It's Printers and Lulay Against Hamilton

[Blitz]

Casey Printers thumb injury is recovering nicely. Lulay should be ready to go.

Things are looking a lot more positive than they were after Friday night's embarrassment. Perhaps the loss and the way we lost might bring a few changes in our defensive scheme and a more inspired performance against Hamilton. One can only hope and teams often play very well the next game after a humiliation.

Of course, based upon Wally's past..... expect a surprise starter for the playoff game...perhaps Dave Dickenson or Buck Pierce.

[Lionsfan1976]

How about Jeff Garcia?

[Blitz]

Perhaps we did ourselves a favor by losing to Edmonton. I'd much rather our Leos face Hamilton and Kevin Glenn than Calgary and Henry Burris.

The semi-final playoff game will have a couple of key story lines. The first, of course, will be Casey Printers returning to Hamilton, the team that dumped him and Printers will want to prove they made a mistake.

Secondly, our Leos will be facing the best linebacking unit in the CFL..based upon their play this season...Jamal Johnson, Otis Floyd, and Markeith Knowlton.

If Printers can go more than the four plays he was involved in against Edmonton and his thumb allows him to throw the football properly, we have a great chance...as the following exerpt from the Vancouver Sun attests.

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Yet, counterintuitively, the Lions feel like a different team with Printers under centre, as if hope has been pumped back into them. Buono uses the word "magic" when describing his effect. "Right now, he's got the maturity and, I believe, the charisma and the leadership to handle things a lot better [than in 2005]," he says.

The offensive line, already missing veteran centre Angus Reid, feels less pressure because of how cool their quarterback is under strain. Geroy Simon likes the fact that the shackles are off and Printers wants to exploit the playbook to its fullest extent.

"The one thing that Casey always talks about is being aggressive," Simon says. "And that's just not always throwing the ball deep. That's being aggressive with short passes, being aggressive with intermediate routes, just having an aggressive mindset going into games. That's good for us because we have a lot of big-play guys. It plays to our character." Vancouver Sun

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However, it all comes down to our defense and the kind of defensive strategy we'll have for the Tiger Cats. Obviously our league's worst run defense has to shut down the run. Kevin Glenn is a pocket quarterback and he isn't tall.....so getting pressure up inside on him is a key!!

[WestCoastJoe]

The offensive line, already missing veteran centre Angus Reid, feels less pressure because of how cool their quarterback is under strain. Geroy Simon likes the fact that the shackles are off and Printers wants to exploit the playbook to its fullest extent.

"The one thing that Casey always talks about is being aggressive," Simon says. "And that's just not always throwing the ball deep. That's being aggressive with short passes, being aggressive with intermediate routes, just having an aggressive mindset going into games. That's good for us because we have a lot of big-play guys. It plays to our character." Vancouver Sun

We do have hope.

"being aggressive" ... good for the offence. Casey brings that leadership, and, as Geroy says, the shackles are off.

Now if the defence would use aggressive tactics, and if the shackles were taken off, we would be in business.

By aggressive tactics on defence, I mean:

Blitzes, movement, overloads ...

* a good measure of blitzes, well disguised, well timed, and well run. This requires overloading at the LOS very frequently. Backing off some times, blitzing others. It also requires movement by the D Line, changing positions, using stunts, and loops and slants. Too much to ask for? Well, perhaps not if Wally Buono wants to keep the media and fans off his back for his ultra conservative, ineffective, out-dated and boring defensive preferences.

Man-to-man as an alternative to the soft zone ...

* some MTM pass coverage. Please. The soft zone is horrible to watch, and ever so easy to attack. I am sure the players would love to play some MTM. Mix it in.

[Lionheart]

I'll agree but would like to add tackling to the list. Please Dante, forget the good looking highlight "shoulder knockdown" tackle; just wrap the guy up and take him down. Forget the pretty, just accomplish. This goes for the rest of you too.

Baron - what you brought to saskatchewan, bring that to hamilton too.

Thank you.

[The_Pauser]

If Printers starts, and can go the distance, I think we have a great chance to win the game.

[orangegloves]

Please Dante, forget the good looking highlight "shoulder knockdown" tackle; just wrap the guy up and take him down. Forget the pretty, just accomplish. This goes for the rest of you too. Thank you.

[D]

Secondly, our Leos will be facing the best linebacking unit in the CFL..based upon their play this season...Jamal Johnson, Otis Floyd, and Markeith Knowlton.

were did they find those guys

[Bobbyp]

Is Garcia not playing again I thought a nfl team picked him up again?

[Spud387]

According to TSN it is looking like it will be Printers/Lulay/Pierce in that order in Hamilton. My assumption, Printers behind center, Lulay taking short yardage snaps & Buck holding for field goals/converts. Very early, but that looks like the most likely scenario

[Wally!]

If Printers starts, they have a chance. I can't qualify this but the offense seems to have more moxie when he's playing. I know they haven't won with him starting yet, but they almost did in Regina and the last Stamps game was close. Ti-Cats have good LB's, need to keep them guessing on pass or run and with Printers, you get the broken play / scramble option.

[nelson95]

BC 36-22

[sports & stuff----ric]

i believe we can win with any of our top 4 qbs healthy!

also i quite often find myself shaking my head over coaching decisions (not just the lions)

this being said i figure hamiton will come out throwing the football and we will get the early lead and hamilton will forget about the run. Now if we can just get pressure on the qb and dont go with 12 dbs we will be good.

[Blitz]

We'll be playing against Kevin Glenn.

The key to beating Hamilton is to stop the run on first down with run blitzes. Cobb has rushed for 1217 yards this season and he has to be stopped on first down. If we can get Hamilton in second and long, Glenn is not a good scrambler and his lack of height can hurt him in the pocket, The key on second and long is to bring pressure inside, in his face.

However, on second and 5 or less, it isn't wise to blitz Glenn. He'll get it off quickly and he's experienced enough to hurt us if we do that. Glenn has a higher quarterback efficiency than Henry Burris or Durant and he doesn't throw a lot of interceptions. Hamilton came in second in the league, in terms of time of possession and we can't allow them to run Cobb down and keep our offence off the field. Hamilton finished second in the CFL, in terms of time of possession, for good reasons.

Another key to the game is to pay special attention to Arland Bruce, who sits third in the league in pass receiving and is definitely Hamilton's primary and go to receiver. He should be double teamed all game.

Defensively,, Hamilton finished second in the league, in team defense. They are stingy in terms of giving up points and yardage. With an active linebacking crew in Johnson, Floyd, and Knowlton, Hamilton gave up the least amount of points except for Montreal. Casey Printers has his work cut out for him.

The key to beating Hamilton offensively is success on first down. We have to protect Printers and also have a good game plan and good play calling because Hamitlon will bring the blitz...the recipe of ever defense in beating our offence. We have to screen and roll Printers out. If we can run successfully on first down play action would be huge because it's the best way to keep Hamilton's linebackers guessing.

We go into this game as underdogs and we should be. Hamilton beat us twice this season, they're playing at home and we have to travel East and play in a different time zone. It will take some Printers magic and our defence has to come up big in the clutch, something they haven't been able to do at all this season but they get one more chance.

However, we have a great opportunity here..if we can only seize the day!!!

[Lionheart]

Another key to the game is to pay special attention to Arland Bruce, who sits third in the league in pass receiving and is definitely Hamilton's primary and go to receiver. He should be double teamed all game.

However we must keep in mind Hamilton primarily used Arland as a decoy, and drew defenders away from the play. Will they do that again?