It’s time to examine some key questions across the SEC in Week 3:

PERCEPTION: BUTCH JONES’ PLAY-CALLING TOO CONSERVATIVE IN LOSS TO OKLAHOMA

Twitter had a field day with this one, questioning the aggressiveness of Butch Jones and Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike DeBord. With the Volunteers leading 17-0 over Oklahoma, Tennessee’s offense went dormant, thanks to a conservative game plan that was playing not to lose rather than keeping their feet on the proverbial gas. How else can you explain going for an opening-drive field goal while facing fourth-and-1 on the Sooners’ 1-yard line?

REALITY: NOT TECHNICALLY … BUT

How did the Tennessee game plan actually break down? The Volunteers jumped out to a 17-3 halftime lead by rushing the ball 25 times and going to the air just a dozen times. In the second half — as Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield systematically sliced into the biggest home lead that Tennessee would ever surrender in program history — Jones actually semi-reversed his course. Tennessee passed 19 times in the second half and overtime to 16 rushes. All told, Jones called in 41 rush plays to 31 passes. The result was a not-so-great 129 yards rushing as a team and 125 yards passing. Those are numbers that won’t earn you many wins, especially against the No. 19 team in the nation.

PERCEPTION: NO BRANTLEY, NO ELITE PASS-RUSH FOR MIZZOU

The names are synonymous with terrorizing offenses: Shane Ray and Markus Golden, Michael Sam and Sheldon Richardson, to name a few of Missouri’s pass-rushing specialists dating back the last five years. Harold Brantley was supposed to be the Tigers heir apparent after finishing third as a sophomore in sacks (5.0) behind Ray (14.5 sacks) and Golden (10.0). But a car accident this summer left the junior badly injured and out for the season. In his absence, Missouri will struggle when it comes to chasing down quarterbacks in 2015.

REALITY: THE TIGERS STILL GET AFTER QBS

Missouri doesn’t just lead the nation in tackles for loss (25), the Tigers are the country’s far-and-away leader in assisted tackles for loss with 20. That means Missouri’s defensive front is getting in opponents’ backfields … often. Auburn has 16 ATFL and Ole Miss 14. No other team in the nation has more than 10. By contrast, 15 teams in the country have 0 assisted tackles for loss — including Alabama and LSU. The Tigers’ attack is led by Kentrell Brothers, who leads the NCAA in tackles with 32, and Charles Harris, whose 6.0 tackles for loss rank him second in the FBS. Harris is also on pace to collect 12 sacks this season. With Brantley, the defense would be scary. Without him, the Tigers are still terrorizing their share of quarterbacks.