We don’t mean to pile on, but, seriously: What is this we’re watching?

There are 14 teams in this league and every one is flawed. Some of this we expected. Some of it blindsided us like we were protected (is that even the right word?) by Auburn’s offensive line.

Disappointments? There are plenty, so many we couldn’t come close to reaching a majority — much less consensus — on the biggest through three weeks.

Clint Lamb, SEC West reporter:

I’ll give you three guesses, and the first two don’t count … still wondering? Fine, the answer is Auburn. If we’re being even more specific, it’s Gus Malzahn.

Heading into the season, a lot of people — myself included — gave Auburn the best chance of dethroning Alabama as the SEC’s top team. Sure, other teams, such as LSU, Georgia and even Florida, were also commonly mentioned, but the in-state rival looked like it finally had a roster balanced enough to get the job done.

Of course, we’re only a quarter of the way through the season, but the early results have not been encouraging. Auburn is 2-1, but the two wins have come against Georgia Southern and Mercer, who forced 5 turnovers against the Tigers and were only down 10-3 at halftime.

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Auburn’s No. 2-ranked defense hasn’t been the problem. It’s been that Malzahn-led offense — and yes, Malzahn is responsible for that offense, regardless if Chip Lindsey “calls the plays.” Strategies such as long developing route concepts with a subpar offensive line are only minor issues in comparison to Malzahn’s apparent stubbornness.

There’s still time to right the ship, but it starts with Malzahn. He has to be willing to make some changes in his approach if he wants this team to live up to its potential. If he doesn’t, he might end up having to search for his next Cam Newton elsewhere to take his coaching career to the next level.

Jon Cooper, director of operations:

There are so many disappointments in the SEC through three weeks, but I’m going with a slightly different one: Alabama’s lack of a pass rush. Alabama led the SEC is sacks last year with 54 in 15 games. This year, the Crimson Tide has just five sacks in three games. For you non-math majors out there, that’s 25 total (less than half), assuming a 15-game season like 2016. The lack of pass rush could be the Tide’s missing element to another championship.

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Forget Jalen Hurts’ perceived struggles throwing the ball down the field, the lack of pass rush could sink the Tide. No doubt the talent is there. The secondary is nasty; the linebacking corps and defensive line depth is certainly there; but the pass rush isn’t.

And that has to be keeping Nick Saban and Jeremy Pruitt up at night trying to design some things that will help get pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks.

Connor O’Gara, senior national columnist:

It’s Texas A&M and it isn’t even close. The Aggies went viral three straight weeks and not in a good way. The epic collapse at UCLA was obviously horrendous. But if they had come out and whipped two cupcakes at home, that would be a tiny bit easier to stomach.

Instead, Texas A&M nearly bricked a layup against Nicholls and it went into the locker room trailing Louisiana at home. On top of that, you had a player flipping off the home fans at halftime.

https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/909115764589948929

Sure, the Aggies rolled in the second half, but that’s an awful way to start the season.

The Aggies already looked like they’re on the ropes and SEC play hasn’t even start. That’s not a good sign for Kevin Sumlin’s short or long-term future in College Station.

Luke Glusco, copy editor:

Florida. One Hail Mary set up by Tennessee butchering the end-game strategy aside, the Gators are still a mess.

What’s worse, they’re a mess with no discipline. Nine players on indefinite suspension? And fans are left with no idea if/when those guys might play again. Jim McElwain would be better off sending them all packing, then telling Gator Nation, referring to the remaining players: “This is our team.”

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At this point, if I were a fan, I think I’d just as soon get on with it. Let Feleipe Franks and Tyrie Cleveland take over as the faces of the offense. It’s time to rally around the guys who, as far as we know, aren’t suspected of stealing.

Florida remains in great position to win the East, which says way more about the division than it does about the Gators. Florida easily could have lost to Tennessee, another disappointing team.

The best thing that could happen for the terribly stale SEC is that Kentucky and Vandy battle it out for the East’s trip to Atlanta.

Chris Wright, executive editor:

Me? For foolishly buying into some of these preseason narratives?

I understand Alabama reloads like nobody else, but that front seven last year was a relentless, game-changing, scoring machine. There was no way, no how this group was going to be as dominant as that group. I’m not really disappointed in them; I’m disappointed that I somehow let people convince me that this group could just plug-and-play at that level.

Texas A&M hasn’t disappointed me because I picked the Aggies to finish last in the West. Tennessee hasn’t really disappointed me because I’ve written numerous times the Vols would struggle to make a bowl game. Jarrett Stidham hasn’t really disappointed me because I’ve never believed Gus Malzahn could win big with a throwing quarterback.

We all could have selected Missouri, but in terms of true disappointments, it’s either LSU or Florida.

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I do believe in Matt Canada’s offensive creativity. It should work, especially with LSU’s athletes. Might still, but I seriously thought they’d be much more explosive than they are showing.

I picked Florida to three-peat in the East. But Jim McElwain still doesn’t trust his offense — the players he recruited — enough to turn them loose. That’s the biggest disappointment of all.

Not that the kids cared. What did they do when McElwain intentionally allowed the seconds to tick away? They beat Tennessee in spite of McElwain’s best efforts to play for overtime.

Nobody is saying Kadarius Toney is Percy Harvin 2.0, but my goodness, get that young fella the football so we can watch him make more people miss. And I can promise you Danny Wuerrfel’s arm strength was nowhere near Feleipe Franks’.

Why bottle all of that up in a conservative game-plan? Especially with that defense, which is fully capable of covering up occasional mistakes.

Pop the cork. Bring back the fun … or get the retired guy in the visor to call in a play every now and then.