The UNLV Rebels Need To 'Slow Down' Playoff Expectations After Week 0 Performance

There is no denying that, despite coming away with a victory against the Idaho State Bengals, the first game of the season did not go as most expected for the UNLV Rebels. They escaped with a 38 - 31 win, but the defense struggled mightily, and the offensive line was shaky. That has led to fair skepticism regarding their gaudy expectations for the season.

Recently, Mountain West Connection gave their take on the Rebels' season opener. While there were some positives, overall, the game raised more concerns than optimism for them.

Mountain West Connection's Take

"The playoff expectations in Las Vegas might need to slow down after UNLV was fortunate to leave week zero with a 38-31 win over an Idaho State team that isn’t expected to do much at the FCS level. There was a lot to take away from this game, so let’s start with the good for the Rebels. Running back Jai’Den Thomas is the real deal and will be a force in the Mountain West this season. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea looked solid and could end up being one of the best quarterbacks in the conference by the end of the season.

On the other side of things, I am really concerned about this team’s offensive line. Colandrea was under consistent pressure and the team surrendered three sacks and seven tackles for loss. There are also a number of things to be concerned about on the defensive side of the ball. The Rebels gave up 555 yards, had major breakdowns in the secondary, and missed a number of tackles. If it wasn’t for a couple of late interceptions, the Rebels would have opened the season with a loss that would have devastated their season. Luckily, a win is a win. But I would be concerned if I were a Rebel fan."

There is no denying that the defense has to be better. Giving up 555 yards and 31 points to Idaho State is unacceptable. However, we have said all offseason that this team will very likely take time to gel. The offensive line falls into that same category. While we do have some concerns about the defense long-term if they don't clean up their issues quickly, the offensive line has too much talent to struggle for long. They should be fine after building some chemistry. The Rebels will have their next chance to work out these issues against the Sam Houston Bearkats on Friday.