Lions 26 - Eskimos 23, Blog, Post Game Stats and Comments

[B.C.FAN]

I called Lulay "dodgy" which in retrospect was pretty unfair. Edmonton was a big test for this team and they passed the test, largely thanks to Lulay's late game heroics. I still have faith and respect for him at QB, just gives me nerves some of his inconsistent throws I guess I am worried about the shoulder.

Good point. That's a very good Edmonton defense that gave up considerably more yards and points than their season average. I was somewhat critical of Lulay in my above post, but make no mistake. Travis is the leader of this team. I was surprised to read the narrative in the media this week that the fan base "was looking for a change at quarterback." Critical, yes. But nobody here to the best of my knowledge was advocating that. Per my post, I just think platooning Beck when Lulay gets bogged down may not be a bad strategy. Travis is typically sharp very early and off target later on, which tells me it could be due to shoulder fatigue.


DH

Agreed. Lulay hit two long TD passes against the league's top-ranked defence, and they were both huge plays. Going into this week, Lulay had completed only one TD pass of over 30 yards, a 46-yarder to Collie in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to help set up the OT victory over Saskatchewan in the second game of the season.

[Sir Purrcival]

I would agree with the notion of pulling Lulay for a series or two when he has struggled as he did last game. Just to let him look at it from a different perspective. As for changing the QB? Pffft, last time I looked, the QB cupboard was pretty bare. It's not like we have a Trevor Harris waiting in the wings to step up. Travis deserves some more loyalty than that. I do hope that he recovers some of his earlier form as he has worked hard and is also I believe putting some of his long term health at risk with that shoulder. Those considerations aside, any BU needs a few meaningful reps now and again and this may be especially true for Beck who missed a lot of time early in the season with a blood disorder. If the shoulder doesn't hold up, then we may need our backup big time and I would prefer that BU have a little game time under his belt.

[BC 1988]

I would agree with the notion of pulling Lulay for a series or two when he has struggled as he did last game. Just to let him look at it from a different perspective. As for changing the QB? Pffft, last time I looked, the QB cupboard was pretty bare. It's not like we have a Trevor Harris waiting in the wings to step up. Travis deserves some more loyalty than that. I do hope that he recovers some of his earlier form as he has worked hard and is also I believe putting some of his long term health at risk with that shoulder. Those considerations aside, any BU needs a few meaningful reps now and again and this may be especially true for Beck who missed a lot of time early in the season with a blood disorder. If the shoulder doesn't hold up, then we may need our backup big time and I would prefer that BU have a little game time under his belt.

I concur. The Lions need to evaluate their backup QBs (and also see if Travis benefits from being rested for periods during games).
I think the reasons this hasn't been happening are:
They haven't had a comfortable lead or been completely out of any games by the second half so far this season.
Tedford doesn't want to show he has a lack of confidence in Travis' abilities.
Tedford may feel it's better to keep Travis in a "sink or swim" environment.
Tedford may be really averse to the platoon strategy at the QB position. (other than for short yardage plays, It isn't very popular in the CFL or NFL).

[MexicoLionFan]

Its amazing the effect that a win and a couple of days can have on most fans...Lulay did hit 2 long TD passes against EDM, but MISSED on literally 18 others. There were EIGHT throws of 30 yards or more that Lulay missed on and would have resulted in either TDs or FGs, where his receivers were roaming free. He simply cannot be applauded for hitting on TWO of them. Lulay did show character in that final drive, but it was a helter skelter exercise for Travis to get to the point where he hit Harris for the game winning throw.

As I posted earlier, and I don't think a single other fan has decided to touch, I can't recall witnessing, ever, a Defence that for an entire game was prepared to give up the deep throw so that they could cheat within the box. This ended up bitting Jone's in the butt only because his Offence completely fell apart in the 2nd half after the injury to Bowman. The fact is, Lulay's performance was ABYSMAL and anyone thinking it was different is simply trying to spin what their eyes saw. It wasn't as if EDM had the Lions offence in lock down. Harris ran for 80 yards in the 1st half and over 120 for the game, he had a little under 200 yards from scrimmage for the game. PLUS, the Lion's receivers were WIDE OPEN all over EDM's deep secondary...WIDE OPEN! This is the single reason why the Lions threw so many deep balls, and Lulay simply couldn't hit them.

As I have always said, sometimes a Win is the worst thing that can happen for a team on a downward slide, just like last year...so many wins last season were barely enough as excuses to forgive two horrid losses in a row....and thus the problem is allowed to continue when all we judge are wins and losses. Thursday's game should have been another loss for the Lions and would have much better reflected upon the massive problems that this team has, including with its QB. You simply CANNOT be called Professional, a starting QB, or a leader when you are the MAIN reason why the offence put its team in such a difficult position all game. Again, yes, Lulay led a rag-tag drive at the end of the game for the win, but if he simply hit wide open receivers down field during the game the Lions would have won by 20 going away!

And remember, I have ALWAYS been a staunch supporter of Travis Lulay, but the last few games he has been TERRIBLE and Thursday's performance wasn't good enough to befit a starting QB and team leader! This (and the Lions Defence and Special Teams) are the TRUTH of this season. Just like last season, a .500 record only masks and thus delays the major changes that are needed to become a playoff winner and continues this horrid stretch of play from the Lions as the fans dwindle and dwindle away.

[maxlion]

Lulay does well at avoiding pressure and making smart decisions. Accuracy especially on longer throws is terrible. I really wanted him replaced in the 2nd half of the game, but not sure that either back up would have been able to pull off the victory as Lulay did.

[Toppy Vann]

Although Collaros unleashed a long one this game (I didn't see it) for some 58 yards he's not been able to get the deep ball this season and he's atop the East Div with OTT, TOR.

My sense MLF is that Cortez either does not have enough in the way of schemes and plays that fit Lulay or he's just like some OCs - just keep calling the same old plays despite your QB's skill set.

Cortez hasn't seemed in my view to adjust to modern coaching thinking. Build your scheme around the talent available. He hasn't got the downfield REC threats like other teams nor a QB who is the best at it.

There were times in the last two games where it almost looks like Lulay is throwing downfield but doesn't believe in the toss himself as there are just too many bodies downfield to his 1 target REC. If you don't call plays to your QB's strengths and if he doesn't believe it - it will be ugly.

Dickinson has been working with Bo Levi Mitchell according to TSN to believe his eyes and take the throws and trust his REC to make the play.

I don't see Lulay able to follow that kind of instruction as the fight in this REC corps in my view just doesn't seem to be there.

Two players are trying (other than the O-line which is playing well with QB protection and they just quietly do their jobs) - Lulay and Harris - and the rest seem to be floaters. They gutted this team when you lose the character of Tim Brown, Stef Logan and they're not replaced. I just don't hear much togetherness messaging out of this Lion's OFF other than pre-game last week the HC and some saying what amounted to be a love in versus a deep commitment to everyone doing their job.

Watched the post game HAM and the comments from the DB who got two pick TDs on his b'day, Collaros and Austin - and the message is stronger in terms of the kind of commitment to the team and accountability and how they feed off each other. In the game Steinhauer the DC was quoted by Rod Black as saying they lost two GCs and are keeping up the intensity where players are on each other for failing in practice. I know what he means - it's not finger pointing as that's cancerous for losers - but in the best and winning teams the players enforce the intensity of the team in each other as you guys know.

The win was a good character builder but I want to see more things that Lulay can do and not watch him trying to force balls over and over to places he can't reach. But the concept of making a team play vertical for the bomb as well as have to defend you sideline to sideline is precisely what they need to do but you can do that with packages that work for your QB and I 'm not seeing that yet except the game with the zone read working and Lulay running - something they know is possible now.

Having said that - not developing a back up with some game time is insanity.

[cromartie]

As I posted earlier, and I don't think a single other fan has decided to touch, I can't recall witnessing, ever, a Defence that for an entire game was prepared to give up the deep throw so that they could cheat within the box.

I'm not going to disagree with you on your evaluation of Lulay's performance. If he's hitting open guys early, this is an entirely different game, even with the lack of pre-snap motion in the passing game. (There are some really cool pre-snap run motion plays, though).

But CFL teams for quite a few years regularly played a type of defence that did this. Off the top of my head, if you played against Marcus Crandell you ran this type of defense. (I'd point you specifically to a Calgary game at Hamilton in 2003 as an example that comes to mind). Don Matthews' defenses in Montreal were blitz heavy. He regularly rushed seven and single covered with Man. This was predicated on not giving you time to throw deep or daring you to.

Defenses regularly single cover the wide side out because most QBs don't have the arm strength to hit it consistently. That was part and parcel of playing against Montreal last year regardless of who was at QB.

[Blitz]

The win was a good character builder but I want to see more things that Lulay can do and not watch him trying to force balls over and over to places he can't reach. But the concept of making a team play vertical for the bomb as well as have to defend you sideline to sideline is precisely what they need to do but you can do that with packages that work for your QB and I 'm not seeing that yet except the game with the zone read working and Lulay running - something they know is possible now.

Having said that - not developing a back up with some game time is insanity.User avatar
Toppy Vann
Hall of Famer

Very interesting articles in the Province by Lowell Ullrich "B.C. Shuts Down the West’s Top Team when it Counted; Has the Defence Turned the Corner?"and Mike Beamish"Lions' Young Defence Beginning to Evolve".

Our Lions defense deserves credit for a very solid second half performance against Edmonton but one half of decent play, after 5 games and a first half of ineptitude against the Eskimos as the worst defense in the CFL, is not enough of a body of work to demonstrate that our defense is ready to play decently. A second factor is that the Eskimos did not challenge our defense deep in the second half, content to attempt to throw short dump off stuff underneath, as they held the lead, which played into our defenses hands.

Ullrich writes his article about our defense without sugar coating our defenses lack of success prior to the second half against Edmonton, stating our :

"Lions entered Thursday’s game with a 2-3 record and some defensive scorekeeping that was downright embarrassing. B.C. had given up the most average yards per game (424.4). Whether against the run (an average of 130.6 yards) or the pass (308.4), in both cases they were slotted ninth in a nine-team league. "

But, as per the long past, our Lions brass and coaches have done a very good job of spinning our defensive embarrassments being due to new players, youth, or a lack of execution.

The questions at the home of one coach may have stopped for the time being, even though Washington will resort to coachspeak to explain the turnaround to everyone else.“It’s just the guys learning how we want them to work our scheme,” he said. “If your scheme is 100 per cent set in concrete with no elasticity in it, you’re headed down the wrong road. “You’ve got to tweak the system and not see things through rose-coloured glasses, but for what they are. We’re very far of where we want to be, but you saw glimpses of how we can play.” B.C. didn’t make profound halftime adjustments prior to blanking Edmonton in the second half and may have simply benefited from the loss to injury of top receiver Adarius Bowman and the decision by Esks coach Chris Jones not to try a game-tying 48-yard field goal in the final minute. What they did, however, was defend the flat and tackle on checkdowns better than at any point this season.

“It’s not an excuse, but we’re six games in, and a lot of these guys haven’t seen Canadian ball and there’s a learning curve,” said Washington. “You have young guys, and that means it’s a double learning curve.”

I don't buy into the notion that has been repeated time and time again by our Leos as an excuse for our defense that "a lot of these guys haven't seen Canadian ball". The only starting defensive players who have not seen Canadian ball before this season are Brooks (who has been excellent) Roh (who leads us in quarterback sacks but has been blown out at times against the run, understandably, as he is undersized for a tackle and never played the position) and Stephen Clarke, who started at halfback for the injured Ryan Phillips and whom we chose to start over T.J. Lee, who started for us at corner last season. However, that notion is repeatedly perpetuated.

A second reason we played better in the second half against Edmonton was that we didn't drop Bighill into the safety position as often and instead used him as a more traditional linebacker. If disguising Bighill as both a linebacker and a dime back (rather than using a dime back on passing downs was effective, we wouldn't have been burned so badly with deep balls in so many contests this season.

The article by Ullrich also included comments about Washington's wife role in the story of our defense and I found that questionable. While it added human interest to the story it could also be viewed as a sympathy ploy for Washington's lack of success so far e.g.

There was one person capable of getting straight answer to the biggest question facing the B.C. Lions through the first five weeks of the CFL season, and all Judy Washington had to do was stay patient at the kitchen table.“It’s funny ... When I go home, my wife talks football, not me,” Lions defensive coordinator Mark Washington said, his face breaking into a broad smile.

It also means the questions at the kitchen table of some Lions coaches can be as they are for a lot of overworked husbands.

Ullrich also took note in his article that Lulay has thrown 6 interceptions in his last two games and has made misfired on a lot of passes.

There’s still no explanation as to why quarterback Travis Lulay is on fire at times and futile at others. Lulay posted two touchdowns and 147 of the Lions’ 323 yards in just 3:32 during the opening drives of each half, only to struggle thereafter.

Mexico Lion Fan and Toppy Vann`s recent posts take a good, hard look at Lulay and our offence. No question that Lulay`s quarterback effiency average has been terrible the last 3 games and, except for a few series where he has looked outstanding, the rest of the time, he has looked awful.

There is more than one problem. From a scheme point of view, Lulay thrived best in the new style of offence of JaquesBall in 2011 and 2012. That offence not only had a lot of motion and misdirection but it also had a lot of both lateral and vertical patterns. More importantly, it used a lot of misdirection play action, which Lulay thrives on. Most passes were of the short intermediate range or dump offs to Harris or Lulay took off downfield for key first downs.

In 2013, defenses really keyed the running attack of Dorazio, who was the coach who not only coached our running game but who also coordinated the run and pass blocking. The running attack struggled mid-season badly and our offensive line did a terrible job of pass protection. Lulay got hurt and we went with DeMarco, Buck Pierce, and then back to a rusty Lulay, who played well in the playoff game. A the end of that season, Chap went with a lof of different formation to add innovative ways for our recievers to help out with the running game, using them in motion to seal or to lead block. With Logan added to the mix and Harris running again with explosiveness, we ran for over 200 yards each game for the last 3 games of that season, including the playoffs. Lulay, considering the rust that he had on him, played very well in that playoff game.

This season. like last year, we are back to the spread formation, big time. Its really a return to the spread style of offence, even worse, in terms of our passing attack than we`ve ever used in the Buono era in B.C. We use a ton of five receiver sets and worst of all, there is no motion. The only difference is that our pass routes are mostly vertical routes this season. In old ChapBall, we ran too many crossing patterns. In JaquesBall, we had a great mix. In Khari Jones Ball, we went pocket passing with too many six receiver sets and we were back to pocket passing. In Cortez Ball, we are in the spread, no motion and we`ve overdosing on vertical patterns, in the same manner as we overdosed on crossing patterns in the early days of ChapBall.

The reality is that neither our quarterback or receivers are the type who can make a passing attack wiith such a vertical orientation successful. Unless Lulay is really on, he is not consistently a very accurate long intermediate or long ball passer. Lulay is not a quarterback who can throw those type of passes successfully with consistency from the pocket. Lulay is much better at throwing the longer intermediate pass on the move, because his mechanics are better when he throws on the move. That has always been the case and has nothing to do with his shoulder. When it comes to the longer ball, Lulay is best throwing the touch long pass, especially to Harris than he is trying to throw hit the home run toss.

Arsenault is our only receiver who can beat defenders deep. A vertical game does not suit our receivers, as it does not suit Lulay. Our recivers are possession style receivers. Cortez was axed in Riderville because his vertical passing style did not suit Saskatchewan`s receivers in 2014 and it doesn`t suit our Lions recievers in 2015. That vertical style, in a spread formation, also does not utilize our tight end. All it does is stick a tight end style of player into a spread passing offence, which is ridiculous.

Cortez and Malone are very good at the running game and Malone is excellent at teaching pass blocking. We block for the run very well, design the run game very well, and Harris Is having an excellent season, both running and passing. Lulay has had very good pass protection this season.

But things are going to get tougher for us offensively unless we make scheme changes. Defenses are going to key Harris more and more in both our running and passing attack. The reality is that Harris is too much of the success of our offence and defenses will continue to adjust.

MLF is right....defenses are giving us the long ball but if Lulay can`t hit it, it causes problems. There are only two solutions - 1) Lulay gets better at throwing the long ball out of the pocket or we design it differently. We could design it differently by having Lulay throw the long ball out of semi-roll action. He throws the long ball best that way and has been successful throwing deep on the move in the past. We could add more shorter intermediate routes and more crossing patterns. We could move the pocket more for Lulay. We could give him a big target over the middle in Leonard, for shorter routes, rather than having Lenoard split out as a slot back.

Lulay is not a Dave Dickenson style of quarterback. He doesn`t throw tight spirals into tight windows consistently from the pocket. He doesn`t throw the intermediate and long ball well from the pocket consistently. He doesn`t have great mechanics from the pocket consistently and tends not to step into his throws from the pocket consistently.

But Lulay has many strengths that quarterbacks with the style of a Dickenson do not. He throws well off the semi-roll and the sprint out. He throws the pocket pass, short intermediate primary route well, because he tends to throw the primary route more accurately, because he tends to step into those throws. He is outstanding at play action. He can buy time and escape and extend plays. He is excellent off the scramble throw at finding open recievers. He is a very good runner. He is an excellent improviser. He can throw the deep ball well on the move. He is cool when a game is on the line. He has leadership ability.

Itgwould be great if Lulay could throw the deep ball successfully out of the pocket. We could burn defenses. It would be great if Lulay could hit those deep posts and deep corner throws and deep seams with accuracy. But the reality is that Lulay is going to be our starting quarterback as long as he is healthy. So why not let him do what he does best. Lulay has been a high percentage passer from the pocket. When Lulay threw so well in the second half of 2011 and in 2012, it was because he was making the types of throws and we were running the types of pass patterns that better suited his style.

All quarterbacks have deficiencies and strengths. Kevin Glenn played so well (outside of a couple of ill advissed throws that he has a penchant for, in Riderville this season, before he got injured, because he was in an offensive pass system that suited him. The Riders did not miss a beat with Glenn coming off the bench to become the starter, racking up 500 yards of offence per game.

We need a different style of passing attack that better suits Lulay, our recivers, and especially for the use of a tight end. This is a prescriptive plug and play spread offence that Cortez is using in the passing game, that sticks square pegs into round holes.

We can *beeotch* that Lulay can`t throw the long pass from the pocket and our receivers are not getting the job done but that is not the answer. Collie is an excellent possession receiver who is being used for long routes. Gore is a crossing pattern style of receiver who can run away from defenders but he is not a good vertical route runner. Taylor runs the skinny post and drag pattern well but he is not going to get behind defenders on seam patterns. Leonard is a very athletic tight end who is a huge target but having him run slot back type of routes deep downfield is not his strength nor does it make sense to have Lulay throwing longer patterns to Leonard, when he should be used completely differently, to take advantage of his strengths.

Its time for scheme changes on both offence and defense. Let Roh be a pass rusher and Westerman play tackle. Let Bighill be a linebacker, as we was in the second half of Edmonton. Let Lulay be Lulay and lets get an offensive and defensive scheme that is designed for our personnel.

The results of doing could pay huge dividends on both sides of the football.

[MexicoLionFan]

Excellent analysis to both Toppy and Blitz...thanks guys! I think that Blitz's idea about rolling out with Lulay makes a lot of sense...its an easy play for the OLine to block, it blends well with play action and Lulay's mechanics, for whatever reason, are actually better while on the roll. As Blitz said, something has to give with this offence...either Lulay has to start hitting those deep throws, or as both Toppy and Blitz suggested Cortez has to redesign his passing game and the EASIEST way to do this is to play a PRO STYLE Offence, which is what Tedford ran year after year at CAL. We simply do not possess the kind of WRs that excel in the spread offence, in fact when you examine our receiver roster, its really a hodge-podge of players without seemingly a lot thought into it's outcome. Our receivers don't really compliment one another, and as Blitz said, using Leonard as a slot receiver out of the spread is simply a complete waste! Now, as an H-back or Tight End out of the Pro formation, he's a weapon and a difference maker!

As for Washington, we will see. Both Biggie and Sol spent much more time in the box in the 2nd half and the results spoke for themselves. He's coached one good half out of 12 so far this season.

[DanoT]

Excellent analysis to both Toppy and Blitz...thanks guys! I think that Blitz's idea about rolling out with Lulay makes a lot of sense...its an easy play for the OLine to block, it blends well with play action and Lulay's mechanics, for whatever reason, are actually better while on the roll. As Blitz said, something has to give with this offence...either Lulay has to start hitting those deep throws, or as both Toppy and Blitz suggested Cortez has to redesign his passing game and the EASIEST way to do this is to play a PRO STYLE Offence, which is what Tedford ran year after year at CAL. We simply do not possess the kind of WRs that excel in the spread offence, in fact when you examine our receiver roster, its really a hodge-podge of players without seemingly a lot thought into it's outcome. Our receivers don't really compliment one another, and as Blitz said, using Leonard as a slot receiver out of the spread is simply a complete waste! Now, as an H-back or Tight End out of the Pro formation, he's a weapon and a difference maker!

As for Washington, we will see. Both Biggie and Sol spent much more time in the box in the 2nd half and the results spoke for themselves. He's coached one good half out of 12 so far this season.

I'm not so sure that keeping Esks scoreless in the 2nd half was due to great coaching by Washington or was it due to the absence of Bowman and poor play by Nichols and poor play calling decisions by Jones?

There has been some great analysis of the Lions weaknesses and tendencies and great constructive criticism and solid suggestions as to how to turn things around from posters on Lionbackers. Too bad the coaches aren't going to be looking at a fan forum for advice. They could do worse and actually they are. So far Tedford's O is a surprising disappointment, and Washington's D is a not so surprising disappointment.

[Blitz]

Excellent analysis to both Toppy and Blitz...thanks guys! I think that Blitz's idea about rolling out with Lulay makes a lot of sense...its an easy play for the OLine to block, it blends well with play action and Lulay's mechanics, for whatever reason, are actually better while on the roll. As Blitz said, something has to give with this offence...either Lulay has to start hitting those deep throws, or as both Toppy and Blitz suggested Cortez has to redesign his passing game and the EASIEST way to do this is to play a PRO STYLE Offence, which is what Tedford ran year after year at CAL. We simply do not possess the kind of WRs that excel in the spread offence, in fact when you examine our receiver roster, its really a hodge-podge of players without seemingly a lot thought into it's outcome. Our receivers don't really compliment one another, and as Blitz said, using Leonard as a slot receiver out of the spread is simply a complete waste! Now, as an H-back or Tight End out of the Pro formation, he's a weapon and a difference maker!

As for Washington, we will see. Both Biggie and Sol spent much more time in the box in the 2nd half and the results spoke for themselves. He's coached one good half out of 12 so far this season.

I totally agree MLF that we should be using a PRO STYLE offence rather than the spread offence that we are using. In fact, when Tedford announced that we would be integrating an H/Back/Tight End style of player into our offence, I naturally assumed that we would be using a pro style offence. Adding to that assumption was that Tedford used a pro style offence for a number of seasons at California...in fact the seasons that Tedford was most successful there.

The Seattle Seahawks run a PRO STYLE offence and just traded their all pro center for a great tight end who played in New Orleans. Seattle has a very mobile quarterback in Russell Wilson, a very good running back in Lynch who can also catch out of the backfield, and a lot of possession style of receivers....and they are not only good but they are exciting to watch.

So, why we are using a spread offence, with our personnel, with a mobile quarterback in Lulay, a double threat back in Harris, an athletic big tight end, and possession style recievers.. when its such a great fit for a PRO STYLE offence is beyond me. This just looks like 'plug and play' rather than designing our offence to our personnel.

In terms of Lulay's play against Edmonton, I think we all realize that Edmonton has a very good defense but the concern with Lulay's play in that game was the high number of missed throws in the game. In terms of David''s comment that he thinks its the shoulder, Lowell Ullrich wrote a recent article that Lulay's shoulder is fine and B.C. Fan has shown stats that Lulay's performance in the second half of games, in terms of completions, quarterback efficiency etc. is around the same in the second half of games as it is in the first half of games.

Lulay threw well on his final drive against Edmonton. He completed 33 passes against Regina, which included late in the game completions. The reality is that he has just been plain very inconsistent. In his last 3 games he has thrown very poorly for long stretches of action and he has also thrown very well on a number of drives. My notion is that its certain types of throws (eg: long ball, vertical style patterns into tighter windows, etc. that cause him problems plus there are times his mechanics are not good (eg: not stepping into throws or throwing off his back foot). At other times, when he is throwing on the move, when he is throwing more lateral style of patterns, when he is throwing touch passes to Harris, and when he is stepping into his throws, he looks very good.

The problem I think, is not Lulay's shoulder, as much as his mechanics at times and the type of passing offence we are using under Cortez, in which we mostly have possession style of receivers, a mobile quarterback who throws best on the move (even if we only move the pocket slightly for him), and a tight end who is being misused as a slot back in the spread. Lulay would find our tight end in a PRO STYLE offence, just as Lulay is very good at finding Harris.

In terms of our defense against Edmonton, I think our second half success was due to a combination of Edmonton going ultra conservative, missing Bowman, and Nichols being off as well as our defence not dropping off Bighill deep most of the time and coming up to make good tackles on the underneath stuff that Edmonton chose to use in their passing attack in the second half.

We'll certainly get a better idea if our defense has really improved or not, based on one half of play against Edmonton, when we play Hamilton.