be coming back to ND for three more seasons following this one? Would have even come back for two more seasons following this one? Whatever the answers to the future are, the present looks much more bleak because of it.

Floyd thus far had been unstoppable, and that made the Irish offense practically unstoppable. Now the offense has a different direction to take, with Golden Tate destined to see more double teams, and the run possibly loaded up on despite Armando Allen's rapid improvement, the offense suddenly has a lot of questions for itself.

Oh and don't forget about that guy who is getting them the ball, Jimmy Clausen. Yeah Deja Vu may be paying him a visit as well. In his Junior year Clausen was stunted by an injury to his arm, and now it appears his foot will be giving him and the ND offense problems. The hobbling Mr. Clausen was able to finish the game and lead the team to a win with 300 yards again, but it is something that is not encouraging for fans. Though Dayne Crist is a highly thought of player, Clausen going down would spell trouble for the season.

It just seems that whenever you start to feel good something happens. You let a team stay in it, your defense makes no improvements, there are injuries that make you rethink your team's abilities. I guess it feels like Deja Vu, but I guess it is called being a Notre Dame football fan...