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» » The day after: Lasting thoughts on Notre Dame's escape against Navy - Fighting Irish Wire

The day after: Lasting thoughts on Notre Dame's escape against Navy - Fighting Irish Wire

The Irish got a harder than expected win yesterday but it clearly wasn’t all pretty. Notre Dame needed the clock on their side as time ran out for Navy and they could not finish off their upset bid. There was plenty to think about last night and this morning and here are those thoughts from the Irish’s win over Navy.

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First half was amazing

The first thirty minutes of the game, it was all Notre Dame. They couldn’t do anything wrong, quarterback Drew Pyne played his best two quarters of football of the whole season. He accounted for all five touchdowns, throwing for four and rushing for the other. Defensively, it could have been better but with many of these players seeing this Navy offense for the first time, it was a very good effort. Another blocked punt and resulted in points, highlight reel catches. This is exactly how a much more talented Notre Dame team should treat an opponent like Navy.

Second half was bad

Unfortunately, two haves do need to be played and it looked like the Irish left all their good mojo in the locker room during halftime. They came out extremely flat, allowing an almost 10 minutes drive to Navy that gave them 3 points, then giving them the ball right back with a three-and-out. It was a good defensive effort the next drive but offensively, Pyne throwing a pick that Navy cashed in on a touchdown the next play. The offense was littered with three-and-outs, four of them including the pick drive, and only one drive that went more than five plays. Overall 18 total plays for just six yards, not including the two knees to close out the came. The Irish were outscored 19-0 and almost gave the game away.

Second half issues

It looked like Marcus Freeman had fixed the second half issues, especially during the three games prior. It doesn’t look like all those issues have been resolved. Like I just mentioned, it was not a good final two quarters and if Navy had more of a modern offense, they might have completed the comeback. It’s puzzling why the gas is let off during the second halves, this should have been a game where the backups got a least a quarter of play. It wasn’t and the issues with bad second halves are still hanging around.

The offensive line wasn’t at their best

Nov 12, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen safety Rayuan Lane III (18) sacks Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Drew Pyne (10) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

When you allow five sacks and run for 66 yards on 34 carries, it’s not a good day. The offensive line was behind this recent offensive resurgence, but they did not play well as a unit. The big guys up front couldn’t get much of a push against a smaller Navy front and had big time issues when they blitzed. There will be better days for this group, but this was one to forget.

Did the Irish play down to Navy?

This is a great question, but I don’t think they played down, it think they just let up. If they played down it would have been wire-to-wire battle, where this was just the Irish playing one of their worst halves of the year. The offense didn’t show up in the second half, while the defense might have gotten tired as the game wore on. It was a bad combination, but luckily a big first half lead held up.

Next week won’t be easy

The Irish can’t afford to look ahead to the season finale against USC, Boston College must be the focus. That idea should be hammered home during this weeks preparation, especially after the Eagles upset NC State yesterday. They have enough talent to hang with the Irish especially if they bring that second half intensity.

A win is still a win

Yeah, the end wasn’t what any of us wanted to see, all of us collectively biting our nails off as the Irish tried to give the game away. Alas, they finally made a “stand” even if it was just recovering an on-sides kick with time dwindling. It wasn’t pretty but it’s much better than losing, imagine how you’d feel right now if the Mids had more time to complete the upset bid? It wasn’t a memorable win, but it was a win.

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The day after: Lasting thoughts on Notre Dame's escape against Navy - Fighting Irish Wire
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