Lionbackers.com

maxlion wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 10, 2017 1:37 pm

The combination of a rusty and less than 100% qb and a patchwork offensive line does not bode well for this game. If the riders play a half decent game, we could be in trouble. A good performance on special teams could be a difference maker.

Add to the above that at some point the Riders will figure out that BC has been vulnerable to the big play all season and they (Riders) have 3 deep threat receivers.

Usually only the best teams are able to win both games in a back to back series, so I hope the Lions are not over confident going in to this one based on how easy it seemed to win the first game in the series. I sure am not over confident.

Interesting numbers BCFan .
https://www.cfl.ca/stats/?stat_category ... order=desc
Having a look at what some of the other teams DL have posted for numbers does give a better perspective. Going down the list it is worth noting how many premier DL have sack numbers either not much better than our own guys or no better . Almondo Sewell for instance has only one sack , as does Gabe Knapton . Looking at all the guys who only have one or two sacks does give one a bit of a reality check . It would be interesting to see some of the other teams total numbers compared to our guys . For Edmonton most of their pressure has come from Odell Willis , who has one more sack than Craig Roh. John Chick has only 2 .
IMO a lot of the low numbers come from QBs getting the ball away very quickly , as Darian Durant has done , sometimes though with not as good passing numbers because of just throwing it away.

New game. Adjustments. How they attack.

JJ24, Chris Rainey, Shaq share the running load.

Here's somewhat upsetting update news via LU: (mentions Burnham's practice injury, and the likely activation of Maurice Morgan -- as well as the activation of DB Tevin MacDonald) Note: I'm not aware of why DB MacDonald would be activated -- and LU doesn't explain... Does anyone among Lionbackers know what's behind that move?
http://www.tsn.ca/burnham-still-recover ... y-1.828172

Never mind my question (above) -- upon more careful re-reading I realize what LU was getting at: i.e. the potential of playing 5 Internationals in the secondary. Thus the activation of McDonald.

The good news is that Cody Husband has cleared concussion protocol after being injured last week and will return as centre, with Charles Vaillancourt moving back to left guard, backed up by Andrew Jones, and Hunter Steward returning to left tackle.

The Riders are without centre Dan Clark, who has been placed on the 6-game injured list, and have shuffled three of five positions on their O-line as a result. On the defensive line, they've also placed ex-Lion Zach Minter on the 6-game injured list.

According to the Game Notes at bclions.com, the Lions can achieve a franchise milestone and tie another with a victory in Regina on Sunday:

 BC's best road streaks in the West: BC brings a 4-game win streak at Regina into this game, and this matches their longest ever
successful run away to a Western rival. The Lions have NEVER won 5 straight visits to any Western city though they have at
least a 4-game run against them all. Here are their best runs on the road against Division rivals - Calgary 4 straight (1984-87, 2010-
12), Edmonton 4 (1962-64, 2008-10), Regina 4 (1958-60, 2006-09) & Winnipeg 4 (2006-09).

 Recent matchups: BC brings a 7-game win streak vs the Riders into this game, matching their second-longest streak of success
against Saskatchewan in club history (8 wins in a row across 1980-83, 7 straight 1962-64). BC won 30-15 last week after building a
30-0 lead and holding it until the final 3:00. Saskatchewan scored 15 late points led by Canadian QB Brandon Bridge.
Over their last 5 meetings, BC has outscored the Riders 181 to 86 for an average margin of 19.0 points and have pulled ahead by at
least 13 points in each game. The Lions passed for 300+ yards in 4 of those 5 games, held a 33:23 to 26:37 TOP edge and recorded
19 sacks to the Riders 6. Jonathan Jennings is 4-0 vs the Riders as a starter.

Despite concern during the week about injuries to the offensive line and receivers, the Lions have made only three changes to the starting lineup for the Rider rematch in Regina:

Jonathon Jennings starts at QB, backed up by Travis Lulay.
Buddy Jackson starts at field halfback in place of Anthony Gaitor, who has been placed on the 1-game injured list.
Maxx Forde starts ahead of Bryant Turner Jr. at DT (3-tech).

Otherwise, Nick Moore is still listed as the starting boundary WR ahead of Chris Williams.
Tevin McDonald is added to the roster and listed as backup to Jackson.
Ricky Foley is added to the roster and listed as backup to Josh Shirley at rush end.
Andrew Jones is added to the roster and listed as a backup guard.

CB Nate Hamlin and OL Felix Gacusana move to the practice roster.

WR Stephen Adekolu, who has been one of my favourite Lions in recent years despite limited playing time, has been released.

The Lions list 8 starting Canadians so they can freely substitute an international backup on either offence or defence.

Depth chart and roster

Interesting changes.

Too bad Gaitor is hurt. Buddy Jackson did not have a good game in his first start. I'm happy to learn that Maxx Forde will get another start at tackle...he has played very well and better than Turner. Having an International defensive back (Macdonald) as a backup and dime back for certain defensive packages is also a positive and should negate a lot of the type of secondary shuffling we've done in the past this season due to an injury to a defensive back.

I also like that Shirley will be our rush end with Foley rotating in. Right now I like it as our best combination at rush end combined with the ratio advantage it provides.

On offence, our offensive line had its best game of the season with Vaillencourt at left guard and hopefuly they will open the same kind of holes for the running game, as well as pass protect, as they did last game...although that will be hard to match.

Last game, we put up over 500 yards of offence, including over 200 yards rushing. That improved balance and our best rushing game of the season led to a massive time of possession for our offence. We scored on our first 5/6 drives, although we settled for too many field goals. But that time of possession wore the Riders defense down.

Ty Long had 16 of our points against the Riders.

Its always difficult to win back to back games especially when the second one is in the opponent's house.

Jonathan Jennings gets the start as expected. I believe he would have been the starter for this game, even if Lulay was not a little sore.

I'm very sad to see Adekolu released. He was never really given much of a chance, even though he played admirably in the exhibition games he played in as a Leo and was our leading receiver in his only start in the West Semi-Final last year. He was tall, rangy, smooth, and had great hands. But I'm not surprised. I hope he can catch on with some other team.

"Last game, we put up over 500 yards of offence, including over 200 yards rushing. That improved balance and our best rushing game of the season led to a massive time of possession for our offence. We scored on our first 5/6 drives, although we settled for too many field goals. But that time of possession wore the Riders defense down."

The comment that we settled for to many field goals , should be put into the context of what actually happened in the game. This point has been made a few times , but some of those drives that ended with FGs , started very deep in our own end . I think one even started at our own 1or 2 yd line. Most of the time when you start there , you hope to get a at least a couple of first downs before you have to punt , in order to get yourself better field position . When I was watching I was impressed that we got FGs , instead of punting our self out of trouble from deep in our own territory . Sure it would have been nice to have gotten TDs instead , but it could have been worse , like maybe giving up 2 on a safety instead of getting a FG. How many times has a safety been given up in games when a team has such a starting position ? Some of those were long drives , that is reflected in the stats . I was impressed with those myself that showed great character and execution.

Riders were listless in BC, don't expect that kind of effort at home. Jones has to feel some of the pressure and a kiss going into their bye week will app that up internally and externally.

Given the change in QB may be an advantage for the Lions. JJ should keep the offense fresh and will have motivation to show he deserves to be the starter.

pennw wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 12, 2017 10:08 am

"Last game, we put up over 500 yards of offence, including over 200 yards rushing. That improved balance and our best rushing game of the season led to a massive time of possession for our offence. We scored on our first 5/6 drives, although we settled for too many field goals. But that time of possession wore the Riders defense down."

The comment that we settled for to many field goals , should be put into the context of what actually happened in the game. This point has been made a few times , but some of those drives that ended with FGs , started very deep in our own end . I think one even started at our own 1or 2 yd line. Most of the time when you start there , you hope to get a at least a couple of first downs before you have to punt , in order to get yourself better field position . When I was watching I was impressed that we got FGs , instead of punting our self out of trouble from deep in our own territory . Sure it would have been nice to have gotten TDs instead , but it could have been worse , like maybe giving up 2 on a safety instead of getting a FG. How many times has a safety been given up in games when a team has such a starting position ? Some of those were long drives , that is reflected in the stats . I was impressed with those myself that showed great character and execution.

Agree with this assessment. I too was very impressed at how the Lions reversed the field position battle.

The lineup looks strong to me.

Maxx Forde at DT.

Roh is having a good year.

We will see how Shirley and Foley do at rush end.

Being able to start 4 NATs in the O Line certainly helps the ratio. Jones was a very convenient pickup for us.

Moore and Williams sharing a spot on O.

JJ24 starting RB, but with help from Rainey and Lil Shaq.

JJ10 at QB, with Lulay as backup.

Purifoy at HB.

Riders' depth chart ...

Injured lists. Jones really loads up. 16 injured, or so to speak.

And there sit Dillon Guy and Jeremy Zver. He sure seems to like hunting and fishing through our roster.

Anybody of interest to us on his lists?


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