5 New Year's Resolutions for the Alabama Crimson Tide To Take to New Orleans

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Out with the old and in with the new.

Yes it's that time of year again: A time where people vow to change this thing or that thing in their life.

The New Year's resolution.

Personally, I think they are crap. If you want to change something, change it at that very moment don't wait for a ball to drop.

For argument's sake, though, let's take a look at five resolutions the Alabama Crimson Tide should employ as they head to New Orleans to face LSU.

Kick the Habit

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I'll be the first to say that the amount of criticism placed on Alabama's place kicking duo of Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelley has been ridiculous.

It's absurd to blame Alabama's only loss of the season on them.

That being said, they need to shake off what, if anything, might be lingering from that night when they enter the Superdome on January 9th.

The Tide need their kicking game ready to go, and quite frankly, Shelley and Foster are capable.

Nick Saban would not have recruited them if he felt otherwise.

Stop Being Negative

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LSU is good enough to force teams to do bad things so Alabama doesn't need to help them.

Many times in the first game against LSU, the Tide would move the ball into LSU territory only to see a negative play or a penalty stunt their progress.

When Alabama gets inside the Tiger 30, they need to take advantage of it and most of all: not move backwards.

Stepping on that real estate could be precious for both teams, so each time they must take advantage.

Don't Drink the Kool Aid

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There's no doubting that LSU is an excellent football team, but they aren't invincible.

Somehow, there's this feeling that Alabama isn't on the same level as LSU despite only losing to them 9-6 in overtime.

I'm not drinking that garbage.

I suppose if Alabama had won the game, this conversation would be reversed, but the simple fact is that these two teams are very evenly matched.

Their resumes prove it, and the first meeting defined it. They obliterated every opponent they've faced except each other.

This notion that the Tigers are on some other level is absurd and not one Alabama will be lapping up, I'm sure.

Trust Those That Got You Here

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Keep it simple, stupid.

Look, there's no need for Alabama to try and re-invent itself for this game.

Defense and the running game is what Alabama does best and what it should stick to.

Yes, they will have to pass it to keep LSU honest and A.J. McCarron is quite capable of making some plays, but when you have two backs like Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy, it's rather obvious what you should be doing.

Don't put the defense in bad positions. Even great defenses will give up points when a team is allowed excellent field position.

Return the Favors of Others

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It's always nice to return the favors that have been done for you.

In Alabama's case, it's a favor that was done to them. Yes, why not repay LSU with a loss of their own.

It would be just a shame for the Crimson Tide not to return that bitter favor LSU paid them back in November.

Yes, all of these resolutions seem obvious.

Take your palm and smash it into your face, but aren't all New Year's resolutions obvious? Lose the weight, stop smoking, quit losing to LSU, etc.

I think two in a row is enough, don't you?

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