We compared Oregon State's defense and Oregon's offense earlier, and now it's time to do the opposite.
Oregon's defense has flown under the radar for most of the year. The main reason for that was the level of play of the offense-- nobody really cared about defense when Oregon's offense was so good.
The Duck defense is led by Defensive End Nick Reed. The 6-2 255 junior leads the Pac-10 in sacks, and could give the Oregon State offensive line their money's worth. The Ducks rank tied for third in the Pac-10 in sacks, with 35 total on the year. The Beavers lead that category, with 40 total. Nick Reed leads the team with sacks at 11.
When you look at the numbers, Oregon's offense is good, but they're not great. The Ducks need a great performance from these guys to have a shot against the Beavers. It's really the only clear strong part of their team, as the offense is shaky.
In order to win this battle, the Beavers need to establish both the run and pass. It sounds simple, but neither one is going to be easy. Yvenson Bernard might not play, so developing a ground game is going to have to rely on Polk, Sieverson, and Rodgers if he cant' play. The passing game won't be easy to establish either, as the ball may be wet and Lyle Moevao isn't the most experienced quarterback.
However, Lyle did have a great performance in the rain last game at Washington State. I'm confident Lyle will get the job done.
Again, your comments are welcome.
GO BEAVERS!
--JB--