ATLANTA — It is difficult to know what to make of No. 2 Alabama because there are competing faces of the Crimson Tide. Alabama has a snarling defense. It has the best unit against the run in the country. But the offense is ranked 98th in third-down conversions in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and the team looks unbalanced at times with a run-heavy offense built around running back Derrick Henry.
Yet, here is Alabama, almost certainly headed to the College Football Playoff. Its offense may not look consistently smooth, but its competitive and rugged senior quarterback Jacob Coker made play after play here Saturday in a 29-15 win over No.