B.C at Calgary Aug. 13, 2022

[Hambone]

Rourke is getting a lot of credit for the yards, but watching the receptions, I’m not sure any other team can boast catches like the Lions corps are producing every game.

One of the benefits of having a Canadian QB on a bargain contract is that you can surround him with a great receiving corp. No doubt Rourke is benefitting from that. But at the same time it is the same receiving corp and offensive line that Reilly had last year. Rourke has almost purrfect accuracy AND we have a very strong receiving group. Sure makes for an exciting team!

Absolutely. When they went after Lawler it was clear that Campbell and McAvoy knew a key to a young QB like Rourke having success would be to provide him with a stable of good receivers. Funny thing is the group they are going with wound up not needing help from outside. The entire group are holdovers from 2021. What makes them so good is the combination of skills the group brings. They complement each other so well. If defenses want to try neutralizing one another rises to the occasion.

This morning I looked at the group for 100 yard games and total targets (in brackets)
Rhymes - 3 (56)
Whitehead - 3 (59)
Hatcher - 2 (50)
Burnham - 1 (23) in 4 games
Cottoy - 0 (45)
4 receivers contributing 9 total 100 yard games in 8 games. While they take turns getting the big games all 5 are averaging 5.5 to 7.5 targets per game. That's excellent ball distribution that should keep everybody happy.

[Lionize]

Is it just me or is Bo Levi fading. He used to be the most consistent QB, but over the past couple of years, has looked pretty vanilla.

[Sir Purrcival]

I can't believe that Sir Purrcival wrote "special teams won the game" - can't disagree more - or at least there is a strong strong need to separate Special Teams into the FG unit and the kick return teams.
As in the Bomber loss, kick coverage was the biggest weakness the Lions had. We surrendered TDs and allowed Calgary to start at their own 45 almost all game - while Rourke was often starting on his 20. Every Calgary Kick return had a gap the size of the Grand Canyon opening up - it was like the opening kickoff against the Bombers. The offense bailed them out big time, but we must find ways to seal those gaps - those plays are killers.
Meanwhile, Whyte was fabulous. In short, we won in spite of the kick return special teams - not because of them.

While there was a lot about the kick return team stuff that wasn't special, bear in mind, they did recover a fumble on the teams and all of the FG's including the last second one that gave us the winning points was part of the reason we won this game. Do we need to improve on the kick and punt return coverage, yes we do. We haven't looked very dangerous on our own kick returns either although we also got one of those called back yesterday that cost us a TD on a penalty. Is there room for improvement, yes. If you want to separate FG and Kicking Game aspects of the "Teams", then that changes the conversation but at the time I made the comment I did, I was responding to the generic reference to the Special Teams. Clearly some aspects sucked, others performed quite well and ultimately, it was the aspects that were working that sealed the deal. The Offense which had it's dismal moments could just as easily be tagged for a loss had it unfolded that way. The O recovered and made up for some of it's cramps and in some fashion, the Teams did enough too to counteract their cramps.

[Sir Purrcival]

Is it just me or is Bo Levi fading. He used to be the most consistent QB, but over the past couple of years, has looked pretty vanilla.

I don't think it is just you that feels that way. Time and use do appear to be taking a toll in BLM but I think there are some contributing factors as well. Their premiere RB is out; their receiving corp has some missing and don't look as dangerous as they once did. Their OLine doesn't look as solid as it did in years past either. Put it all together and you get a vanilla offensive performance that can be put on the QB but maybe it is also exposing some limitations that have been there but not as easily discernable with a loaded arsenal of offensive weapons and a solid Oline. Goodness knows that we had a QB who was more than capable who often looked like cold toast behind an Oline that had more holes than a colander.

[TheLionKing]

Is it just me or is Bo Levi fading. He used to be the most consistent QB, but over the past couple of years, has looked pretty vanilla.

Noticed the same thing. Doesn't strike fear as he once did. Having said that, Mitchell is still a very good quarterback.

[OV:54-40]

Is it just me or is Bo Levi fading. He used to be the most consistent QB, but over the past couple of years, has looked pretty vanilla.

I agree - he is no longer near at his previous CFL best; limited mobility still and misses open deep receivers way too often (always a weakness in his game IMO); i think the Stumps might be fooling themselves thinking they are going to go far with Bo anymore, and they would be advised to start giving some playing time to Maier who was so impressive as a rookie last season. But i guess Huff & Dickenson know best ?

Their receiving corps (Beggelton, Jorden, Malik Henry and young Canadian talents like Haknuvanhu, Sindani, Philpot) is league best potential (amongst a few other corps' like the Lions'), but Bo can't hit them enough consistently, seems to me.

Sticking with "veteran" QBs for the sake of it has been a big mistake of many CFL teams in the past IMO. What if Reilly had decided to play another season? - would Rourke have been on the bench most of this season ?

[almo89]

If the Lions can fix the special teams and the defense stay slightly above average for the rest of the year, can any team in the league really challenge the Lions? BC had to go into Mcmahon and face a tough Calgary team. The defense was rushing 3 a lot of the night and seemed to confuse Rourke early on. Our special teams kept spotting the ball on kickoffs for the Stamps at the 40. Rourke still managed to drive the field when he was given terrible field position. He threw 2 INTs early on and it seemed like game over. In the first half I had the same feeling I had when I was at the Winnipeg game. I thought the Lions are great offensively, but just can't seem to get over the hump against the better teams in the league. The Calgary game proved that the Lions need above average ST and D and the offense can do the rest. Nothing phases #12. He looks poised like Dave Dickenson back in the day except he can throw an amazingly accurate deep ball and can scramble when needed. I haven't been this excited for Lions football since 2004. We can't expect #12 to throw 450+ yards every game. The D and ST need to step up.

[DanoT]

Rourke is getting a lot of credit for the yards, but watching the receptions, I’m not sure any other team can boast catches like the Lions corps are producing every game.

One of the benefits of having a Canadian QB on a bargain contract is that you can surround him with a great receiving corp. No doubt Rourke is benefitting from that. But at the same time it is the same receiving corp and offensive line that Reilly had last year. Rourke has almost purrfect accuracy AND we have a very strong receiving group. Sure makes for an exciting team!

Absolutely. When they went after Lawler it was clear that Campbell and McAvoy knew a key to a young QB like Rourke having success would be to provide him with a stable of good receivers. Funny thing is the group they are going with wound up not needing help from outside. The entire group are holdovers from 2021. What makes them so good is the combination of skills the group brings. They complement each other so well. If defenses want to try neutralizing one another rises to the occasion.

This morning I looked at the group for 100 yard games and total targets (in brackets)
Rhymes - 3 (56)
Whitehead - 3 (59)
Hatcher - 2 (50)
Burnham - 1 (23) in 4 games
Cottoy - 0 (45)
4 receivers contributing 9 total 100 yard games in 8 games. While they take turns getting the big games all 5 are averaging 5.5 to 7.5 targets per game. That's excellent ball distribution that should keep everybody happy.

The way Rourke spreads the ball around, yeah it keeps everyone happy...until all star selections are made and then it turns out that statistically other teams have just one or maybe two guys getting all the throws and end up with more catches and yardage that the 4 or 5 guys sharing the receptions in B.C.

[ziggy]

I’m totally impressed by the play of Rourke but also very concerned. Our future rides on the shoulders of one guy more than at any other time I can remember. I realize we have great receivers making circus catches, but Rourke is a big part of that success as well, no Rourke, a lot less circus catches. I fear we are pretty much tipping towards being one dimensional. I hope we can fix kick coverage and return, I also hope we can get a decent run game.
Oh well at this stage I guess we should be happy! Winter is coming though and conditions for the passing game could get dicey, let alone an injury.

[Walt67]

Is it just me or is Bo Levi fading. He used to be the most consistent QB, but over the past couple of years, has looked pretty vanilla.

He did look pretty average in that game - though the protection and play selection was first-rate. I think this was the first game that the Lions did not earn a sack.

[Walt67]

I’m totally impressed by the play of Rourke but also very concerned. Our future rides on the shoulders of one guy more than at any other time I can remember. I realize we have great receivers making circus catches, but Rourke is a big part of that success as well, no Rourke, a lot less circus catches. I fear we are pretty much tipping towards being one dimensional. I hope we can fix kick coverage and return, I also hope we can get a decent run game.
Oh well at this stage I guess we should be happy! Winter is coming though and conditions for the passing game could get dicey, let alone an injury.

Yeah, I think we all share concerns about the kick coverage and return games. The lack of a running game was tougher to assess as the Lions were playing catch up all game, which generally means all-pass all the time -- so great job by the o-line given the Stamps knew what was coming - but couldn't stop it.
Still, we all know you need a rushing game in those cold prairie playoff games - Butler has been good but hard to assess the team that is so "pass happy". (And given all that, you'd think a draw play now and then should work.)

[Sir Purrcival]

I'm hard pressed to think of any team that could carry on without a hitch if their#1 QB were to go down. At tbis Point Calgary is probably the most solid that way. Hard to give your #2 guy reps when your #1 is little more than a raw rookie in his own right. I do think though that they are going to have to try though. Maybe some more lopsided score games (for us).
Will allow us a chance.

[ziggy]

I agree most teams would struggle without their starting QB, but IMO we rely so much on Rourke we would struggle more than most.

[CrazyCanuck89]

I’m totally impressed by the play of Rourke but also very concerned. Our future rides on the shoulders of one guy more than at any other time I can remember. I realize we have great receivers making circus catches, but Rourke is a big part of that success as well, no Rourke, a lot less circus catches. I fear we are pretty much tipping towards being one dimensional. I hope we can fix kick coverage and return, I also hope we can get a decent run game.
Oh well at this stage I guess we should be happy! Winter is coming though and conditions for the passing game could get dicey, let alone an injury.

Rourke's accuracy actually makes sure your recievers, don't have to make circus catches. You make circus catches, when your QB isn't as accurate.