Leos/Als Post Game Thoughts

[Blitz]

Wally gave credit to the offensive line for the win. Jeremiah Johnson said there were huge holes so all he wanted to do was hit the hole quickly and then make the defense pay.

Montrea's defense had given up the second least amount of first downs in the CFL coming into this game so it was a very impressive game our offence played.

I thought the Boldewijn fumble, which Chip Cox picked up and raced it was a bit of a momentum changer. We had the football to begin the first half and Johnson had just run for a big gain for us. It was a disappointing way to start the second half and it took us a while to fight back from the momentum change.

Boldewijn was hit almost right after he caught the football but he has shown a tendency to not secure the football well enough so its something he needs to work on. However, Arseneaux and Gore have fumbled this year on similar type of plays so there is no need to be too tough on Boldewijn. He just needs to continue to develop and progress. Lets hope he does.

Our offence scored a touchdown on its first three possessions of the game. It was important that we start the game well and we certainly more than did. We played very fast. You could see the difference. It was like we hit a higher gear.

We also finished very strong with a powerful clock ending offensive drive.

[CardiacKid]

I would like the Leo's to keep Boldewijn in the starting lineup; the guy has tremendous upside and potential. It seems way too early to throw him on the trash heap. He joined the roster late last year and then only saw game action once in a game that Tedford had the team mail in for all to see. So while he doesn't qualify as a rookie, he has been a Lion for an abbreviated period of time. The big clincher for me however is the judgement of his teammates; I have read and heard his fellow Lions describe his abilities in exceptionally glowing terms. So keep the guy and let his game improve; he has become more active in the offense and gotten more looks as the season goes on. His fumble last night has occurred to the best of them.

I was very pleased to see Jeremiah Johnson have a breakout game last night. He certainly benefited from the shift back on the OLine but he definitely made the statement that he is a quality back. I felt the instant he signed with the Lions was bit of a coup; he elevated the RedBlacks offense last year to a point where they could win the East. I know there are posters here that prefer Allen to Johnson but it would appear Wally has a solid handle when to play one versus the other. Maybe now Johnson will get his due when he does check in.

[Sir Purrcival]

I would like the Leo's to keep Boldewijn in the starting lineup; the guy has tremendous upside and potential. It seems way too early to throw him on the trash heap. He joined the roster late last year and then only saw game action once in a game that Tedford had the team mail in for all to see. So while he doesn't qualify as a rookie, he has been a Lion for an abbreviated period of time. The big clincher for me however is the judgement of his teammates; I have read and heard his fellow Lions describe his abilities in exceptionally glowing terms. So keep the guy and let his game improve; he has become more active in the offense and gotten more looks as the season goes on. His fumble last night has occurred to the best of them.

I was very pleased to see Jeremiah Johnson have a breakout game last night. He certainly benefited from the shift back on the OLine but he definitely made the statement that he is a quality back. I felt the instant he signed with the Lions was bit of a coup; he elevated the RedBlacks offense last year to a point where they could win the East. I know there are posters here that prefer Allen to Johnson but it would appear Wally has a solid handle when to play one versus the other. Maybe now Johnson will get his due when he does check in.

This

How many games has Boldewijn been a starter now? 4 - 5? A little soon to be pulling the plug on him. It is not like he has been a complete basket case either. He has made some good catches and has presented as a tall target. Even last night he contributed with a couple of 1st down catches so talk of pulling him is premature. If he struggles in game, it is an easy matter to pull him and insert Iainucci for a couple of series. He fumbled on a good defensive play, he stumbled once which cost him a catch and he looked like he screwed up on a long route. Sutton dropped one last night. Lewis missed one that was catchable. Anyone can get caught by the turf monster once in awhile and show me one receiver on this or any team that hasn't dropped a few that they should have had or have misrun a route.

They called his number a few times last night. they might have cut that down a little but sometimes you just have to play through the stumbles. If he starts making steady, costly gaffs, then sure, give him the hook but last night wasn't a good snapshot to make that decision on.

[maxlion]

Lions clearly showed that they were the superior team against what is probably the league's weakest team right now. I would be surprised if the Riders did not surpass Mtl by the end of the year, leaving us with Mtl's first overall draft pick. I hope for Mtl and the league's sake that Vernon Adams shows some of his potential over the last part of the year. Otherwise, the future in Mtl is very bleak.

The key thing in this game is that the Lions came out ready to play, and played disciplined throughout the game.

Jennings was outstanding last night. If not for some catchable drops by receivers, he could easily have completed 90+% of his passes. He was helped out by a strong oline and great running game, but he deserves a lot of credit too.

Coming into the season, I saw Burnham as a bubble player. Was I wrong. He is truly a clutch receiver--gets open, catches everything that comes his way and will take a hit to do so. He and Arseneaux are dominant right now, and Gore looks great as well.

The changes to the o-line obviously paid dividends. Not sure why it took so long to get back to what worked so well earlier but, hopefully, we will be able to roll with this unit the rest of the way.

Watching Fera hit field goals automatically made we wonder if we didn't keep the wrong guy.

Wally's somewhat unusual choice to go with a 2-back system sure seems to be working out well. Both backs are fresh and making an impact every game. It makes it that much harder for teams to prepare against us as well.

We gave up a lot of points against an opponent in turmoil last night. 7 pts were directly attributable to Bodewijn's fumble (which I saw as a major gaffe rather than a great defensive play), but giving up 20 points to Mtl's offense is less than stellar. On the other hand, we had the game well in hand from the first drive, so perhaps it was natural to ease off a bit and give up a few points while running out the clock.

It's fun to watch our team dominate against weaker competition, but it doesn't necessarily mean that we have become a more dominant or improved team.

[Blitz]

Coming into the season, I saw Burnham as a bubble player. Was I wrong. He is truly a clutch receiver--gets open, catches everything that comes his way and will take a hit to do so. He and Arseneaux are dominant right now, and Gore looks great as well.

The changes to the o-line obviously paid dividends. Not sure why it took so long to get back to what worked so well earlier but, hopefully, we will be able to roll with this unit the rest of the way.

Watching Fera hit field goals automatically made we wonder if we didn't keep the wrong guy.

Wally's somewhat unusual choice to go with a 2-back system sure seems to be working out well. Both backs are fresh and making an impact every game. It makes it that much harder for teams to prepare against us as well. maxlion

I wanted us to go with Fera last season over Leone. Fera was a finalist for the Groza Award for the best U.S. field goal college kicker and an All-American at Texas. Fera has hit 89% of his field goal attempts in Montreal (8/9) and is punting for a 46.2 yd. average.

Leone has a very impressive 50.1 yd. punt average but has the worst field goal percentage in the CFL at 70% and that percentage improved with his recent successful last four field goal attempts.

When you are using an International as your kicker/punter I believe you should be getting a much more reliable field goal kicker. This is only Leone's second pro season and he only kicked for part of his last season in college. His punting has been impressive but he has to become a better field goal kicker to be worth the cost of using an International at that position.

Sean Whyte, a National is hitting 92% of his field goals in Edmonton. National Crapigna of the Riders is hitting 86.2% of his field goals and has a 44.9 yd. punt average. Rob Maver has a 47.8 average as a National punter in Calgary and National Paravedes has hit 89.7% of his field goals there. International Brett Maher of Hamilton is punting for a 47.3 yd. average. and hitting 88.5% of his field goals.

Field goal kicking can be the deciding factor in a playoff game or two. Hopefully Leone's field goal kicking will be good the rest of the way this season.

I viewed Bryan Burnham as a bubble player too, coming into this season. There were good reasons to think so. He had shown flashes but he was not running his routes full speed.

Geroy Simon commented on Bryan Burnham early this season:

Burnham, he’s an interesting case, because he’s a totally different receiver this year than he was last year,” said Simon. “I think this year you can see the maturity in him. He’s pretty much changed his game. He looks like he’s a little bit lighter, but he’s playing a lot faster.

“The good thing about him is he has great size, he has great speed and he’s playing with that speed. Last year, he didn’t play very fast and he wasn’t very effective, where he couldn’t really get open. I think this year he’s doing a good job of using his size and his speed. He’s got a huge catch radius where if the ball is anywhere around him, he’s going to catch it.”

Burnham went to work on that element of his game over the winter, going back to his time as a high school track and field athlete in Moorestown, N.J., and using those training methods to increase not just his straight-ahead speed, but explosive power and quickness.

A receiver as Boldewijn, who is 6'4", 220 pounds, runs a 4.5 forty, a 34 inch vertical, huge wingspan, and has good hands is intriguing to NFL pro scouts and that was why he was signed by the Falcons and got tryouts from the NFL's Patriots, Dolphins, and Cardinals. He also had a tryout with the Baltimore Ravens this off-season.

Boldiwijn still needs to develop as a pro but he certainly does have potential. He's a long strider.

“He doesn’t have that experience and knack of knowing how to get open and read zones. That’ll come with time,” Buono said earlier this season.

Boldewijn only has 6 games of pro experience with out Leos and he's caught an average of 3 passes per game during that time. He missed a lot of training camp due to a pulled hamstring and a stomach virus. He's also learning to play slot back, when his college experience is as a boundary wide receiver. Jennings has shown confidence in him and thrown to him more in the past two games. Boldewijn caught 5 passes against Montreal and was targeted 7 times by Jennings.

I wondered about the two tailback system too. I saw its advantages based upon the talents of the two tailbacks we had. Both can play. Both have different running styles and different strengths.

Before the Montreal game I looked at how Harris was doing in Winnipeg in comparison to our two tailbacks. Andrew Harris had 655 yds. rushing (4.98 average) vs. Allen's 326 yds rushing and Johnson's 309 yds (5.1 yd (total 625 yds, 5.1 yd. rushing average) and saw little difference.

In terms of pass receiving, Harris had 368 yds. whereas Allen had 85 yds. in receptions and Johnson had 54 yds. (total: 140 yds.)

Overall, Harris had 1,023 combined yards whereas our two tailbacks had 765 combined yards. Advantage Harris, especially in the passing game.

However, its an 18 game season in the CFL. Tailbacks take a pounding running the football, blocking larger linebackers, etc. We want to run the football a lot. You could see what having a fresh back in Jeremiah Johnson meant in this game. He had sat out three games. He hit the holes quickly.

However, if Allen had started, we still would have run for a lot of rushing yards against Montreal. Our offensive line opened huge holes. It was the best run blocking we've had all season.

“The thing I liked the most was the team win but besides that, the dominance of our offensive line,” said Wally Buono. “We challenged them this week that we needed better protection of the quarterback and they were outstanding both against the pressure and also running the football. That’s a very good Montreal defence and for our guys to be as physical as they were, you have to be very impressed.” Wally Buono

But when the tailback is fresh, they go all out on each rush. Plus we even spell our our tailback off with Rainey during a game.

But whether its Johnson or Rainey, the key to our Leos running and passing effectively is still our offensive line, as well as our scheme. Much more important in last nights game was who was playing on our offensive line and how well they were playing rather than who started at tailback.

[Blitz]

I just watched the Riders/Bombers play in the Banjo Bowl.

Of course I was hoping for a Rider win to help our Leos.

The Riders were completing a long, successful drive when one of their receivers had the football stripped on the Bombers 16 yd. line. Winnipeg hit some big plays and marched 92 yards for the go ahead touchdown.

Saskatchewan drove down the field but were stopped for a third and two on the Bombers 49 yard line. The Riders lined up for a 56 yard field goal, instead of punt formation. Then they faked the field goal and their backup quarterback Brandon Bridge tried to run a sweep. He was stopped for a loss.

The whole thing was terrible. The Riders could have pinned the Bombers deep, with lots of time left on the clock for a drive for a touchdown with a potential short field. The fake field goal at 56 yards was a real tip off for a fake.

The fake was as badly a designed play that one could conceive. No option to throw the football. A wide quarterback run with no pulling guard or tackle. It looked horrible and was horrible.

Then with time running out and the Riders pinned deep, with third and two, they punt the football, giving the Bombers a short field. Game over.

One has to wonder about Chris Jones. He keeps on making mistake after mistake.

The Bombers remain one game back of our B.C. Lions.

[WestCoastJoe]

Re Boldewijn ...

Lots of support from some fans. Lots of criticism from some fans. Count me amongst the latter. Not much else to complain about, with our exciting young team, so ...

Size. Yes, obviously. Speed. Although credited with 4.5, this fan has not seen it in football gear, with defenders all over the place. He plays like he is slow of foot IMO, unless he is on a go pattern. Slow reacting too, not instinctive. He does not look like he could make a move around a fire hydrant. It seems to me he froze when faced with that tackler, and just took the clean hit with no adjustment to protect the ball. Hardly hIs fault, as he has limited background as a footballl player.

A guy can run fast in a straight lIne. He is tall. He can catch. But ... does he have any of the instincts that successful football players have developed in playing since age 12 or younger? Can a latecomer develop those instinctive reactions? The odds are hugely against it.

This fan would rather see us go with Blaszko or an American with a deep background of football experience. Even at the community level, or high school level, this fan has rarely seen a project rise to high level playing status.

I will look to see some film on him. I would be happy if he is that very rare one, that learns to play a pro sport, having come into it with limited background.

It seems to me, with any project, the question is if they can develop the instincts. Eventually the coaches give up. The instincts are hard to come by. And then the passion, to just play, to win, to beat the opponent, is usually missing. It seems to this fan that coaches and fans see the body type, and put aside thoughts of the 10 missing years of development that skilled players have.

At this time this fan has major doubts in this case. Given time I will try to check some film, read any evaluations from previous camps, and reconsider. At this time I would go with someone more game ready.

Just IMO.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/sou ... ins-today/

4.56 in the 40.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=boldewij ... 80&bih=800

Youtube link on the google page.

Nice story on youtube. One can see why teams give him a chance. And one can see, I think, the struggles, and why the trials have ended. Little, instinctive skills, habits and reactions are hard to come by.

I am rooting for him. I just have doubts.

[Blitz]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/sou ... ins-today/

4.56 in the 40.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=boldewij ... 80&bih=800

Youtube link on the google page.

Nice story on youtube. One can see why teams give him a chance. And one can see, I think, the struggles, and why the trials have ended. Little, instinctive skills, habits and reactions are hard to come by.

I am rooting for him. I just have doubts.

Overall, though WCJ, you gotta be happy with our receving group's play this season, considering that we lost Lavelle Hawkins in training camp and Nick Moore a number of games ago. Those were two receivers we were counting on this season.

No question that Boldewijn is raw. Guess we'll find out how much patience Wally has with him. That will depend on how much upside he sees in him.

I'm sure we'll be looking at some NFL cuts at the receiver position. Wally could always insert Courtney Taylor into Boldewijn's spot if he wants the experience there for this season. I was a big fan of Taylor but he is past his prime, at least as a player for next year and beyond.

We could also insert Adekolu into that spot and bring Blaszko up as a backup receiver or Shaq Johnson or move Iannuzzi into the slot spot and play Adekolu outside.

Hard for an NFL cut to come in and play with only 7 games left.

[zeppo]

We gave up a lot of points against an opponent in turmoil last night. 7 pts were directly attributable to Bodewijn's fumble (which I saw as a major gaffe rather than a great defensive play), but giving up 20 points to Mtl's offense is less than stellar.

Yes, the Alouettes have some internal difficulties, but they also have a lot of very talented players on offence. Stafford, Cunningham, and Carter are all superior receivers,
Sutton is an elusive, hard running back, and Cato is a big improvement over Glenn at the quarterback position. He is mobile, has a quick release, and is a very accurate
passer, as he showed last night on several occasions. I have a lot of respect for these players as individuals, and, considering the injuries to key members of the B.C. secondary,
I was satisfied with the overall performance of the defence last night.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/sou ... ins-today/

4.56 in the 40.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=boldewij ... 80&bih=800

Youtube link on the google page.

Nice story on youtube. One can see why teams give him a chance. And one can see, I think, the struggles, and why the trials have ended. Little, instinctive skills, habits and reactions are hard to come by.

I am rooting for him. I just have doubts.

Overall, though WCJ, you gotta be happy with our receving group's play this season, considering that we lost Lavelle Hawkins in training camp and Nick Moore a number of games ago. Those were two receivers we were counting on this season.

No question that Boldewijn is raw. Guess we'll find out how much patience Wally has with him. That will depend on how much upside he sees in him.

I'm sure we'll be looking at some NFL cuts at the receiver position. Wally could always insert Courtney Taylor into Boldewijn's spot if he wants the experience there for this season. I was a big fan of Taylor but he is past his prime, at least as a player for next year and beyond.

We could also insert Adekolu into that spot and bring Blaszko up as a backup receiver or Shaq Johnson or move Iannuzzi into the slot spot and play Adekolu outside.

Hard for an NFL cut to come in and play with only 7 games left.

For sure, Blitz, re our receiving corps.

Manny has been terrific, Physically dominant.

Burnham the same, with a different, unique style.

Gore alao.

This fan still thinks Iannuzzi can deliver. If anyone can make him shine, it is Jennings,

A shame about Moore. We have both always thought highly of him.

Jennings raises the level of his teammates. I see his interactions with them. He leads, with his skill, but even moreso, with his ability to inspire, to give hope, confidence and determination. Quietly. It is remarkable.

[Alputt]

Discussing receivers I am really happy with the breakout season of Burnham, coming in to the year I thought he was a bit of a weak link, or that might be a bit harsh, just not a prime target. I'm now a huge fan he has a pretty permanent spot on my picks and does not disappoint. Also seems polite and likeable in interviews etc.

As for Boldewijn, yes certainly raw, however I continue to reserve harsh judgement until he gets some more experience. I'm not a particularly talented armchair HC but I think Wally will let him keep his spot for the year barring a complete disaster.

It was a good game for a Lions fan, shamefully with the lowest attendance so far this year, but I am sure everyone on this forum agrees with that sentiment (save the odd troll) and I won't harp on about it now.

[Alputt]

I think the adjustments to the O-Line paid dividends and I am sure Jeremiah Johnson would agree!

[David]

This fan still thinks Iannuzzi can deliver. If anyone can make him shine, it is Jennings....

There was a time WCJ, when I think you and I were the only ones on this board who were even remotely praiseworthy of Iannuzzi, or at least saw his potential. This is his best year by far; I'm really liking his game.

I have always been impressed by his versatility and punt return ability with that 'straight ahead' speed, but he's also seeing the ball a lot more at the field-side receiver position and he's become more sure-handed.

Just like Anthony Parker in Calgary who's having a breakout year, sometimes it just takes time for these talented Nationals to develop at the pro level.


DH

[WestCoastJoe]

This fan still thinks Iannuzzi can deliver. If anyone can make him shine, it is Jennings....

There was a time WCJ, when I think you and I were the only ones on this board who were even remotely praiseworthy of Iannuzzi, or at least saw his potential. This is his best year by far; I'm really liking his game.

I have always been impressed by his versatility and punt return ability with that 'straight ahead' speed, but he's also seeing the ball a lot more at the field-side receiver position and he's become more sure-handed.

Just like Anthony Parker in Calgary who's having a breakout year, sometimes it just takes time for these talented Nationals to develop at the pro level.


DH

True that, David.

I would like to see what he can do with more reps as a receiver. He has speed. He makes some nice catches. He can obviously run well with the ball, as we have seen on kick returns. Jennings might bring out his talent. We will see. Or maybe he will tire of football and focus on his financial career.

Dunno why he has been so underutilized. He might be very good with run after catch.