WR threat Alabama football needed emerges vs Texas A&M | Goodbread

The Alabama football team snapped a two-game losing skid on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a 31-20 win against visiting Texas A&M. With the victory, the Crimson Tide remained in the hunt for a College Football Playoff berth as it enters its lone idle date of the season. Here are a few instant thoughts on the Crimson Tide's performance:Talking points on Alabama football1) Alabama WR Rico Scott had a career day against the Aggies, crossing the 100-yard receiving mark by halftime and accounting for much of UA's total offense. UA wide receivers have largely struggled to get open since Ryan Coleman-Williams was injured, especially in a Week 7 loss to Tennessee. Scott had the look of a go-to option for QB Keelon Russell on Saturday, however, and it came not a moment too soon for offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. He finished with 156 yards, a career-best.2) A lack of discipline on Alabama's part had a hand in multiple A&M scoring drives, including a 15-yard defensive pass interference call on Dijon Lee (more on him in a minute), and a roughing the passer (with a targeting ejection) that ended Red Morgan's day in the second quarter. Then there was an offsides flag on DB Chuck McDonald that gave Texas A&M a first down to open the second half, a series that ended with an Aggies field goal. The Crimson Tide entered play ranked a woeful 90th in the country in penalties with 7.1 per game. Off the field, discipline was part of the day as well, as UA announced a suspension of DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., the second of his career.3) Alabama QB Keelon Russell, after completing just 10 of 19 passes with an ugly interception in the first half, looked much sharper in the second. That was a major difference-maker in the Crimson Tide avoiding its first three-game losing streak since 2007. He pressed at times, but completed enough passes for big-chunk yardage to flip field position and overcome another pedestrian day for the UA running game. Russell hit tight ends Marshall Pritchett and Kaleb Edwards for second-half touchdowns that ultimately made the difference.4) The Dijon Lee Experience took the stage early. On Texas A&M's opening drive, the Crimson Tide's sophomore cornerback committed an egregious personal foul with a body slam of a tackle, then returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown just two snaps later. The rest of his day included a pass interference flag, as well. Lee has now been flagged for nine penalties on the year, by far the most of any UA defender. This coming with UA's best cornerback, Zabien Brown, unavailable to play due to injury. It's been season of highs and lows for Lee, but Alabama's defense can ill afford the lows while waiting for Brown's return.SUSPENSION: Alabama football DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. suspended: What we knowHIGHLIGHTS: Alabama vs Texas A&M football live updates | News, analysis before kickoffTurning pointMarcel Reed's fumble in the second half on a short-yardage fourth down, recovered by UA linebacker QB Reese, was the momentum shift Alabama needed. The Crimson Tide followed Reed's miscue with a touchdown drive to go ahead 24-20.By the numbers26 − In making six catches for 156 yards, Alabama WR Rico Scott averaged 26 yards per catch.What I likedThe Alabama run defense did some nice work after getting gashed the previous two weeks. It wasn't a total shutdown, but the Aggies averaged fewer than three yards per carry. And it was enough to keep Reed in some difficult down-and-distance situations.What I didn't likeInjuries continue to mount for Alabama, and the upcoming idle week isn't going to heal them all. The latest setback was a leg injury to left guard William Sanders, who didn't return after needing assistance off the field. With Sanders out, UA played the rest of the game with only three of five normal starters on the offensive line. A key matchup with LSU awaits in two weeks, and among those on the mend for Alabama are Sanders, WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, CB Brown, C Racin Delgatty, DL Terrance Green and RB EJ Crowell.Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegThis article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: WR threat Alabama football needed emerges vs Texas A&M | Goodbread