Quick thoughts from a disappointing night in Seattle

Jut a few quick hits on yesterday's game. Not exactly what we hoped for, obviously. Maybe Syracuse isn't ready to take the next step. Maybe the Orange just had a bad day. Let's hope it's the latter more than the former. But who knows.

First, let's just touch on some of the key points heading into the game. And tomorrow we'll break down the game in some more detail, before moving on to the soft underbelly of the 2010 schedule.

Syracuse.com

1. Keep Locker in the pocket
This one actually worked. Five carries, for just 18 yards for the Heisman hopeful is pretty solid. So what went wrong. Oh yeah ...



2. Slow down Jermaine Kearse
Let's just say this one was an epic fail. Nine catches, 179 yards, 3 TDs. Not what you're looking for there.

Syracuse.com

3. Get another career day out of Nassib
He wasn't bad, but he wasn't great either. He needed to be great to win this game, and that just didn't happen. Simple as that.

4. Score first to set the tone
I guess I probably should have added, don't completely fall apart and look like a Pop Warner team after you score first and set the tone.

And while we're on the subject let's take a look back at the five key players for SU heading into Saturday, and what they actually did.

Da'Mon Merkerson
I don't really want to talk about this one. OK? OK.

Antwon Bailey
17 yards rushing, 11 yards receiving. Not exactly Leon Washington in his prime.

Chandler Jones
Big Chan played pretty well, but he can't cover receivers, so it didn't really matter last night.

Syracuse.com

Prince-Tyson Gulley
It started so well, when the Prince brought back the opening kick to midfield. But that fumbled kickoff in the first half was an absolute killer. Perhaps the biggest play of the game.

Ross Krautman
2/3 on FGs, but that miss from 43 took away all of SU's momentum, and kept the game from being tied at the half.