CFL Playoff Games -- November 23, 2014

[WestCoastJoe]

DC ...

Doege on 46

Ramsey and Hardrick LT and LG

Poblah, Jackson, Manny, Gore and Haidara

Tuinei on 46

Antolin

Westerman and Menard

No Mitchell

[B.C.FAN]

According to LU, Tim Brown will be scratched to get Levassier Tuinei onto the roster but it will take some complicated juggling to get Tuinei on the field. As they have done in recent games, the Lions plan to start five Canadians on offence and two on defence. Arceneaux and Jackson are listed as international starters. For Tuinei to get on the field as a third international receiver, Antolin will likely have to come out. That means we'll see a lot of empty backfield, six-receiver sets or five-receiver sets with Lumbala as a blocking back. Either way, we'll have to take a valuable weapon in Antolin off the field. And we'll have to be prepared to handle a dangerous Winnipeg pass rush without a starting running back as a checkdown receiver.

[DanoT]

According to LU, Tim Brown will be scratched to get Levassier Tuinei onto the roster but it will take some complicated juggling to get Tuinei on the field. As they have done in recent games, the Lions plan to start five Canadians on offence and two on defence. Arceneaux and Jackson are listed as international starters. For Tuinei to get on the field as a third international receiver, Antolin will likely have to come out. That means we'll see a lot of empty backfield, six-receiver sets or five-receiver sets with Lumbala as a blocking back. Either way, we'll have to take a valuable weapon in Antolin off the field. And we'll have to be prepared to handle a dangerous Winnipeg pass rush without a starting running back as a checkdown receiver.

Good thing Lumbala is an effective receiver as well as blocker.

[B.C.FAN]

According to LU, Tim Brown will be scratched to get Levassier Tuinei onto the roster but it will take some complicated juggling to get Tuinei on the field. As they have done in recent games, the Lions plan to start five Canadians on offence and two on defence. Arceneaux and Jackson are listed as international starters. For Tuinei to get on the field as a third international receiver, Antolin will likely have to come out. That means we'll see a lot of empty backfield, six-receiver sets or five-receiver sets with Lumbala as a blocking back. Either way, we'll have to take a valuable weapon in Antolin off the field. And we'll have to be prepared to handle a dangerous Winnipeg pass rush without a starting running back as a checkdown receiver.

Good thing Lumbala is an effective receiver as well as blocker.

Yes, Lumbala has done a good job when called upon, but he has not often been used as a receiver out of the backfield. He has 9 catches in 15 games. Antolin has 9 catches in 2 games.

[WestCoastJoe]

According to LU, Tim Brown will be scratched to get Levassier Tuinei onto the roster but it will take some complicated juggling to get Tuinei on the field. As they have done in recent games, the Lions plan to start five Canadians on offence and two on defence. Arceneaux and Jackson are listed as international starters. For Tuinei to get on the field as a third international receiver, Antolin will likely have to come out. That means we'll see a lot of empty backfield, six-receiver sets or five-receiver sets with Lumbala as a blocking back. Either way, we'll have to take a valuable weapon in Antolin off the field. And we'll have to be prepared to handle a dangerous Winnipeg pass rush without a starting running back as a checkdown receiver.

I would like to see what Lochard brings as a running back. He is always on the 46.

Suit him up. Spot him at RB, with Tuinei as receiver.

[TheLionKing]

Bit surprised that Arceneaux is slated to start given reports that he wasn't practicing ....

[Toppy Vann]

The ruling that London was down before the fumble was in my view was not enough evidence as I think Black got it right the first time - not enough evidence to overturn it.

Then instead of Rick Campbell getting angry (controlled) he stupidly challenges the ruling and loses a timeout. That is the ONE situation where a coach should show even if feigned - anger - so that his team knows he actually cares. That is the safety valve so your guys don't do it. I never tolerated my players taking cards BUT I'd take a fine and let a bad ref know what I thought. That way players kept their heads in the game.

[TheLionKing]

That was a bizaare challenge by Rick Campbell. Did he really expect the officials to overrule the first review ?

[sj-roc]

Cgy's 40-27 win over Ssk just concluded keeps alive our chances for 2nd place. Next item on that to-do list, a win over Wpg tomorrow evening.

[B.C.FAN]

The Stampeders did the Lions a favour with their 40-27 victory over Saskatchewan but Kerry Joseph and the Riders made it interesting until penalties and turnovers led to 25 unanswered Calgary points in the fourth quarter.

For a while, thought John Hufnagel would cost his team the game by gambling on a 2-point convert with over 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the Stamps trailing 27-21. The 2-point attempt failed. In the CFL, there many ways to score points in a short period of time. A team should never go for a 2-point convert with that much time left. As it turned out, the Stamps scored 19 points after that failed convert, which just goes to show that it was an unnecessary gamble at the time.

[notahomer]

The Als/Redblacks game was one where I thought perhaps the Redblacks COULD rise to the occassion. Strong opening drive and Burris finally gets to be part of a RedBlack TD @ TD PLACE.
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Really baffled at the challenge of the review. Unfortunately this has worked in the past (Argos won such a challenge!). Part of the problem IMO, with a lot of these calls are so close that EVEN WITH REPLAY, what was called on the field helps determine the call of replay because its so close, you go with what is called on the field.
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Really thought the Stamps were going to fritter the second game away. Later on they suddenly seemed to tie up their work boots and away you go.

However, maybe it was Joseph and the Riders who deserve the credit for the Rider-implosion late in the game. The Rider running game just looked like a well oiled machine but then it stopped? Personally glad but still baffled as to how quickly they went away from what seemed to work just fine....

[notahomer]

Based on how ALL the eastern teams played this week (but especially the Ticats/Argos) not so sure how'll the eastern rep will do in the Grey Cup. Toronto looked solid to start, then the Ticats rebounded before the Argos finally put the Hamilton away. Too many what ifs, dropsies etc...

Basing the playoffs on the best QB....Argos
Basing the playoffs on the best coaches slight edge to the Ticats
Basing the playoffs on who probably looks best as of this week...Als, I guess. So maybe whichever Western team crosses over, may make it into the final game. However, sj-roc's points about the timezones make sense, especially for the Lions. Thats a long way to go...

As of today..... Riders would play Argos http://cfl.ca/standings/2014/reg

[WestCoastJoe]

Ham @ Ott. Take Ham

Win @ Cal. Calgary.

BC @ Edm. Lions. Somehow. Some way. Defence and talent.

Tor @ Mon. Wow. Just don't know. Usually I would say Toronto. OK, Toronto.

[WestCoastJoe]

Who knows what to expect from us this game?

Fully motivated? Flat?

High octane offence? Doldrums?

Good pass protection? A sieve?

Good running game scheme? Brick wall?

Good defence. Yes. Expected.

Professional performance by Kevin Glenn. Yes.

Good game plan on offence. Not sure.

Special performance by STs. Dunno ...

But, looking forward to the game. A chance to enter the playoffs with a victory.

It's always hard to know, isn't it WCJ?

To me, as it has all season, it mostly comes down to our offence. I wish we hadn't had the bye week, coming off such a good offensive performance against Ottawa. Crossing my fingers we can play that well offensively again tonite.

Brought this over from last week.

Once again, Blitz, not sure what to expect from our Lions, as an overall team.

We do expect excellent defence. We do expect Hardrick to drive guys across the field. Hopefully Kevin Glenn can play.

Here are some musings by Ed Willes of the Province ...

■ This much we know about the B.C. Lions.

They have a championship-calibre defence, playmakers at the receiver position, an emerging running back in Keola Antolin and fully functional special teams. In short, they have the makings of a good team. Somewhere.

So why do they look like an unholy mess from week to week? Saturday they beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Winnpeg while taking 22 penalties for 155 yards. Who does that? And it’s not like this is the first time that question has been asked this season. From game to game, quarter to quarter, play to play, you never know what you’re going to get from the Lions. That makes them exciting, sort of. It also makes them completely unnerving to watch.

They’re in the playoffs now and, given their strengths, they’re a team no one will want to face. You’re just not sure which of their teams is going to show up.

Fully Functional Special Teams? Ummmm ... gonna get some different views there. What a shame to have Iannuzzi's monster TD return called back.

[TheLionKing]

Special teams play, stupid penalties and inconsistent offence has been the bane of the Lions all season.