Lions 42 - Riders 5 - Post Game Stats and Comments

[WestCoastJoe]

Update coming a bit later ... working on the back yard fence while the help is available ...

Passing CP/AT YDS TD INT
T. LULAY 19/27 303 2 0
J. JACKSON 5/6 40 0 0

Receiving Rec YDS TD LG
G. SIMON 9 96 1 16
T. BROWN 5 36 0 13
S. GORE 3 55 0 20
M. IANNUZZI 3 18 0 7
A. BRUCE 2 116 1 100
A. FOSTER 2 22 0 21

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG
A. HARRIS 8 35 0 10
T. BROWN 3 14 1 13
T. LULAY 3 12 0 7
J. ROBERTSON 3 6 0 3
S. GORE 1 9 0 9
A. BRUCE 1 0 0 0

Fumbles NO LST REC YDS
K. WILLIAMS 0 0 1 0

Field Goals FG LG XP PTS
P. MCCALLUM 4/4 38 4/4 16

Punting NO AVG NET LG
P. MCCALLUM 4 55.5 205 63

Punt Returns NO YDS AVG LG TD
T. BROWN 4 33 8.2 13 0

Kickoffs NO YDS LG SG
P. MCCALLUM 9 581 74 0

Kick Returns NO YDS AVG LG TD
T. BROWN 1 13 13.0 13 0

Defence TKL SK INT FF
S. ELIMIMIAN 7 1 0 0
A. REDDICK 5 0 1 0
T. KORNEGAY 4 0 0 0
R. PHILLIPS 3 0 1 0
K. BANKS 3 0 0 0
K. WILLIAMS 1 1 0 0
C. MUAMBA 1 0 0 0
J. JACKSON 1 0 0 0
D. MARSH 1 0 0 0
K. MITCHELL 1 0 0 0
A. HUNT 1 0 0 0
K. SMITH 1 0 0 0

[Luke]

Edit: I've watched the game for a second time now, and I take back my regrets about the running game. The offense looked really, really, sharp. They didn't have the same success running the ball as past weeks, but they were facing a stronger front seven. Also, the passing game was executed so well that it almost didn't matter what we did on the ground. I'm surprised Chap didn't use the end-around to Gore more often. He did it once and then never went back even though it got them nine yards.

I'm disappointed we didn't run the ball more. It had me concerned early on when I kept seeing Travis Lulay dropping back in the shotgun on every play. Thankfully, the Riders helped us out with some dumb penalties and costly mistakes like the wideside out that Phillips took for a pic-six.

Is it just me or was our running game a lot better when Jamal Robertson wasn't in the line up? He seems to find a way to run into his own lineman or trip over his own feet on every run. I really hope he's not brought back next season. He's just not an effective runner at this point, or our coaching staff doesn't know how to use him...it wouldn't be the first time that's been the case.

[notahomer]

Start with a couple lingering concerns but I'm not being a negative-Ned here, IMO. This Lions team was fun to watch.......

My one beef with McCallum? He seems to have this recurring habit (not every game but a few a season) where we have some traction going good. Score a touchdown, he goes to kick off and kicks it out of bounds giving the opponents the ball on the 45. Thankfully this hasn't been biting us but hope he gets this quirk out of his game. I loved the rest of his game. Punts and field goals. Had a bit of a break on that xtrapoint where he banged it in off the upright. HOpe he has a game to remember for all the right reasons next Friday night.

Kick coverage (kickoffs, IIRC) just seemed a little weak the past few games. Hope this gets tightened up too.

Whew, thats outta the way. There was so much fun stuff to watch with this Lions team. Lulay looked great, IMO. Things were so good we got to bring in our 3rd stringer. Hope he had a blast. I personally like watching Durant struggle a bit today. I was really worried he'd make good use of his legs but thankfully not much got done on offence at all. Clermont looked good too, IMO. Nice to see because I loved seeing him playing as a Lion.

Even the little things like Angus Reid going after Romero for taking a shot at Lulay. I sure hope the Lions continue the style of play they showed today. Pounding a team like the Riders really helps me feel they are for real. The Lions of the recent past would have struggled and found a way to lose this game. This Lions team knocked the Riders on the ground, put their feet on the Riders throats and made sure they didn't get up off the turf. I have watched the Lions lose games like this too so I hope the Riders are motivated. IMO, I'll be cheering for the Riders now in games versus other Western Teams (except the Lions).

[pennw]

I'm disappointed we didn't run the ball more. It had me concerned early on when I kept seeing Travis Lulay dropping back in the shotgun on every play. Thankfully, the Riders helped us out with some dumb penalties and costly mistakes like the wideside out that Phillips took for a pic-six.

Is it just me or was our running game a lot better when Jamal Robertson wasn't in the line up? He seems to find a way to run into his own lineman or trip over his own feet on every run. I really hope he's not brought back next season. He's just not an effective runner at this point, or our coaching staff doesn't know how to use him...it wouldn't be the first time that's been the case.

There had to be a non-silver lining in the game didn't there ?
At any rate , awesome game guys ! Any time we can route the Riders I'm happy , especially when it's in their own stadium . I agree that BC did look better with out Robertson , but give the Riders credit for that too . They were expecting BC to run based on watching BC run their past couple of games , and that is one thing they were prepared for .
For me the non-silver lining was watching Korey Banks run into the goal post , hope he's okay . He did get up , but did appear to be out cold , hope he didn't get a concussion .

[pennw]

I'll be cheering for the Riders now in games versus other Western Teams (except the Lions).

That's something I could never say , the Riders to me are the new evil empire .
But if BC can knock off the Shmoes next week we do pass them in the standings based on having the tie breaker on them .

[Luke]

I should say I'm excited they won. I never expected that kind of blow out. I thought it would be a close game that would come down to the wire.

[B.C.FAN]

That was a fun game. The Lions moved the ball well all day and did a great job on second-down conversions. They didn't force the ball deep other than on the 100-yard TD to Bruce but they ate up a lot of clock and capitalized on their opportunities. The Lions used seven receivers, including Paris Jackson, who caught his first pass of the season from Mike Reilly in garbage time. Bruce's touchdown may have been the offensive hilight of the year and it played a decisive role in the outcome but Geroy Simon was money all day with a team-high nine catches for 98 yards. Even with a five-touchdown lead, he was running crisp routes and picking up first downs and taking hits to keep the offence moving.

The turnover edge was 6-0 including turnovers on downs but the big ones were the bad snap that led to Tim Brown's touchdown and the Ryan Phillips interception for a touchdown. Turning two first-half turnovers into 14 points salted the game away. I expected Phillips to come up big today and he did with his 14th career interception against Saskatchewan (of his 31 total interceptions). The TSN panel did a good job on the postgame show of pointing out how Durant stared that play down all the way and allowed Philips to get a good break on the ball.

Both offensive lines played well and picked up the blitz. The Lions brought pressure all day but managed only two sacks. The Lions didn't give up a sack of their own, thanks to some great blitz pickups by the running backs. I give the Riders credit for strong front-7 play, led by the linebackers, that held the Lions to 78 yards rushing but the Lions won that battle too, holding the Riders to 48 yards rushing.

Paul McCallum continues to be money, but the convert that bounced in off the upright shows that he is indeed human and nothing is automatic. Kick coverage has been the Lions' only real weakness lately. Brandon West had 231 yards in kick returns today. McCallum was outkicking his coverage, giving the returners room to read their first block and find a seam.

Go Ticats against the Stamps. First place is within the Lions' sight.

[agent2]

Did anyone notice that Clermont said something rather off-colour to Buono at the end of the game? Wally looked very upset by it. Looks like that bridge is a pile of smoldering ruins.

[prj]

A very solid game of football, by all three teams. This was as professional a job of dismantling an opponent as I have seen in 50+ years of watching this team. Well done Lions!

Travis' development remains a real delight to watch, doesn't it?

Very satisfying game.

[smphantom]

Good times in the locker room after:

http://watch.tsn.ca/featured/clip538201#clip538201

[joe kapp22]

I am surprised it was not a closer game, what does Wally B have this yr, beat the Stamps at home, blowout the Riders at home...what is going on here?

[B.C.FAN]

I loved Aaron Hunt's message, delivered by the TSN crew: "We are who we thought we were."

[Wakesbetterthanyou]

Congrats to Paris for his first catch this year! It was an impressive catch as well! The Arland Bruce td was a beauty. Amazing pick up as I've been saying since the trade. Hopefully ppl (Mod Edit: leave other bloggers out of your opinions) can stop comparing the trade to the Charles Roberts pickup. C Rob was done, had lost a step the year prior. ABIII def has a few more exceptional years ahead of him. Guess he knew what he was talkin about when he said that he was "closer to the grey cup" after being acquired by the lions (despite them being 1-6 at the time). Lulay looked great, jarious looked confident. Apart from 1-2 Reilly our qbs were both over 70% passing. Great game. Made cleaning the garage a lot easier!

[ziggy]

Did anyone notice that Clermont said something rather off-colour to Buono at the end of the game? Wally looked very upset by it. Looks like that bridge is a pile of smoldering ruins.

Probably offered to sell him a house in Regina. That would be enough to make anyone lose it!

[Belize City Lion]

Huge week ahead for the BC Lion coaching staff and players. Now Wally & co. have to keep the guys focused and not let the euphoria of this beat down, the 5 game winning streak, or the hoopla over the new stadium distract them from concentrating on getting ready for the Esks.