The Alabama Crimson Tide escaped with a huge 31-20 homecoming win over the Texas A&M Aggies, and it now heads into a much-needed bye week before a massive matchup with the LSU Tigers. The victory came on Kalen DeBoer’s birthday. It wasn’t always pretty in Tuscaloosa, though.

Some players stepped up in a big way, while others left plenty to be desired. Here are the winners and losers for the Crimson Tide from the win over Texas A&M.

Winners: Dijon Lee, Keelon Russell, and a defensive line that answered the bell

We have to start with Dijon Lee, because he gave us the full experience. Lee was flagged for unnecessary roughness after suplexing a player into the ground, drew a pass interference, and lined up offside on a field goal. It wasn’t clean, but he made up for all of it with an early pick-six that helped Alabama win the football game.

If Lee can ever put together a game where he is fully locked in, he will be one of the best corners in the country. The Tide needs more of the lockdown version of Lee that showed up for most of the afternoon.

Rico Scott is another easy pick. He set a career high in receiving yards, made big plays down the field, and drew a pass interference that set Alabama up with first-and-goal. Scott has turned into a great player in the absence of Ryan Coleman-Williams.

Keelon Russell also belongs on this list. Yes, he threw a bad interception early, a moment where you want to tell him to take the sack and punt the football. Instead, he gave Texas A&M life in the red zone. Russell has to learn how to play quarterback more efficiently. Even so, the explosive throws and his ability to move the ball down the field, with no run game to speak of, made the difference. Russell willed Alabama to victory in the second half.

He had help from his tight ends. Marshall Pritchett hauled in a big-time go-ahead touchdown catch. Then, on the drive that helped put the game away, Kaleb Edwards made multiple grabs, including a great touchdown catch where he climbed the ladder.

On defense, Fatutoa Henry was enormous with two sacks. With no London Simmons and Terrance Green out at nose tackle, Alabama is banged up across the defensive line. Henry stepped up in a major way.

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Losers: Missed kicks, a suspension, and a tough day in coverage

Kicker Conor Talty had a rough afternoon. Alabama won by 11 points, but it should have won by 17. Talty missed a 35-yarder and a 42-yarder, leaving six points on the board. To be fair to Talty, he has been pretty good after some struggles last year, and these were his first misses of the season. That being said, he has to be better.

Dre Kirkpatrick didn’t even play, and he is still a loser. Red Morgan went out on a hard targeting call, and Kirkpatrick should have been the man to step in. Instead, Alabama suspended him before the game, the second time in as many years. He wasn’t available when the Crimson Tide needed him most.

Chuck McDonald replaced Morgan, and he deserves credit for his interception. Outside of that, he struggled badly against the run. McDonald also lined up offside on a play that should have given Alabama the football back, handing Texas A&M new life. I won’t put too much blame on him, because he wasn’t supposed to be in that position. Still, it was a rough game.

The biggest loser is Alabama’s run game

Nothing from this game is more concerning than the ground attack. Alabama had an 11-point lead for most of the fourth quarter and tried to close out Texas A&M with eight minutes left. It couldn’t run the football.

The absence of William Sanders at guard in this game, plus Racin Delgatty missing another game, cannot be overstated. With Daniel Hill and Trae’shawn Brown carrying the load and no EJ Crowell, this offense simply doesn’t exist on the ground. Leaving a game with just over 70 rushing yards while protecting a lead is a major problem for the Crimson Tide.

That is why this bye week comes at the perfect time. Alabama better hope Sanders and Delgatty are healthy and ready to go for LSU. Leaning entirely on a young, inexperienced quarterback is not a sustainable game plan, and the Tide has to be better on the ground if it wants to beat the Tigers.