A day after Alabama’s 42-3 win over Duke, there was time to digest what happened Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.

After looking back at the box score and rewatching the game on DVR, we’re able to add some perspective to the original reaction to 2019’s first game.

We’ll do this in bullet points as we see what we missed the first time around:

-- On the sack that ended the first drive, Duke was moving all over faking blitzes and brought just four with six blockers (including RB Jerome Ford). MLB Koby Quansah patiently paused and skirted untouched round the right end to blow it up with seven dropping into coverage and clogging passing lanes.

-- All the talk about freshman starters on defense almost lost D.J. Dale up front. He actually bullied his way into the backfield on the first snap to make the tackle one yard behind the line. The nose guard had three tackles with Quinnen Williams in the building Saturday.

-- Alabama is known for using skill players on special teams. A few interesting ones Sunday: Jerry Jeudy was on the punt return team not as the deep man but on the line looking for the block. He was actually flagged for holding on a punt in the third quarter.

-- Duke’s Edgar Cerenord was ejected early in the second half but the seeds were planted early on. The starting defensive tackle slammed Alabama o-lineman Landon Dickerson on the fumble lost by Jerome Ford on the second drive. Dickerson got up with a shove and went helmet to helmet with the Blue Devil. Refs and teammates quickly stepped in, but it foreshadowed what came later.

-- Duke players said they could sense Alabama’s confusion when they used the triple option, but the impact was minimal. Taking over at the Tide 26, Duke managed just 19 yards on seven plays. The longest run of that series was seven yards and the tricky option pass was defended by two DBs not fooled by the motion.

-- Alabama scored at least a field goal in each of the first 15 quarters last fall. It went scoreless in the opening period against Duke before putting up at least a touchdown each of the next three. For the 2018 season, Alabama outscored opponents 233-59 in the first quarter -- by far the widest margin of the four game segments. The early second-quarter touchdown Saturday extended Alabama’s streak to 243 games without being shutout. That dates back to the 2000 Iron Bowl, a 9-0 loss.

-- After things started clicking for the offense, it was clear Duke had trouble tackling in the open field. Jerry Jeudy practically ran circles around defenders on one first-quarter play. The first man rarely brought down a receiver in space.

-- Tua Tagovailoa threw just five incomplete passes in 31 tries. One was a miscommunication with Jeudy in the first quarter when the WR blocked instead of looking for the pass. Jeudy patted his chest as if he was taking responsibility for the crossed wires. Two more were overthrows in the first quarter before Tagovailoa was 9-for-9 in the second.

-- Watching freshman LBs Shane Lee and Christian Harris, it didn’t look like they were lost at any point in the defense. There were times offensive linemen got to the second level for some smothering blocks but they held their own and more. Both played well in pass coverage too, though Harris did get beat for a 20-yard gain early in the second half.

-- Terrell Lewis got an extra ovation when making his first sack in the second quarter after missing last year with an ACL tear. His last play was actually on that field and it was a sack against Georgia in the 2018 national title game. “It was basically like that Georgia play, honestly,” Lewis said Saturday night. “Raekwon (Davis) stabbed the A-gap and I came in and looped around and I was right there.” Lewis almost made another sack in the third quarter as he hit Quentin Harris as he threw a deep ball that had no shot.

-- Alabama WRs are known for their speed but there were some tough-nosed runs Jaylen Waddle’s 39-yard reception in the second quarter saw him ram a few tacklers. A few plays later, right tackle Jedrick Wills came in late to slam DeVonta Smith’s pile forward.

-- After a low line drive, Will Reichard’s second punt of 41 yards had a hang time of 4.47 to force a fair catch. Alabama punted only twice.

-- Not sure how Xavier McKinney didn’t intercept the pass early in the second half that went through his hands. Looked impossible in real time and again on TV. Later in the drive, his open-field tackle on fourth down out-muscled the receiver just short of the line. Duke was 0-for-2 on fourth-down plays.

Duke defender motioning into Alabama backfield was my favorite moment of the game. pic.twitter.com/t6GFGTO3eN — Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) September 1, 2019

-- Duke wasn’t much of a threat throwing the ball but both cornerbacks made nice plays. First it was Patrick Surtain stripping the fumble in the third quarter that Trevon Diggs recovered. A few moments later, Diggs made one of the more athletic interceptions that set off the celebration and eventual flag on Saban.

-- About that sideline warning, Saban was mad about the flag being thrown because he said the players should be able to have fun and celebrate. Looking back at it, the flag was thrown because a staffer bumped into the official on the sideline and not because players were celebrating.

-- Tua Tagovailoa did a fine job holding on kicks after joking about his other job Monday.

-- It was a big day for the passing game but rewatching it, the lack of throws to Henry Ruggs III was clear. He caught just two passes for 14 yards while Jeudy had 10 catches. Waddle and DeVonta Smith had five each.

-- Impressive athleticism from Mac Jones converting a fourth-and-three with a four-yard scramble when the pocket broke down.

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.