Lions 25 - Stampeders 24 -- Post Game Stats and Comments

[TheLionKing]

I'm glad they won. But man, I'm ready to see Travis back behind Center.

Heard that Lulay is expected to be on the roster against Hamilton.

[Hawkballer 14]

Heard that Lulay is expected to be on the roster against Hamilton.

Is that "Clipboard and ballcap" on the roster or "Running with the 1s"?

From where I'm sitting, I want Travis back at 100% for the Saskatchewan game (7/24). I'd be fine with giving Kevin Glenn the next two games (vs. Hamilton, @ Toronto), would much rather we didn't rush #14 back for a week 7 game at the expense of his week 15 (and beyond) health.

[swervynmerv]

I'm glad they won. But man, I'm ready to see Travis back behind Center.

Heard that Lulay is expected to be on the roster against Hamilton.[/quote

Ideally, Glenn would start and the Lions get a big lead so they could ease Lulay into game action by having him run some series or a quarter.

[David]

I respectfully disagree Hawkballer14, as I would be in favour of easing Lulay in (depending on how he's feeling of course) rather than "saving" him for the Rider game.

It's going to take some time to get the timing back and the rust off. I don't want him to be put in a situation whereby too much is expected against the Riders in a very big match-up.


DH

[Hawkballer 14]

I respectfully disagree Hawkballer14, as I would be in favour of easing Lulay in (depending on how he's feeling of course) rather than "saving" him for the Rider game.

It's going to take some time to get the timing back and the rust off. I don't want him to be put in a situation whereby too much is expected against the Riders in a very big match-up.


DH

Doesn't mean that #14 can't split reps with the 1s in practice over the next two weeks...

[cromartie]

It's difficult to isolate variables and blame a person, but I think there's a distinct problem with too much of the offense being predicated on getting receivers the ball between the hashes.

That has a lot of causes, a lot of which are likely feeding off of each other. Some of it is play design. Some of it is poor offensive line play. Some of it is outside guys not being open (but not much, I'm being charitable.). But a lot of it is likely because that's the only portion of the field (intermediate range, between the hash marks, unless we're inside the 20) where Glenn feels comfortable throwing the ball.

The game winning TD pass came because the receiver was open. Why was the receiver open? Because he was 1) deep and 2) outside the hash marks and 3) Glenn had time to make the read and throw the pass. The reason he was open was because the defenders didn't respect where he was and were cheating both short and toward the center of the field. (And I think this was pointed out by someone in the game thread). This has gone on since pre-season and was a staple of the passing game in the preseason win over Calgyra. This passing offense looks very much like the one we had in Travis' first full season in 2010.

I don't totally disagree with hawkballer14, but the key to the passing game is less about just getting EA open and more about getting everyone open at different points on the field.

Also, you know that play where we start with a five man offensive line and the slotback comes in to block a defender from the short side right before the ball is snapped?
Can we never ever ever ever ever ever ever run that bleeping play again, please?

[cromartie]

Also, I had the last part of the game on in a bar without sound in San Diego (well, the bar had sound, but the televisions didn't). Was there any discussion on whether that was absolutely a fumble or not?

[TheLionKing]

Heard that Lulay is expected to be on the roster against Hamilton.

Is that "Clipboard and ballcap" on the roster or "Running with the 1s"?

I suspect that it's going to be the former.

[Hawkballer 14]

Also, you know that play where we start with a five man offensive line and the slotback comes in to block a defender from the short side right before the ball is snapped?

Can we never ever ever ever ever ever ever run that bleeping play again, please?

Unless we're using said SB to chip and release into the flats after a play action fake by the QB and RB...Easy pitch and catch...

[leo4life]

Thankfull for the win but Lions remain in the cellar with the Rider rout of Ottawa....they need to go on a winning streak just to keep pace and some loses to the Riders Stamps and Edmonton to move up....Hamilton will be desperate next Friday...no easy games

[SammyGreene]

Thankfull for the win but Lions remain in the cellar with the Rider rout of Ottawa....they need to go on a winning streak just to keep pace and some loses to the Riders Stamps and Edmonton to move up....Hamilton will be desperate next Friday...no easy games

Yep. A reality check is a look at the West Division standings this morning even after Friday's big win. Hard to describe a game in early August as a "must win" but losing to the Stamps (without Cornish) to slid to 2-4 (1-3 overall in the West) would have been quite the hole to climb out of.

Looks like little chance to take the foot off the gas pedal this year. For that reason, if Travis is completely cleared to play (can absorb hits, 90-100 percent arm strength) then I expect him to play half a game on Friday and start in Toronto. That would hopefully get him firing close to all cylinders for what is shaping up as a huge game Aug. 24 against the Riders.

Lions can simply no longer afford to have these long spells of being unproductive. Friday marked the 4th time already this season the Lions offence has gone at least 2 straight quarters without scoring a TD. It might sputter under Lulay too but at least now we get to find out. Glenn's decision making in the red zone is flat out scary at times. Either forcing balls into coverage or ridiculous over throws.

Other thoughts on Friday's win:

- Eric Taylor was a beast and seems to get better with age. Just think how good the Lions interior defensive line play could be if Mitchell ever returned to his 2011 form or even at that level of last season. Guess I'm expecting more than we are getting out of #96 thus far.

- If there was a chemistry issue last season between Solo and Bighill because they essentially played the same position, it doesn't imply to this year. Solo has 21 more tackles than his nearest rival in the league who happens to be Bighill. Really?

- Not since the days of Cory Mantyka have we seen a Canadian as a fixture at tackle on the Lions offensive line. Didn't think I would ever see it again under Dorazio but it would be absolutely huge for the Lions ratio flexibility if Hunter Steward is the real deal and Fabian is back up to full speed — regularly starting 4 Canadians.

- Ricky Schmidt might just be the Lions best free agent signing in recent memory. It's taking opponents typically 2 first downs (at least 15 yards) to gain back the field position the Lions regularly gave up with McCallum handling kickoff and punts last season. Well worth with an international spot.

- Logan is the Lions best import running back option and Brown is their best kick return option. Downfield blocking has hardly been supportive but Logan use to be able to outrun the initial tackle or two. Now he seems to be getting tracked down usually running the wrong way where Brown always seems to be going north/south. Logan is 33 with the biggest workload of his pro career.

[Hambone]

Thankfull for the win but Lions remain in the cellar with the Rider rout of Ottawa....they need to go on a winning streak just to keep pace and some loses to the Riders Stamps and Edmonton to move up....Hamilton will be desperate next Friday...no easy games

Yep. A reality check is a look at the West Division standings this morning even after Friday's big win. Hard to describe a game in early August as a "must win" but losing to the Stamps (without Cornish) to slid to 2-4 (1-3 overall in the West) would have been quite the hole to climb out of.

Looks like little chance to take the foot off the gas pedal this year. For that reason, if Travis is completely cleared to play (can absorb hits, 90-100 percent arm strength) then I expect him to play half a game on Friday and start in Toronto. That would hopefully get him firing close to all cylinders for what is shaping up as a huge game Aug. 24 against the Riders.

Lions can simply no longer afford to have these long spells of being unproductive. Friday marked the 4th time already this season the Lions offence has gone at least 2 straight quarters without scoring a TD. It might sputter under Lulay too but at least now we get to find out. Glenn's decision making in the red zone is flat out scary at times. Either forcing balls into coverage or ridiculous over throws.

Other thoughts on Friday's win:

- Eric Taylor was a beast and seems to get better with age. Just think how good the Lions interior defensive line play could be if Mitchell ever returned to his 2011 form or even at that level of last season. Guess I'm expecting more than we are getting out of #96 thus far.

- If there was a chemistry issue last season between Solo and Bighill because they essentially played the same position, it doesn't imply to this year. Solo has 21 more tackles than his nearest rival in the league who happens to be Bighill. Really?

- Not since the days of Cory Mantyka have we seen a Canadian as a fixture at tackle on the Lions offensive line. Didn't think I would ever see it again under Dorazio but it would be absolutely huge for the Lions ratio flexibility if Hunter Steward is the real deal and Fabian is back up to full speed — regularly starting 4 Canadians.

- Ricky Schmidt might just be the Lions best free agent signing in recent memory. It's taking opponents typically 2 first downs (at least 15 yards) to gain back the field position the Lions regularly gave up with McCallum handling kickoff and punts last season. Well worth with an international spot.

- Logan is the Lions best import running back option and Brown is their best kick return option. Downfield blocking has hardly been supportive but Logan use to be able to outrun the initial tackle or two. Now he seems to be getting tracked down usually running the wrong way where Brown always seems to be going north/south. Logan is 33 with the biggest workload of his pro career.

Taylor is like a fine wine. Seems to be getting better with age.

If there was a chemistry issue with Sol E and Biggie last year I think it was due to injuries making it difficult to get chemistry. In the first 11 games they played together only 5 times as one or the other was injured for 6 games. They were together for the final 7 games then #56 missed the WSF.

Steward looked real strong Friday and seemed to have no problems whatsoever with Hughes or whomever else Calgary lined up on that side. I can't recall any Stampeder rusher from Steward's side getting even as much as a pinkie finger on Glenn. I don't know how he graded out when they break down the film but it would have to be very high. IMO he's looking better than Archibald did at any point last season.

I don't think I can point much blame on Logan. I didn't see much support. Usually there was a wave of 6+ red jerseys coming to greet him with no more than 2 white jerseys offering passive resistance. I'm not having issues with Logan as much as the Lions return blocking scheme. The two wide guys whose job it is to run interference on Calgary's gunners seemed to be the only guys back to help when Logan catches the ball. The rest seem to arrive at the party late. If they're constantly running behind opponent's coverage players instead of beside them no wonder we're seeing so many illegal block calls.

[WestCoastJoe]

From Lowell Ullrich in the Province, Sunday edition ...

“Tonight’s win is as big a win as I can remember,” said the injured quarterback.

“It took us making plays, and handling the emotional roller-coaster of scoring a long touchdown and having it taken away.

“For how much we needed this win, for the confidence of this group and just where this team is at right now, it was huge.” -- Travis Lulay

Oh yeah. Huge. 2 and 4, and playoffs look like a pipe dream.

A fourth-quarter major by Harris, in which he did almost all of the heavy lifting by producing 74 yards on a 91-yard drive, wasn’t enough either.

The killer play looked as if it would be a 75-yard touchdown run by Harris that was wiped out by a holding penalty to Shawn Gore that left the Lions outraged with Andre Proulx and his officiating crew.

“If that’s a penalty, we can’t play football because every play’s a penalty,” one receiver said. “Someone needs to be accountable. Bleep like that can’t happen. At that point, we weren’t just playing Calgary.”

“I’m still beside myself on the call,” coach Mike Benevides said. “If we can’t come back and win, that could cost you a ton.”

Beside himself? Or storming up and down the sideline? Or twenty yards onto the field? Not exactly stoic is our Mike Benevides.

It took the second turnover of the game by Yell, a forced fumble with 51 seconds left, before the Lions could exhale and realize they now have a better record on the road than at home. Glenn’s ninth interception in six games, a pass turned into a touchdown by former Calgary teammate Keon Raymond, didn’t prove to be fatal.

This Yell is making quite an impression. As are the new J Johnson and T Williams. And even Mr. Bazzie. Did Mark W have the final say in which guys stay? If so, he is showing some excellent talent judgment.

It wasn’t a win handed to them by Calgary, which had only given up 20 points once in four games that was the best four-game stretch by a Stamps defence in 43 years.

It was one engineered by Harris, who had 143 combined yards from 20 touches even without the penalized big gain, and Glenn, because the quarterback had much better offensive line protection.

“I really felt we manned up,” said Harris, whose team amazingly is now 24-2 when he has more than 10 rushing carries in a game.

Andrew Harris. Oh yeah. Simply awesome.

But in the wake of a 23-6 home loss to the Bombers a week earlier, the Lions showed some backbone that should become stronger. Though Lulay threw effortlessly Saturday in a filmed walk-through, Benevides wasn’t about to name him a starter Friday against Hamilton.

I would not be in a hurry throwing Travis Lulay to the wolves. At this time, Glenn might still be our better option. Much, much quicker release. He seems very durable. He protects himself. We need more than all star MOP quarterback play. We need to show some more versatile offence. We need to get the wideouts more involved. Even the long pass to Jackson was no gimme. Calgary was in a stupor at that time. Stunned by the intensity and lethal efficiency of Harris IMO. The two guys knocked each other down. If they had tackled Jackson, we would have had to work very, very hard to get into the end zone.

We will take the win. We worked our tails off. Good things can happen when you do that. And when you have a warrior such as Andrew Harris.

[DanoT]

Steward, Hadrick, Bazzie, Yell, Josh Jonhson all rookie starters plus Williams as a rookie rotational dimeback; have the Lions ever had so many rookie starters? All seem to be playing pretty well.

Also rookie OC and DC.

With the season now 1/3 over, soon they won't be rookies.

[green road kill]

CALGARY GUT CHECK PASSING GAME AND THE OLINE

The game friday was simply that a gut check by the leo's. Down 21 to 10 at the halve they could have packed there tents and went home.But instead came out in the 2nd halve and took it to the Stumps. They showed us and maybey themselves what they are maid of,and gave us hope fore the rest of the season.

Glen showed that given a chance he can lead this team.The biggest spear in the heart of the offence has been the Oline.This last game against Calgary I was shocked bye how well they played,and how well they handled the Calgary pass rush.

This improved Oline is going to do a lot to open the play book, the reason fore the short quick passes between the hash marks is time.Deeper paterns and wide side outs take time, time fore the play to devlope and time fore the QB to read the pattern.No QB is going to stand there and get pounded waiting fore a reciever to get open or a play to develope.

The better they get the better the offence will be . The Qbs (Glen or Lulay ) will have more cofidence in them. The more confidence the have the more of the play book they will use. This will make them a lot harder to defend against.

Remember this about the game on Friday given a chance to fold they fought. The D slamd the door on Mr. BOLIEVE and our O took it to THE ALMIGHTY STUMPLER D.