About our defence - Wally is sounding like the Lions DC

[B.C.FAN]

I was looking at some the league's weekly stats and it's amazing how poorly the B.C. defence ranks across the board, not just in the key categories that get most of the attention. I've grouped the categories by the Lions' ranking.

Net yards/game: 407 (last)
Pass yards/game: 305 (last)
Avg. gain/pass: 9.1 (last)
YAC surrendered: 1,022 (last)
QB sacks: 13 (last)
Big plays (DEF): 25 (last)
Big pass plays: 17 (last)
Big rush plays: 8 (last)
2 & outs: 27 (last)
Avg. gain 2nd DN: 7.5 (last)

Rush yards/game: 118 (T-last)
TDs (DEF only): 20 (T-last)

Points (DEF only): 27.6 (8th)
Passing TDs: 16 (8th)
Turnovers: 11 (8th)
2nd down conversion %: 54.1 (8th)
Rd zone TD %: 63.2 (8th)
Completion %: 70.9 (8th)
Pass efficiency: 109.6 (8th)

Avg. gain/rush: 5.8 (T-7th)

Plays from scrimmage: 399 (7th)
Avg. gain 1st DN: 7.1 (7th)

Rushing TDs: 4 (T-5th)

[TheLionKing]

Heard on 1040 that Buono's priority is to get a rush end, a linebacker (to replace Elimimian) and a "dominant" defensive back.

[Blitz]

Heard on 1040 that Buono's priority is to get a rush end, a linebacker (to replace Elimimian) and a "dominant" defensive back.

He had an entire off-season to get a rush end and a 'dominant' defensive back. We also have excellent back up linebackers in Hoffman Ellis and Lokombo. Ellis could have been starting on most CFL teams well before tomorrow night and Lokombo has excellent potential. All we need is a depth linebacker at present and we don't use our linebackers properly anyway.

[Rammer]

Heard on 1040 that Buono's priority is to get a rush end, a linebacker (to replace Elimimian) and a "dominant" defensive back.

Calgary releasing Jasper Simmons should be an easy pick up if Wally wants some insider knowledge of the Stamps systems.

[DanoT]

Heard on 1040 that Buono's priority is to get a rush end, a linebacker (to replace Elimimian) and a "dominant" defensive back.

Calgary releasing Jasper Simmons should be an easy pick up if Wally wants some insider knowledge of the Stamps systems.

Calgary released Simmons because he had his agent complain on twitter about lack of playing time and a resultant locker room problem. Wally will not want this type of player especially since his roll will be the same as it was in Calgary.

[WestCoastJoe]

Heard on 1040 that Buono's priority is to get a rush end, a linebacker (to replace Elimimian) and a "dominant" defensive back.

He had an entire off-season to get a rush end and a 'dominant' defensive back. We also have excellent back up linebackers in Hoffman Ellis and Lokombo. Ellis could have been starting on most CFL teams well before tomorrow night and Lokombo has excellent potential. All we need is a depth linebacker at present and we don't use our linebackers properly anyway.

It is the view of this fan that coming from the factories of the US college system, there is no shortage of rush ends, LBs nor skilled DBs available. The tricky part is judging them, and getting them to fit into your defensive system.

Rush ends? Our cupboard is somewhat thin. Khreem is ancient, but still effective. Bazzie is a puzzle --> undersized, inconsistent, ineffective against the run? Jabar is out of position.

LBs --> Wasted in our system. Not primed to attack. Primed to cover passes in a zone defence. Primed to chase from sideline to sideline.

DBs --> It is the opinion of this fan that our DBs are a pretty good group. We give them no help with pressure on the QB. No one can cover in the CFL without pressure on the QB.

Safety? In Mark W's time here, we have never developed a National Safety. Never. We have tried two FAs: J.R. LaRose and Chris Rawbukamba and draft picks Tad Crawford and Cauchy Muamba. Poor results across the board. Playing 20 yards deep is part of the problem: the Safety ends up away from the play, even on very deep passes.
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Just in the opinion of this fan of the Lions and of the CFL ...

[B.C.FAN]

Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette got a rare interview Wednesday with Mark Washington about the Lions' defensive struggles. The problems all come down to inexperience and poor execution, according to Washington.

“We knew offence throughout the league was going to go up … the numbers. It was legislated (through rule changes). We understand that,” said Washington, who spent six seasons in the Als’ secondary beginning in 1997 and is now in his second year as the Lions’ DC. “We have a number of young players on a defence that have never played in the CFL. They’re still learning how to play here, how to play in our defence.

“And we just haven’t played well enough. It has nothing to do with the rule changes or schematic things,” Washington continued. “We’re the ones who are dropping coverages or not being in our gaps. That causes big plays.”

'We just haven't played well enough', says Lions' defensive coordinator

[WestCoastJoe]

Mark learned from his mentor, Wally Buono. Same philosophy. Same media speak. One can always blame execution.

Mark W is the Defensive Coordinator. And Wally Buono is the Defensive Overseer. The Lions run the defence that Wally Buono wants. He would not have it any other way. Otherwise, why dump Rich Stubler? All Stubler gave us was one of the best, if not the absolute best, defences in CFL history.

Wally's formula for excellent defence: 4 man pass rush. 8 men back in a zone. No "tricks" such as blitzes or overloads or fake blitzes, or any of that "modern" stuff.

[WestCoastJoe]

A lot of these themes run together. Copying this over to this thread ...

Sekeres had the session with the Defensive Coordinator, Wally. (OK, Wally is not the DC. How about Defensive Overseer?) Wally showed him how the D Line was performing valiantly, without the aid of blitzing or overloads or fakes. True that. 4 man rush. 8 men back in zone pass coverage. Because the D Line performs valiantly, in Wally's view the pass rush is excellent. Not in the view of some fans, nor the statisticians, nor the OCs around the league.

In a professional league, the GM should not be breaking down film on the D's performance for a media guy (if anyone, it should be the HC or the D-coordinator) and the GM's daughter should not be filming said session and uploading to Periscope. IMHO.


DH

I agree, David. That is way, way too much hands on by the GM. Totally undermines the DC and the HC. One can understand Wally being angry at the media and fans for criticizing his chosen Defensive Coordinator, his protégé, Mark Washington. But all this does is show who really sets the tone for the defence. And it ain't Mark W. And it ain't Jeff Tedford.

One issue: Is our defensive system adequate in today's CFL? The statistics would say no.

Anther issue: Who is running our defence? Who sets the philosophy? This heavy handed showing of tape to Sekeres seems to indicate that Wally sets the tone for the defence.

Another issue: If one attempts to make a case by showing tape, and putting it out there in public, it should be done professionally. It should be easy to hear and easy to see the plays. Amateur hour performance.

Calling in Sekeres in this manner is very counter productive to making a case for the defence. It tends to show what is ailing this franchise. Hands on management. Interference. Old style thinking. Stubbornness. Arrogance. Et cetera ...

The Lions' franchise is not Wally's personal play thing. It belongs to Braley. But in the bigger picture the franchise belongs to the community.

The entire episode is kind of shameful.

Just IMO ...

[TheLionKing]

Mark Washington is beginning to sound like Buono: It's not the schemes but the execution.

[maxlion]

Blaming execution is the same as saying it's the players. I really don't know if it's the players or the scheme--probably some of both--but it doesn't sound good for either the GM or coach to put it on the players in public. That said, the play of the safety and DBs has been poor, in my opinion. Parks, Yell, Lee all getting beaten by receivers on a regular basis.

[WestCoastJoe]

Copying this over here, as it relates to the defence ...

“We knew offence throughout the league was going to go up … the numbers. It was legislated (through rule changes). We understand that,” said Washington, who spent six seasons in the Als’ secondary beginning in 1997 and is now in his second year as the Lions’ DC. “We have a number of young players on a defence that have never played in the CFL. They’re still learning how to play here, how to play in our defence.

“And we just haven’t played well enough. It has nothing to do with the rule changes or schematic things,” Washington continued. “We’re the ones who are dropping coverages or not being in our gaps. That causes big plays.”

* "We knew offence throughout the league was going to go up … the numbers. It was legislated"
Same for each team. We trail every team in the league in defence.

* “And we just haven’t played well enough."
Put it on the players. Blame it on poor execution. Even if that was all it was, it is up to the coaches to choose the players and train them.

* "It has nothing to do with the rule changes or schematic things"
Disagree. When 8 men drop back, the team does not bring the pressure on the QB that a blitzing team such as the Alouettes can bring. And even with the running game, when 8 men drop back, it is less effective in trying to stop the running game. LBs and DBs backpedaling are not in great position to stop a strong run game. 251 yards by the Alouettes on the ground.
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Some teams choose to light us up with the pass.

The Alouettes chose to light us up with the run. Cato is a raw rookie. Good choice. He looked at the zone and threw an immediate pick six.

Experienced QBs can obviously hit the seams in our zone, even with 8 (or 9) guys back there.

And it seems to this fan that our zone, with only 5 or 6 in the box, and LBs in pass coverage, is very, very vulnerable to the run.

It is a Swiss Cheese Defence.

[DanoT]

Copying this over here, as it relates to the defence ...

“We knew offence throughout the league was going to go up … the numbers. It was legislated (through rule changes). We understand that,” said Washington, who spent six seasons in the Als’ secondary beginning in 1997 and is now in his second year as the Lions’ DC. “We have a number of young players on a defence that have never played in the CFL. They’re still learning how to play here, how to play in our defence.

“And we just haven’t played well enough. It has nothing to do with the rule changes or schematic things,” Washington continued. “We’re the ones who are dropping coverages or not being in our gaps. That causes big plays.”

* "We knew offence throughout the league was going to go up … the numbers. It was legislated"
Same for each team. We trail every team in the league in defence.

* “And we just haven’t played well enough."
Put it on the players. Blame it on poor execution. Even if that was all it was, it is up to the coaches to choose the players and train them.

* "It has nothing to do with the rule changes or schematic things"
Disagree. When 8 men drop back, the team does not bring the pressure on the QB that a blitzing team such as the Alouettes can bring. And even with the running game, when 8 men drop back, it is less effective in trying to stop the running game. LBs and DBs backpedaling are not in great position to stop a strong run game. 251 yards by the Alouettes on the ground.
.............

Some teams choose to light us up with the pass.

The Alouettes chose to light us up with the run. Cato is a raw rookie. Good choice. He looked at the zone and threw an immediate pick six.

Experienced QBs can obviously hit the seams in our zone, even with 8 (or 9) guys back there.

And it seems to this fan that our zone, with only 5 or 6 in the box, and LBs in pass coverage, is very, very vulnerable to the run.

It is a Swiss Cheese Defence.

Lockdown U has morphed into the Swiss Cheese D. Love it.