Lionbackers.com

The Lions will have slotback Bryan Burnham back in the starting lineup Thursday when they host the Eskimos. That's the only change among starters on either side of the ball in a short week after playing in Toronto Saturday. Rashaun Simonise, who dropped the only three passes thrown to him as Burnham's replacement in Toronto, returns to backup status. Marquis Bundy, who played the fourth quarter in Burnham's spot in Toronto and had no catches, returns to the practice roster.

Former Saskatchewan punter Josh Bartel is added to the roster to split kicking chores with placekicker Sergio Castillo.

Backup DL Darius Allen has been placed on the 6-game injured list. Ebenezer Ogundeko is activated from the practice roster to replace him. Backup linebacker and special teamer Frederic Chagnon has been placed on the 1-game injured list.

Lions depth chart and roster

This will be a tough challenge for the Lions, coming off a last-play victory and flying across the country to play 5 days later while the Eskimos are coming off a bye.

The Eskimos will have WR Davaris Daniels back in the starting lineup for an offence that leads the league by a wide margin with an average of 485 yards per game but has scored only 8 touchdowns, tied with Montreal and ahead of only Ottawa and Toronto. The B.C. offence is ranked eighth, averaging only 335 yards per game.

Edmonton is the only team that has yet to throw an interception.

The Edmonton defence is also ranked first, giving up only 237 yards a game. The Lions are fifth, giving up an average of 357 yards per game.

The Eskimos, who overcame a 14-point deficit to beat the Lions 39-23 three weeks ago, can clinch the season series with a victory. That’s significant because these teams both had 9-9 records last year. The Lions made the playoffs because they won the season series.

Pass rush and gap control. Gable may not play but Edmonton get rid of the ball quickly. Our db's are still getting beat deep due to little pass rush. Our linebackers need to read and react quickerI am still not sold on our return game. Carter has not as yet made a big play as advertised. Time to step up. Hopefully we can gut out a win..

Even if Lions were well rested, I would go with the Eskimos. The Lions have not looked good all year and were dreadful in Toronto.

My only hope is it is a close game so I watch the whole game and not be over by halftime.

I predict Eskimos will win this game by at least 14 points.

JohnnyMusso wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 12:19 pm

Even if Lions were well rested, I would go with the Eskimos. The Lions have not looked good all year and were dreadful in Toronto.

My only hope is it is a close game so I watch the whole game and not be over by halftime.

I predict Eskimos will win this game by at least 14 points.

The first half has been the Lions' best this year. Closing out games in the fourth quarter has been their problem. The Lions have outscored their opponents by 12 points in the first half and been outscored by 41 points in the second half.

In the first Edmonton game, the Esks took their first lead with six seconds left in the first half when they capitalized on a Mike Reilly interception.

In the season opener against Winnipeg, the Bombers took the lead after Reilly threw an interception on the first play of the second half.

In the Calgary game, the Lions led 22-10 at the half. They were stuffed on a QB sneak on the final play of the half that could have made it 29-10. That goal-line stand turned out to be the turning point.

In Toronto, the Lions led by 8 points until the Argos tied it up in the final minute of the game.

The Lions have been starting well on offence and defence. Their biggest needs are to finish drives with TDs instead of FGs, protect the ball and stay aggressive on defence in the closing minutes.

Establish the run game and keep running the ball. Don't let Edmonton have the ball.

TheLionKing wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 2:04 pm

Establish the run game and keep running the ball. Don't let Edmonton have the ball.

This. ^^^

The run game should slow down their pass rush. Quick screens to White and to Carter or Shaq. Oline has to give Reilly time to make his second or third read. Hoping both sides of the line have better game than in Edmonton to give them a chance for a win.

Further to the o-line; I've not heard much (so I'll take it as a good thing) regarding the play of our new centre Roy. But I'm interested, are any of you keen o-line observers noticing any particulars about the fellow? It's such an important cog in the wheel and yet there seems to be minimal conversation about him by coaches or writers re his job so far. I know it's a small sample size yet, but just curious.

And on that topic, or related, interesting to see Hunter Steward listed behind Foucault at LG on the depth chart. I'm not asking as a slight against Foucault, he's certainly not the turnstile he once was, but I'd expect Steward to be starting somewhere on the line (unless he's slightly dinged but just good enough to go as backup). Regards him, I heard someone in passing mention something about the dog house. I can't see, based on his play why that would be the case. Anyone have inside info? Perhaps this will simply be a case of rotation between the two at LG throughout the game?

Gridiron Ernie wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:05 pm

Further to the o-line; I've not heard much (so I'll take it as a good thing) regarding the play of our new centre Roy.

Chiu seems to be pleased with his progress, Ernie. The latest from Ed Willes:

"...One of the players who’ll see a lot of Sewell on Thursday is centre Jean-Simon Roy, the former Eskimo who’s making his third straight start since he was plucked from the Esks’ practice roster a month ago.

In another lifetime, Chiu, then the offensive line coach at Concordia, recruited Roy but lost him to Laval where he won a couple of Vanier Cups. Roy’s presence has helped stabilize a unit that was in a constant state of flux over the first three games.

“He’s a smart kid,” Chiu said. “He’s becoming a steady presence and he’s earning the respect of the other guys.”

He also saw a lot of Sewell during his two years with the Eskimos.

“He’s a good player, an all-star player,” Roy said. “We acknowledge him but we don’t make a game plan around him.”

Boyko, meanwhile, makes his second straight start at right tackle after missing Week 3 with an ankle injury and, like his colleagues, he’s eager to make amends for a substandard performance against the Eskimos.

The Saskatoon native signed with the Lions before the start of training camp, after spending four years in the NFL spin cycle. A former standout out at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Boyko’s inexperience at the Canadian game has shown a couple of times this season. But he’s also 6-6, goes 305 pounds and has skills.

The Lions seem committed to making him their right tackle. The rest is up to Boyko.

“I mean, it’s a different game up here but the more reps you get the more comfortable you get,” he said.

And their coach believes the whole line is getting more comfortable with each other.

“Guys like Roy and Boyko are essentially rookies in this league,” said Chiu. “Communication takes a while but once you can build that continuity and play with the same lineup, that’s ideal.

“Once you get comfortable with each other you don’t need to speak. Everyone knows their jobs.”

And the next dance step."

SOURCE: Vancouver Province, July 10, 2019


DH

Roy has settled in at center quite seamlessly. No holding or illegal procedures. Thursday night will be a big test.

Gridiron Ernie wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:05 pm

Regards him, I heard someone in passing mention something about the dog house. I can't see, based on his play why that would be the case. Anyone have inside info? Perhaps this will simply be a case of rotation between the two at LG throughout the game?

I saw that comment about Steward being in the dog house . I took that with a grain of salt as there has been no such report or comment coming out of the lions camp that I'm aware of . Some times some just make stuff up because that suits their opinion . Don't believe everything you read on the internet .

Hoping for the best, expecting the worst. The last time the Lion's played Edmonton, the schmoes played horribly in the 1st half racking up a huge number of penalty yards. They cleaned up their act in the second half and as a result, the Lion's were totally dominated. Wasn't even close.
After 4 games in, they can no longer hide behind the "new team" trying to gel excuse. They have looked lacklustre on O and Leaky like the Titanic on D.
If we are lucky, and I mean very lucky, the Lions might come out firing early and the Esks may have a little bit of bye week rust. I think the only chance we have in this game is if the Lions build up a very good lead and then collapse less than they usually do in the 2nd half.

Like most posters, modest expectations at best tonight given the Commonweath 2nd half beatdown was less than 3 weeks ago. We will get to see how well this coaching staff can make adjustments since the Eskimos would be stupid not to dial up the same defensive game plan.

Blitz nailed the season so far with his post earlier this week.
There have been some positives including Durant's emergence as an elite receiver, FINALLY going with 4 nationals on the offensive line and an aggressive approach to developing Canadian talent even though some of the moves are from bringing in a lack of American talent to TC as well.

But they are also in need of at least one better DE and their linebackers are not good enough. The lack of money spent on defence is evident. How can teams not be burned spending roughly $400,000 of cap space on a pair of guards (Chungh and Steward) and one of them has been relegated to a back-up role?

They have the best QB in the league but JJ's RPO lacks consistency three QBs later and, even more importantly, explosiveness. Where is the quick strike TD ability? Not every TD can be a time consuming 14 play drive.
Haven't taken a closer look but what is our longest offensive TD since the start of the 2018 season? Anything close to Ellingson's 85-yard backbreaker 3 weeks ago?

My sense is that the Esks will continue to roll and if there is a silver lining here it might be the natural human tendency for the Esks to have that imperceptible collective let down when teams look at the records of opponents and come out flat. Players can all say the right things pre-game on how they are focused and don't underestimate even the worst teams yet the top team in the league is always at risk of losing to the worst.

Let's hope we see more than White getting the ball as we can't pass (Sanchez on TSN kind of said that). There has to be some variation on the themes and BC doesn't seem to have changed from the worst of the Wally years of predictable offensive scheming.

Reilly wants pretty much to pass only but with the Jackson offence we're only getting the longer passes like to Durant on broken coverages. Pass routes are kind of predictable as is the run game for the most part.

But early in the Bombers game there were some brilliant tosses to Burnham to get out of a deep hole.

I would like to see a few things that could really improve our chances. I want to see the O-line dominate with a run game that was non-existent in the first meeting. Also on offence, I want to see more of Cottey. I sense that he is a game-changer. Yes, he is a raw talent but he won't improve without being included as an integral piece of the offence. He is ready for a breakout game.

If Boyko falters, time to move Foucault to right tackle and Stewart back in a left guard. That version of the O-line looked damn good in Calgary.

On defence - I want aggression - multiple blitz packages. We did a lot of this in the Calgary game and it worked until we went into the 3 man rush "prevent a win" defence. Notice what Edmonton did to us in the first game? They sure as hell didn't go to a three-man rush late in the 4th quarter - ask Mr. Boyko for confirmation. Pedal to the metal.

I think we could knock this team off its pedestal.