Complete retrospection here, but after the Arceneaux leap for a TD on the next to final play in regulation time, the Lions could have went for the win. Wally mentions that not only did he think about it, he asked someone else on the sidelines about going for it. A reason that he didn't was due to all of the euphoria that the Lions had in making that TD drive, way too many emotions going on to settle down for the next play for a potential game winning two points.
That said, there was a pyramiding penalty called against the Riders which the Lions declined to exercise. Had they done so, the ball would have been placed at the 2 1/2 yardline, the players would have had enough time to refocus. Now if you are Wally and you considered going for two from 5 yards out, how much thought did he place into going for the two points from the 2 1/2. Can you imagine the crying in Regina if that penalty had cost the Riders the game?
Hindsight is what makes fans discuss the game, I thought that this would be an interesting angle with the game on the line.
2 1/2 Yards from Victory
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Lionheart
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It was right there for the win.. riders handed it to us. Just take it Wally. I still shake my head.
If you are clearly the better team and feel the lessor team someone lucked out with a tie, then sure take the tie, regroup and win in ot. But that does not apply here. The riders had found their passing game and momentum. 2.5 yards. If the riders had kicked a field goal in ot and the Lions had a ten yard pass for the win in ot would they be happy with it? Of course! So why not 2.5 and not give the riders any chance at all?
Coaching that is just not quick enough on it's feet in my opinion.
If you are clearly the better team and feel the lessor team someone lucked out with a tie, then sure take the tie, regroup and win in ot. But that does not apply here. The riders had found their passing game and momentum. 2.5 yards. If the riders had kicked a field goal in ot and the Lions had a ten yard pass for the win in ot would they be happy with it? Of course! So why not 2.5 and not give the riders any chance at all?
Coaching that is just not quick enough on it's feet in my opinion.
Wally thought about going for the two from the 5, more baffling to me is why not take the 2 1/2 with the team more settled, imagine the disarray that the Riders D would be in at that stage.Lionheart wrote:It was right there for the win.. riders handed it to us. Just take it Wally. I still shake my head.
If you are clearly the better team and feel the lessor team someone lucked out with a tie, then sure take the tie, regroup and win in ot. But that does not apply here. The riders had found their passing game and momentum. 2.5 yards. If the riders had kicked a field goal in ot and the Lions had a ten yard pass for the win in ot would they be happy with it? Of course! So why not 2.5 and not give the riders any chance at all?
Coaching that is just not quick enough on it's feet in my opinion.
Entertainment value = an all time low
I would love a play where Lulay rolls right (the plays often have him rolling left) and has a run pass option. Get a couple of LB/DBs in the dilemna of having to abandon their man to play the run.
I know it sounds easy, but I think it was the best chance to win. The Sask D had to be stunned after the Arceneaux catch.
I know it sounds easy, but I think it was the best chance to win. The Sask D had to be stunned after the Arceneaux catch.
It's always fun to speculate, but really, I didn't see any evidence of trickery or deception the whole year. What makes you think we could have thought outside the box in that situation? It probably would have been a hand-off to Robertson to run up the A gap. 
Seriously though, what was our big "gadget play" this year? Was it the hand-off to Jordan/Arceneaux on the end around?
I would have run a naked bootleg from 2 and 1/2 yard out.
DH
Seriously though, what was our big "gadget play" this year? Was it the hand-off to Jordan/Arceneaux on the end around?I would have run a naked bootleg from 2 and 1/2 yard out.
DH
Roar, You Lions, Roar
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WestCoastJoe
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Were we ready for that possibility? Nah. But we are not a really good team at being ready for the unexpected. If it was something they had talked about during the week of practice, then it would be easy for the team to be ready for the play. They would be very pumped.
At least Wally thought about going for it. I would say that shows some openness of mind.
As pointed out, with the penalty, it was only 2 1/2 yards to paydirt.
Huge endzone.
Have to be an multi-option play methinks. Zone read to the right. Deep middle pass option. Corner route. Defence would spy Lulay if they are not still in shock. If he is spied then it will probably end up being a pass. Go to your most reliable receiver. Geroy (deeper middle or corner) or Manny (inside curl) or Jamal on a shorter route/swing pass, etc.
If it had been done, and it had worked, Wally's reputation would be secured for all time. Even if it had failed, he would have been acknowledged for his courage. As it is, we played hard, but came up short.
At least Wally thought about going for it. I would say that shows some openness of mind.
As pointed out, with the penalty, it was only 2 1/2 yards to paydirt.
Huge endzone.
Have to be an multi-option play methinks. Zone read to the right. Deep middle pass option. Corner route. Defence would spy Lulay if they are not still in shock. If he is spied then it will probably end up being a pass. Go to your most reliable receiver. Geroy (deeper middle or corner) or Manny (inside curl) or Jamal on a shorter route/swing pass, etc.
If it had been done, and it had worked, Wally's reputation would be secured for all time. Even if it had failed, he would have been acknowledged for his courage. As it is, we played hard, but came up short.
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Sir Purrcival
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This is easy to speculate about but consider the alternative; you try the two points and don't make it. It isn't like we have been anything special on short yardage the last few years. How many people would be fuming about not going for the tie and then starting out on equal terms in OT.
Tell me how long must a fan be strong? Ans. Always.
I'm fine with not going for 2. Remember Don Matthews going for 2 in BC Place a few years back? Didn't go so well. Hindsight is 20/20. Everybody would be screaming if they went for 2 and didn't get it. Wally is a conservative coach, but going for the tie is not conservative. You have to have some real balls to go for 2 at that point of the game.
I think I'm going to throw up....Wally actually did consider exactly what I would have done .... The second we scored I turned to my wife and said we have to go for two here and the win....I mean look at our debacle of a season, the win was in our hands, I mean why not go for it ?? Even if they had royally screwed it up Buono would have cemented himself in my mind as the greatest coach in CFL history because that would have been the greatest call either way......Look, all fans who really know this team KNEW that the OT was going to be a big snowball engulfing us....Our defence was done, finished at that point, and lo and behold, the OT proved that...
You could have been the hero Wally.....You blew it again....And really, this call was not that gutsy or risky if you really consider the flow of that game and the state of our team.....It's what should have been called...
You could have been the hero Wally.....You blew it again....And really, this call was not that gutsy or risky if you really consider the flow of that game and the state of our team.....It's what should have been called...
The Lions were hyped from the tying TD, probably too hyped to execute cleanly on the convert from any distance. The decision has to be made before the Saskatchewan penalty. You don't take the tying point off the board to gamble on a low-percentage two-point convert at a distance you haven't practised.
The tying TD should have pumped the B.C. defence to make a stop on the first possession of OT, setting up a kicking duel. The odds of that were in B.C.'s favour. As it turned out, the defence couldn't make a stop on either Rider possession of OT. The bottom line is the offence tied the game. The defence lost it.
The tying TD should have pumped the B.C. defence to make a stop on the first possession of OT, setting up a kicking duel. The odds of that were in B.C.'s favour. As it turned out, the defence couldn't make a stop on either Rider possession of OT. The bottom line is the offence tied the game. The defence lost it.
Yes, the defence 'should' have been pumped, but they 'should' have been pumped the whole game, and it was plainly plainly obvious they were being manhandled in the fourth quarter and the momentum was gone......If the Lions O would have been confused by a two point convert, can you imagine the SASK defence confusion !!! A two point convert is a 'real' football play whereas OT in the CFL is a gimmick like OT in regular season hockey....Give me a true football play with the ball in the hands of the best player in that game (LULAY) any day for the win....
In fact I'll even give the benefit of the doubt to CHAP that maybe he wanted to go for it......
In fact I'll even give the benefit of the doubt to CHAP that maybe he wanted to go for it......
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SammyGreene
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What's interesting is Matt Sekeres' article didn't even mention the penalty and moving the ball to the 2.5 to go for the win. Having watched the broadcast again, Cuthbert and Suitor didn't mention the possibility either. I think BC Fan nailed it on the head.
McCallum's convert had already gone thru so it would have meant taking the tying point off the board. I admit I didn't even think about it myself until afterwards and was only anticipating overtime.
McCallum's convert had already gone thru so it would have meant taking the tying point off the board. I admit I didn't even think about it myself until afterwards and was only anticipating overtime.
