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Published Dec 28, 2016

A strength all season, red zone offense lets Pitt down in bowl loss

Chris Peak • Panther-lair

Publisher

@pantherlair

MORE HEADLINES - Video: Narduzzi talks after the loss to Northwestern | Talk with other Pitt fans about the game

BRONX, NY - For 12 games this season, Pitt was the best offense in the nation when it got into the red zone.

But in the final game of the season, the Panthers put in their worst performance inside the 20.

After scoring 43 touchdowns on 52 red-zone drives in 2016, Pitt scored just two touchdowns on seven trips inside the 20 in Wednesday’s New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and those failed opportunities played a large role in the Panthers’ 31-24 loss to Northwestern;

“So many points we just left out there,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said after the game. “They didn’t leave any out there. That’s how you lose a game.”

For Pitt, that process of losing the game by way of failing in the red zone started right away. After the Panthers’ defense forced a three-and-out on Northwestern’s game-opening possession, Nate Peterman hit a 38-yard pass to Dontez Ford that set up the offense at the Wildcats 20.

But things fell apart when Quadree Henderson fumbled a jet sweep on first down and lost eight yards. The drive never recovered, and two incomplete passes later, Pitt settled for a field goal.

The defense stepped up with another forced punt on the next possession, and the offense had a chance to redeem itself. This time, Peterman hit a couple timely passes - and had an interception overturned by a defensive holding call - to drive Pitt to the Northwestern 7.

Once again, things fell apart. A trick play involving Brian O’Neill attempting a pass went awry on first down, and after James Conner ran the ball to the 3, George Aston seemed to have a clear path to the end zone on a third-and-goal sweep. But the redshirt sophomore fullback slipped before crossing the goal line and was ruled down at the 1.

Pitt went for it on fourth down but Conner failed to extend the ball over the pile, and Northwestern took over on downs.

The Wildcats proceeded to march 99 yards for a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead, but the Panthers looked like they had an answer when they followed a 37-yard flea-flicker pass to Henderson with a 21-yard Conner run, setting up the offense at the Northwestern 8 for another red-zone attempt.

But a false start by Scott Orndoff pushed the offense back and Peterman’s pass to Jester Weah on second-and-goal from the 10 was intercepted.

Northwestern didn’t score on the ensuing drive, but the game was likely decided on those first three possessions: three trips to the red zone and just three points to show for it.

“I just think it was sloppy execution on our part,” Ford said after the game. “Obviously Northwestern’s defense is pretty solid, but we didn’t do what we were supposed to do, and I believe that’s why we had those missed opportunities in the red zone on multiple occasions.”

Pitt had four more drives inside the 20 in the second half. The first was set up by a 57-yard sweep from Henderson and capped three plays later when Peterman scrambled for a five-yard touchdown. On the next possession, Pitt made it to the Northwestern 13 before an errant snap led to Peterman taking an 18-yard loss, which resulted in a missed field goal by Chris Blewitt.

The Panthers did capitalize the next time when they turned good field position - the Northwestern 22 after recovering a blocked punt - into a touchdown. But their final drive inside the 20 featured four plays that gained zero yards: a run for no gain from Chawntez Moss, an incomplete pass from Ben DiNucci - who replaced Peterman - to Rafael Araujo-Lopes, a dropped touchdown on a tough-but-makeable play by Scott Orndoff and, finally, an interception near the end zone on a pass to Araujo-Lopes.

In a game that ended up being decided by one touchdown, those missed opportunities loomed large, particularly the two first-and-goal situations that resulted in zero points early in the game. Could those have been a product of the lengthy layoff of more than a month between games?

“Not really,” Ford said. “I mean, we practiced hard. We executed well in practice. We just didn’t come out here and get it done. That’s just the end of the story.”