Lionbackers.com

Here is an article by Ed Willes that sets the tone for this game.

Ed Willes: Lions tired of getting licked by Stamps, and being reminded about it

Published on: September 15, 2017


The Calgary Stampeders have celebrated a lot of great plays and wins against the B.C. Lions. The Stamps have beaten the Lions 23 times in their last 33 meetings. Adjust

CALGARY — The question was asked of Manny Arceneaux — are you guys tired of losing to Calgary? — and, suddenly, it was like one of those cable news shows where everyone on the panel talks at once.

Arceneaux started to answer but before he could finish his first sentence, he was joined by Bryan Burnham. Then Nick Moore’s voice was added to the chorus. Then Chris Williams chimed in.

In the resulting cacophony, it was difficult to pinpoint a specific response to the question but most of the noise seemed to revolve around the following point. Sure, the Stamps are a good regular-season team, but they didn’t win the Grey Cup last year when they went 15-2-1, which makes them the 2016 Golden State Warriors of the CFL.

Talk to us when this season is over because the Stamps haven’t won anything yet.

And that’s true to a point. But, while entertaining, it misses the bigger picture by, roughly, the distance between Venus and Pluto.

The inescapable fact is since John Hufnagel took over in Calgary in 2008, the Stamps have used the Lions as their personal plush toy. They’re 19-10 against the Lions in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs.

Two years ago, Hufnagel turned the coaching reins over to Dave Dickenson, stepped in the GM’s office and the beat went on. The Lions beat the Stampeders in the 2016 season opener, then lost the next two in the regular season before they were drilled 42-15 in the West Final.
This year the Stamps won the first meeting at B.C. Place Stadium, setting up Saturday’s encounter at McMahon where the Lions haven’t won in three years.

Is it just me or does someone else see a pattern here?

Just so you know, quarterback Jonathon Jennings is 1-5 in career regular-season starts against the Horsemen in addition to suffering two more beatdowns in the playoffs.

He was asked if he’s tired of having his lunch handed to him by the Stamps.

“No question,” he said. “We don’t want to lose to anybody, but this is a team that sets the tone for the league. Obviously we want to come here and show the league we are who we think we are.”

Somewhere, Denny Green is smiling.

As it happens, the Lions best chance at beating the Stamps rests with those aforementioned receivers who’ll start together for just the second time this season. Williams missed the first six games of the regular season but the master plan was to play all four imports, giving Jennings an imposing set of weapons. Alas, it hasn’t worked out that way.

Travis Lulay started the one game the four played together, a 30-15 win over Saskatchewan on Aug. 3 before injuries to Burnham and Moore scuttled that deployment. Concerns over the offensive line also led to head coach Wally Buono playing imports Kelvin Palmer and Antonio Johnson at the tackle spots.

Ed Willes: Simon copes with being a Superman on hurting home front
Willes’ Musings: Lulay among best people I’ve ever covered in sports
Ed Willes: Lions crush Als 41-18 to snap skid, but losing Lulay spoils party
On Saturday, Canadian David Foucault starts at right tackle allowing the Lions to play the four imports. The least you can say is it’s an intriguing collection of talent. If Jennings stays upright long enough to exploit it, so much the better.

“They’re not a super fancy team,” Jennings said of the Stamps. “They don’t do a lot of crazy stuff. They’re just disciplined and they’re sound and consistent in what they do.

“They’re going to take advantage of your mistakes. You have to eliminate those and you have to take their will away by making big plays.”

The Stamps will have something to say about that. Rush end Charleston Hughes, who seems to grow a foot and add 100 pounds when he plays the Lions, added some spice to the matchup Friday when he likened playing against Jennings to, ahem, a lion stalking its prey.

“I get to chase him around and play with him a bit before I sack him,” Hughes said.

“Charleston is a funny guy,” said Jennings.

Except no one on the Lions is laughing about their record against the Stamps. They understand what it says about their team — that they’re good enough to beat mediocrities but not good enough to beat the elites. And they understand the road to the Grey Cup will, again, run through Calgary.

That doesn’t make it any easier. But at least they understand it.“It’s good to have a little chip on your shoulder,” said linebacker Solomon Elimimian.

And better if you play like it.

DanoT wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:39 am

While the Lions have an all star calibre receiving corps, unless one of the worst O lines in the CFL play above their heads, it will be another loss and last place for BC.

While I am glad to see them bench one of their substandard INT tackles, the Lions still have their best tackle playing guard and overall lack depth on the Oline.

Dline isn't much better with their best rush end, Menard listed as a backup along with Max Forde who has also played well enough to start. Hopefully they will both get lots of rotational playing time. Either way I see nothing that will likely change who they are on D: the team that gives up the most big plays in the CFL.

I hate to be so pessimistic but it is hard to get too excited about this game when the Stamps have far better coaching and the Lions are so predictable and set in their ways. I don't expect any innovation just the same old stuff from Wally.

BC 1988 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 12:06 pm

DanoT wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:39 am

While the Lions have an all star calibre receiving corps, unless one of the worst O lines in the CFL play above their heads, it will be another loss and last place for BC.

While I am glad to see them bench one of their substandard INT tackles, the Lions still have their best tackle playing guard and overall lack depth on the Oline.

Dline isn't much better with their best rush end, Menard listed as a backup along with Max Forde who has also played well enough to start. Hopefully they will both get lots of rotational playing time. Either way I see nothing that will likely change who they are on D: the team that gives up the most big plays in the CFL.

I hate to be so pessimistic but it is hard to get too excited about this game when the Stamps have far better coaching and the Lions are so predictable and set in their ways. I don't expect any innovation just the same old stuff from Wally.

The thing that bothers me the most is that CGY has played just good enough to win most of their games (and they even lost to sad-sack MTL). EDM is also by no means world beaters. This is a season where BC should be right up there challenging for first, but they've frittered away too many opportunities.

I know "be careful what you wish for" probably applies, but I look forward to changes in ownership and coaching (and will be very disappointed if TL ends up coaching somewhere else, the same way Dickenson did).

BC 1988 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 12:06 pm

DanoT wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:39 am

While the Lions have an all star calibre receiving corps, unless one of the worst O lines in the CFL play above their heads, it will be another loss and last place for BC.

While I am glad to see them bench one of their substandard INT tackles, the Lions still have their best tackle playing guard and overall lack depth on the Oline.

Dline isn't much better with their best rush end, Menard listed as a backup along with Max Forde who has also played well enough to start. Hopefully they will both get lots of rotational playing time. Either way I see nothing that will likely change who they are on D: the team that gives up the most big plays in the CFL.

I hate to be so pessimistic but it is hard to get too excited about this game when the Stamps have far better coaching and the Lions are so predictable and set in their ways. I don't expect any innovation just the same old stuff from Wally.

The thing that bothers me the most is that CGY has played just good enough to win most of their games (and they even lost to sad-sack MTL). EDM is also by no means world beaters. This is a season where BC should be right up there challenging for first, but they've frittered away too many opportunities.

I know "be careful what you wish for" probably applies, but I look forward to changes in ownership and coaching (and will be very disappointed if TL ends up coaching somewhere else, the same way Dickenson did).

maxlion wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:21 pm

This team will go nowhere with Jennings giving the ball away. Worst starting qb in the league this year by a fair margin.