A few plays here and there can make all the difference in a season.

A fumble at the goal line. An interception in the red zone. A holding call that stops a promising drive in its tracks.

On the radio

Friday 7 p.m. 101.3 FM

PCA hosts Central Hinds

Over the past month or so, Porters Chapel has experienced all of them. And, not coincidentally, the Eagles are mired in an offensive funk that has turned a subpar season into a frustrating one. They’ve lost five of their last six games, and scored a total of 29 points in the losses.

PCA (3-6) has moved the ball at times — it had over 300 yards in losses to University Christian and Tri-County — but can’t seem to find the end zone. With only two regular-season games left, including a do-or-die district contest against Newton next Friday, it’s a problem there isn’t much time left to solve.

“We’re in the game. When we need big plays, we’re not getting them. We’ve just got to get people in the game, get them pumped up,” PCA quarterback Colby Rushing said. “We’ve got to get this going. I don’t know if we can, but we’re going to try. That’s all we can do, is get everybody pumping.”

The latest offensive nightmare came in Friday night’s 20-0 loss at Riverfield. The Eagles had just 19 yards in the second half, with 18 coming on a pass from Rushing to tight end Reed Gordon in the final minute. They did advance into Riverfield territory on all four first-half possessions, but turned it over on downs twice and Rushing threw two interceptions.

Things got worse at halftime. At some point in the first half, starting tackle Ghost Jones had suffered a concussion. He laid down on the cold, wet grass behind the end zone to rest during halftime and started showing early signs of hypothermia, PCA coach Bill Fleming said. Jones left the field in an ambulance and did not return.

Without one of its top linemen, and with little depth to replace him, PCA’s offense struggled even more in the last two quarters.

“When you have five linemen walk out of the fieldhouse, then you have to take a receiver and put a lineman’s jersey on them and have them face somebody 80 pounds heavier, how can you get mad at them?” Fleming said.

Jones’ absence hurt PCA, but its offensive woes over the past six weeks are indicative of a bigger problem. PCA has been shut out twice in its last five losses; had a costly fumble at the goal line in a 13-7 loss to Tri-County; and turned it over five times in a 49-14 rout at the hands of University Christian.

Each week seems to bring a different sort of meltdown.

“It’s frustrating. I’m trying to figure out how to get the ball in our playmakers’ hands, but we’re not doing it,” Fleming said.

And yet, despite the guarantee of the school’s first losing regular season since 2003, there’s still a chance to salvage the season. After this Friday’s game against Central Hinds, the Eagles finish the regular season at home against Newton. Win that game and they’re in the playoffs, warts and all.

“I think we’re a pretty good football team,” Fleming said. “We have to get from pretty good to good, and then from good to excellent.”

*

Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com