Riders 45 - Lions 18 -- Post Game Comments

[yukonlion]

agree the offenc e was just runs up the middle and dropback passes, ni roll outs, no imagaination.. if JJ isnt fired tomorrrow all the BC top echelon should go as well. Claybrooks looks like he doesnt know what s going on...

it cant get worse... i dont think our talent is bad, (even our o line) except for our front 7 D who could be better...

[WestCoastJoe]

You are missing the forest for the trees WCJ. This isn't a Reilly issue, this is an overall pathetic organization. Lousy owner, lousy coaches, lousy GM. There is zero emotion. Zero direction. Zero talent.

It all starts on the O and D lines and we have neither.

Yes. I pointed out Reilly, for his responsibility, Lion Guy. I have also time and again referred to Hervey, Claybrooks, Jackson, even absentee owner Braley, et cetera.

I would not be surprised if some others around the league see it as I do. Those in the media would be reluctant to say so, however.

Reilly is a good guy. Maybe he will modify his game. Look for the outlet. Use the run game. Ask for more tight end sets. Forget about stats and other stuff that ''might'' be distracting him. He is not getting good, authoritative coaching or leadership from above. Maybe he is feeling the pressure, as the highest paid player in the league, as the face of the franchise.

By the way, the Eskimos missed the playoffs last year with Reilly at QB, as he passed for over 5,000 yards. Jason Maas is still there, and his team is doing well with Harris looking better than ever.

I've always liked Reilly. I have leveled criticism at him here, for the first time, by the way. He is a consummate teammate, but imo he needs to alter his focus in the offence.

Just imo.

[JohnnyMusso]

This game was very similar to the blowout lost at home to the Eskimos, maybe worse. If Lions did not get those 2 special teams touchdowns they could have lost 45 to 3. It was a horrid game to watch and lucky we saw 2 special Team touchdowns.

I am sure Hervey will make 3 or 4 changes during the bye week, but it will make no difference. This team is by far the worst team since Lions finished 3 and 15, back in 1990? So long ago, I don't remember the year.

Changing 3 or 4 players will not do anything. They need to fire Jarious Jackson and replace him with Drew Tate or Travis Lulay. He is the problem. Getting 64 yards in Game 7 and at home is inexcusable. Seen enough of his act so show him the door.

In offseason fire Hervey and Claybrooks. Neither impress me, but seriously doubt either will be fired mid season.

Hervey probably will cut 1 or 2 name players and I expect Claudell Louis likely to be made a scapegoat and cut.

This team needs a major shakeup. I just doubt whatever Hervey does will make any impact.

[Lion Guy]

No roll out, no wide runs, no max protection, no imagination, no offensive TDs. This offense is unwatchable, so I did some laundry and ironing while keeping an eye on the game. Looks like I'm gonna get a lot of housework done this season.

Jarious Jackson should be embarrassed to cash his paycheque.

Jarious Jackson is stunned. There is no other word. Stunned.

[JohnnyMusso]

agree the offenc e was just runs up the middle and dropback passes, ni roll outs, no imagaination.. if JJ isnt fired tomorrrow all the BC top echelon should go as well. Claybrooks looks like he doesnt know what s going on...

it cant get worse... i dont think our talent is bad, (even our o line) except for our front 7 D who could be better...

Of course it can get worse. Lions are 1 and 6. It is possible they could go 1 and 10, maybe even 1 and 17.

WCJ is right in the old days, the coach probably would be fired and probably should be. But with the coaches cap it will not happen.

No excuse for the team to be this bad. If the president had the balls and I think Bobby Ackles would if he was in charge, Ed Hervey should be fired tomorrow and replaced by Geroy Simon. We all know Hervey will makes changes, but what will he do? Will he trade our first round pick for another vet either on the OL or DL? I have no faith in him and feel since he is on an expiring contract, fire him now. It is unlikely they will offer him a new contract after this season considering how bad it is going and will likely go.

[Belize City Lion]

Claybrooks won't get fired because there is no one on his staff even close to being capable of taking over as HC. Getting rid of Reinbold was a job security move.

[Ballistic Bob]

Two run backs for touchdowns skews the Lions offense. I'm sure it would of been at least 100 yards. BB

[TheLionKing]

Worst offensive showing ever. 7 1st downs and 110 yards total offensive.

[B.C.FAN]

One of the players on the TSN 1040 postgame show (I think it was John White) mentioned the need to play with speed and aggression. That's what the Lions lack. I think it's been coached out of them.

The offensive and defensive lines are pushed around by more physical, faster opponents. The Lions have two past all-stars on the O-line (one is injured now) and two on the defensive line but they look just as ineffective as the players around them. The opposition wins the battle in the trenches almost every week. Today the Riders ran the ball down the Lions' throats, picking up 227 yards on 35 carries, an average of 6.5 yards a carry. William Powell had 146 yards on 21 carries, an average of 7.0 yards per carry. Whether it's first and 10 or second and three, the Riders always moved the ball on the ground when they wanted.

On offence and defence, the Lions aren't physical enough and they don't play fast enough. Defenders get past flat-footed O-linemen with speed rushes and twists. Defensive linemen get pushed around in the running game and are easily swallowed up on the pass rush. Claudell Louis was benched this week at nose tackle. Junior Luke gave it what he had but he is not a nose tackle. He and Davon Coleman can't hold their gaps and the linebackers can't close fast enough.

Rich Stubler says he doesn't want players to react instinctively and "see ball, get ball." So instead of flying to the ball they're reading their keys and trying to play within the system. It's not working. DBs and linebackers sit back in their zones and wait for the play to come to them. The result is that Cody Fajardo completed 21 of 26 passes (80.6%) and picked up first downs whenever needed, which wasn't that often with the effectiveness of the Rider running game.

Opposing defences stack the box to force the Lions to throw and they pressure the QB while blanketing B.C. receivers in aggressive man coverage. Opposing receivers are always open against B.C.'s zone and QBs almost always have time to find them. B.C. receivers seldom are open, and the QB doesn't have much time to find them.

Part of the Lions' problem is a lack of talent, especially in the front seven, but much of it stems from the top in the way they practice and the way they're taught to play. It's time to put the best athletes on the field and tell them to be aggressive and play hard and beat their man. At least we'd get a good idea of who is good enough and who isn't.

[TheLionKing]

The linebacker corp is weak. Can't believe Ed Hervey replaced Solomon Elimimian and Micah Awe with Chris Edwards and Maleki Harris

[TheLionKing]

https://www.cfl.ca/2019/07/27/recap-sas ... -45-bc-18/

[JohnnyMusso]

I agree they need new linebackers. They are not good enough.

[David]

Hearing Korey Toomer on the post-game tonight was refreshing. The NFL vet (whom I thought was one of the few bright spots today) gave props to the speed of the game and athletes up here, said they're not paid enough and the league is not recognized well enough.

He's happy to be able to contribute and grateful to the coaches for getting him up to speed but said if they said if they put him at linebacker, watch out! Would make a good will linebacker. Great size, speed, and hits hard.


DH

[TheLionKing]

There was some improvement in the tackling but still lots of room for improvement. The Lions had Powell surrounded at the line of scrimmage but he managed to squirm loose for a long run for a touchdown.

[The_Pauser]

Part of it is Reilly wanting to go deep to get the 5,000, imo. Same reason he won't come out of games.

Agreed. Reilly does that all game long, looking for long passes, not looking for outlets. ..........

You don't have any business making those kind of assumptions or insinuations.

Maybe it is just your frustration with the game, team, coaches ,etc that is making you do that?

Of course I have business making those judgments. Not frustrated. Disgusted more like it.

Tire fire, Man. Reilly deserves his share of the blame, imo. It is his team. He was given the keys to the car. Hervey. Claybrooks. Jackson. Stubler. Reilly. All deserve blame for the tire fire.

So it's Reilly's fault the defense is awful? It's Reilly's fault the offensive line doesn't block? I saw a stat a couple weeks ago that showed Reilly has been getting the ball out in 2.5 seconds so it's not like he's holding on to the ball too long.

I get being frustrated, but blaming Reilly is wrong.