DUCKS: Deflation and Closure

The past two weeks have been painful as a Duck fan. Dixon’s injury and the subsequent monumental fall-apart has been difficult to be a part of. The team has been running an offense built for specific skilled players. When enough of those skilled players (and particularly the most crucial one) get injured, the offense becomes impotent and even detrimental to the remaining team members. They were held scoreless this week against a UCLA team that is really not very good. When UCLA finally scored a touchdown during the last few minutes of the game, I regrettably cheered that I was able to see an actual touchdown that day. The UO goose egg, in some strange way, allows me to have some closure. They simply are not the same team without Dennis. Unfortunately, Brady Leaf, who I really believe could have led the team to the Rose Bowl anyway, gets both ankles injured in as many games. Ouch, in so many more ways than one.

So, now we’re left to predict the Civil War game. With both teams as banged up as they are, we’ll be lucky to see a touchdown from either offense. I still have to believe there’s some heart left in the Oregon tank. All things considered and knowing it’s going to be a defensive battle, I say Oregon 14, OSU 10.