Everything we learned after Texas A&M's 27-6 road loss to Missouri

Texas A&M fell to 3-3 and 1-3 in SEC play after falling to Missouri 27-6 on Saturday afternoon, looking lifeless on offense again and producing just two first downs in the first half and three total offensive yards in the third quarter.

Starting quarterback Marcel Reed was dreadful, failing to make quick decisions in the pocket and showing poor accuracy, while the Aggie offensive line did not hold up in pass protection or run blocking, which starts and ends with third-year coach Mike Elko and his staff.

However, Texas A&M's defense gave the Aggies a shot throughout the game, preventing Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons from connecting on too many explosive plays and limiting running back Jamal Roberts from ruining the game early.

These defensive performances are good enough to win SEC games if the offense responds, and the quarterback can be trusted to make late plays. Marcel Reed's poor play, dating back to last year's loss to Texas in Austin, should prompt Mike Elko to make a change this offseason in the transfer portal.

For those who want an in-season change, current backup Brady Hart and freshman Helaman Casuga likely aren't trusted to step in and play better than Reed, but with the season trending in the wrong direction, it's worth a shot.

Here are five takeaways from Texas A&M's Week 6 road loss to Missouri.

Texas A&M's defense played well enough to win

While Missouri scored 27 points, thanks to RB Jamal Roberts' 56-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, Texas A&M's defense did more than enough to give the Aggie offense a shot at responding, and even taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter if Marcel Reed's end zone interception didn't happen.

Texas A&M's problems aren't just on offense, but the defense, especially the secondary, has allowed fewer than 150 passing yards from QB Austin Simmons and has improved over the last two games, which is a good sign that Mike Elko has this group playing at a high level.

One new name to watch is Colorado transfer defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain, who made three tackles and a tackle for loss in his season debut. Fellow Colorado transfer Tawfiq Byard was equally impressive, leading the team with eight tackles.

QB Marcel Reed is a major liability, but will likely continue as the starter

When asked about backup quarterback Brady Hart potentially getting playing time after Marcel Reed's ugly performance, Mike Elko said he doesn't feel like "that's the move" that will help the Aggies win games.

The Aggies host The Citadel next Saturday, then face Alabama in Tuscaloosa a week later, which could, and likely will, result in another blowout loss if the offense repeats this type of performance. Marcel Reed's issues, from decision-making in the pocket to accuracy at nearly every level, can't be fixed in a week, and first-year OC Holmon Wiggins isn't designing plays that help cover them.

Reed threw for 126 yards, averaged 4.1 yards per completion, and threw two interceptions, nearly matching his poor performance during the Aggies' blowout road loss to LSU. How bad will Brady Hart be if Elko keeps sticking with Reed? That's a question that will keep coming up.

Texas A&M's offensive line is once again in limbo

Texas A&M's offensive line entered Saturday's game confident that the current starting rotation, now including former five-star Lamont Rogers, would open holes in the running game and give Marcel Reed time in the pocket. None of those things happened.

OL coach Adam Cushing made several changes at right guard because of Wilkin Formby's early struggles, including Tyler Thomas entering for three late snaps. Missouri's defense, especially its linebacker rotation, deserves credit for its relentless physicality, but that's SEC football in a nutshell, and this group wasn't ready.

Texas A&M averaged 0.9 yards per carry for 20 rushing yards, thanks to Marcel Reed's negative sack yards, while Reed faced pressure on more than half of his dropbacks. With redshirt junior guard Blake Ivy out for the season, the Aggies will likely make little change to the starting rotation before hosting The Citadel on Saturday.

Texas A&M's third-down issues must be solved for the offense to operate

Texas A&M finished 5-18 on third-down attempts and 1-4 on fourth down, which all but destroyed the Aggies' chances of moving the ball down the field, especially in the second half. If Marcel Reed remains the team's starting quarterback, the offensive line and OC Holmon Wiggins must perfect the quick passing game to get the ball out of Reed's hands seconds after the snap.

If the offense can convert short-to-intermediate third downs better, I expect the run game to reestablish consistency against The Citadel on Saturday, while the quick game is the only option for Marcel Reed to improve as a passer, if that's even in the realm of possibility. Mike Elko plans to stick with the junior quarterback and will be pressured to move the ball downfield and convert third downs at a much higher rate.

Mike Elko needs to take criticism better

Mike Elko isn't happy, and he matches the frustration of a dedicated fan base after another blowout road loss in which the Aggies managed just six points. However, it's fair to say that after signing a lucrative extension this offseason that will pay Elko over $10 million this year, taking criticism after losses is just part of the gig.

Every Texas A&M fan and alum knows TexAgs and the company's famous message board, which Elko targeted, along with TexAgs co-founder Billy Liucci, saying that "Billy's cesspool" doesn't represent the full Texas A&M support system.

After making the College Football Playoff last season, it's understandable to feel confused or angry after watching Texas A&M through six games. Mike Elko is being paid like a top-10 head coach to fix these issues and answer football-related questions after every win or loss.

It's hard to say whether Mike Elko is losing support from the majority of the fan base, but these comments don't help.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything we learned after Texas A&M's 27-6 road loss to Missouri