Getting Ready For The Riders

[LFITQ]

is a nicked banks really better than a healthy other?

In a word ... yes.

Not worried about the Rider receivers. Joseph has to be able to get them the ball to make them effective. You could have a team full of the best receivers in the world, but if a QB can't get them the ball then it doesn't matter.

[Rammer]

is a nicked banks really better than a healthy other?

In a word ... yes.

Not worried about the Rider receivers. Joseph has to be able to get them the ball to make them effective. You could have a team full of the best receivers in the world, but if a QB can't get them the ball then it doesn't matter.

Front seven have to take care of that and we don't have an injury to worry about there. We are going to ride our front seven for any success in this game. Turnovers are going to be a must.

[Shi Zi Mi]

Looks like Banks is going to go on Thursday..hurting or not and that's such a key. Banks allows Miles to roam plus allows us to do other things on defense because of his outstanding coverage skills. Great to see Knowlton play so well against Calgary! Right now, with our depleted secondary I wonder what the status is of Bo Smith?

Jarious gets his second start of his CFL career! Buck has started CFL games and had a lot more backup reps! It's a tough start, against a Riders team that is sky high and confident and smelling blood with our injured lineup and they are hell for us to play at the best of times!

It's going to be a tough one!!

It sounds like Jerome Dennis may draw in for the Sask game and Buono has Obie looking for more DB's.......is it possible Bo Smith hasn't recovered fully?

As for JJ, this will be his 1st start in a Lions uni......the Hamilton game last year(where JJ got significant playing time) was actually started by Buck.

[PigSkin_53]

After watching us in Calgary last week on game firm, they will be expecting us to run the ball all game to take a lot of that pressure off JJ's shoulders, and we will, but not right off.

We need to shock them, throw them off balance by showing them two backs, in tail formation and with a play action fake and go deep first play. That will hold their linebackers long enough to get separation and spring one free.

That will make their defense pull in their horns and play honest. Whether that deep ball is caught or not it will be sending the Riders a clear message, "we have gun or an arm and we intend to use it".

Geroy will as usual draw double cover, so that leaves either PJ or Mock to go deep and one of the two to get open.

My choice would our "secret weapon", after shedding a fake block for the play action; he could speed downfield on a slant deep.

He's done it before...You pick the target.

[Blitz]

We need to shock them, throw them off balance by showing them two backs, in tail formation and with a play action fake and go deep first play. That will hold their linebackers long enough to get separation and spring one free.

Sounds good to me Pigskin! Another play the Leos used back in 2005, was to spring Lyle Green deep out of the two back set. The defense doesn't look for him in that situation!

[No Ordinary Joe]

I know Blitz has been calling for it and now PigSkin just made reference to it and I completely agree, we need to start taking advantage of the play action pass, especially in this game. We've got the CFL leading rusher right now so the threat of a running game is definitely there, by utilizing the play action pass in this game it'll do 3 things:

1 - slow down the 'Riders pass rush and give Jarious more time to make his reads

2 - allow our receivers to gain an extra step or two on their guys if they bite for the fake and jump up to help in stopping the run

3 - give Jarious more options down the field to utilize if more guys are open.

Jarious has been the one QB who has consistently looked down the field thus far in '07 and using play action will really play to his stregths of throwing the ball down the field while also helping to give him a bit more time to get settled knowing that he may have an extra second to not get knocked around by Fred Perry.

I smell a strong outing for Cory Rodgers on Thursday night.

[Blitz]

We've got the CFL leading rusher right now so the threat of a running game is definitely there, by utilizing the play action pass in this game it'll do 3 things:

1 - slow down the 'Riders pass rush and give Jarious more time to make his reads

2 - allow our receivers to gain an extra step or two on their guys if they bite for the fake and jump up to help in stopping the run

3 - give Jarious more options down the field to utilize if more guys are open.

LOVE play action and loved your post No Ordinary Joe!!

[Scottish Leos Fan]

This will be the Lions biggest challenge so far this year. I hope Corey Banks isn't to banged up, but if so we have Markieth Knowlton ready to jump in. I am hoping we can keep our purrfect record and that we have a breakout game on offense. I am confident, but the Riders are red hot and wanting to take advantage of our injured lineup. Lets Go Lions!