Feinstein's Findings: Flawless Performance

New York Times bestselling author, John Feinstein, is back for another season with the Black Knights and will report in after each football game during the 2017 season. Feinstein newest book titled, "The First Major,--The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup," debuted this fall. Feinstein's weekly report will be posted to GoArmyWestPoint.com following each battle on the gridiron.

During our weekly halftime talks on the radio, Joe Beckerle always asks me what might be the key for Army in the second half. Saturday, I was ready with my answer: "Handle the pressure when Air Force scores," I said. "You can't expect the defense to pitch a shutout. Be ready for what comes after their first score."

Right on the money as usual.

Air Force still hasn't scored. And chances are good there was a lot of singing in the Army locker room once the final notes of 'Alma Mater,' drifted into the windy Colorado Springs afternoon. Something along the lines of, "On Brave Old Army Team…"

You know the rest.

The final was Army 21, Air Force 0. The defense was, ultimately, flawless. It allowed yards, but not points. Ahmad Bradshaw was equally flawless, the only mistake he made all day apparently coming at pre-game meal.

Jeff Monken will call this another step in the process, most importantly the first step towards winning the Commander-in-Chief's trophy for the first time since 1996. It was more than that though: it was both an exorcism and a catharsis after years of frustration, anger and, sometimes, humiliation.

It wasn't just the fourth time EVER that Army has won at Air Force, it was only the second time since 1977. But it was more than that. A lot more than that. In 2005, when the Black Knights won at Air Force, it felt more like a fluke—a fun one, no doubt—than something that was meant to happen. Army was 4-7 that fall under Bobby Ross and the other wins were over Akron, Massachusetts and Arkansas State. Seven years later, the win over the Falcons at Michie was one of two enjoyable Saturdays in a season that ended 2-10, the only truly good moment the victory over the Falcons that came days after Hurricane Sandy had devastated the northeast.

This was different. This felt RIGHT. Army was dominant all day. There were moments when it looked like Air Force was about to make the game nerve-wracking, but they never reached fruition. Every time Arion Worthman and the Falcons offense got a little bit of momentum, the Army defense came up with a play—or plays—and shut it down.

Let's talk about the defense for a moment. The headlines from Saturday will focus—correctly—on Bradshaw and the extraordinary day he put together: 265 yards on 23 carries, including the first touchdown of the afternoon. There will be more kudos—again, correctly—for Kell Walker, who scored the other two touchdowns, including the clincher from four yards out with 1:58 to go to culminate a 14-play, 84-yard drive that ate up 7:44 of the fourth quarter and finally killed the Falcons' spirit for good. Nor should the offensive line be forgotten. Against a defense crowding the box daring Army to pass—which it did not all day—the O-line led an offense that rushed for 392 yards.

All of that said, the game balls for this victory should go first to the defense and the defensive coaches. Consider the numbers: Air Force, averaging more than 360 yards a game on the ground, ran the ball 35 times for a grand total of 89 yards—that's 2.6 yards per carry. Worthman has proven himself a reliable passer this season and he had some big completions, although his most important pass of the day came early, when he missed a wide-open Ryan Reffitt early in the second quarter with the score 7-0. He finished 6-of-11 for 95 yards.

Add those numbers up. They come to a mind-blowing 184 yards for a group that produced 45 points and 477 yards on the road a week ago against a 6-2 Colorado State team. Air Force had NEVER been shut out in 51 previous games against Army. It had not been shut out by ANYONE since the 1992 Liberty Bowl, a streak of 306 games—fifth longest in the country.

James Nachtigal and Cole Christiansen, arguably the two most improved players on the defense—and for those thinking down the road, both underclassmen—had 10 tackles each. Worthman, who can scramble with the best of them, was sacked three times and spent most of the second half running for his life. There were five tackles for loss in all, including Tim McVey being nailed for a loss on fourth-and-one on the Army 13 yard line with 9:42 left—the last crucial defensive play of the game.

In all, the Black Knights came about as close to pitching a perfect game as you can. Blake Wilson did miss a 30-yard field-goal in the swirling winds, Air Force did convert a couple of fourth downs and Army was stopped on fourth-and-four on the Falcons 22 late in the fourth quarter.

That is big-time nitpicking. Army was 10-of-12 on third down. Even the drive that ended with the fourth down stop, took 10:42 off the third quarter clock before bogging down.

There have been times in the past when Army has appeared to be as good as Air Force and lost anyway. There have been those sporadic victories—two since 1996.

It was in 1996, at Michie, that Army last dominated Air Force the way it did on Saturday, winning 23-7. That team went on to beat Navy, win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and finish 10-2. This team is now in position to do some, if not all, of those things.

The Duke team that comes to Michie on Saturday for the seniors' last home game is 4-5 and has lost five in a row. But the Blue Devils are coming off a bye week the same way Army went into the Air Force game after a week off.

Those 13 days without playing a game were probably critical: Monken only had the team practice seven times and there was no real hitting in any of the practices. A number of players who were banged up, but playing, got to rest their bodies. Rhyan England, the leader of the defensive backfield, who hadn't played since the Ohio State game, was healthy by Saturday and ready to go. So was Elijah Riley, who hadn't played all season because of academic issues.

Duke has been a difficult opponent for Army in the recent past. The Blue Devils embarrassed the Black Knights at Michie two years ago when Monken and his players were still taking baby steps towards becoming a good team. Then they won in Durham a year ago in the midst of Hurricane Matthew (lot of hurricane talk today) in a game where luck had a lot more to do with the final outcome than skill.

For Duke, this game will be do-or-die if it wants to go to a bowl game—not to mention wanting to win for the first time since September. Army is playing with house money right now: it has clinched a bowl spot and a winning season. It is coming off a huge signature win over a despised rival—on the road.

It will be up to Monken and his players to find motivation in these next two games—home against Duke, on the road against North Texas. Certainly everyone would like to send this senior class out with a 6-0 record at home. That would be yet another brick in the wall that has been growing steadily now for two seasons.

Then, next month, will come an Army-Navy game for the ages: two good teams playing for the CIC in Philadelphia, where the game belongs.

For the moment though, savor this thought: after Walker's final touchdown, Air Force got the ball back one final time. Three plays netted eight yards. Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, 9-1 against Army coming into Saturday, sent out his punt team. There was no point extending the agony. Abject surrender.

And the Falcons still haven't scored.

Army West Point Athletics

Feinstein's Findings: Flawless Performance

Players Mentioned

Ahmad Bradshaw

Cole Christiansen

Rhyan England

James Nachtigal

Elijah Riley

Kell Walker

Blake Wilson

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