Lions 35 - TiCats 32, Post- Game Stats and Comments

[DanoT]

While June Jones is getting a lot of criticism for kicking a single point instead of a 44yd FG late in the game, it was his kicker missing a 42yarder in OT that really lost the game for the TiCats.

So, so nice to see Jennings play well and look comfortable out there. I hope the Lions re-sign him for next season and his play lately would indicate that they should.

It also looks like coach Melvin has got his D line playing as well as any D line in the CFL.

Olifoye continues to struggle at times and imo is no longer playing at an all star level. I would like to see Knevel get some reps at OT. The few times that Knevel has played for Olifoye there has been no noticeable drop off.
I am not sure if the D was in Man or Zone when they gave up those 2 big play TDs but giving up big plays sure has a familiar ring to it for the Lions D.

[maxlion]

It was a thrilling comeback but, as others have noted, there are areas of improvement that will need to be addressed if we are to beat them again next week, especially considering that they had significant injuries and were playing in a different timezone. The truth is, we were lucky to win and the Ticats were the better team overall.

Jennings passed for over 300 yards and avoided interceptions, which is very encouraging. His performance in the final minutes was outstanding. However, the tendencies that have limited his effectiveness in the past were also on full display, including: throwing balls up in the air and praying that someone on our team catches it, relying too heavily on Burnham and Arseneaux (now Posey), indecisiveness under pressure and failing to recognize blitzes. It is interesting how bad olines seem to follow Jennings around. It is like Dorazio decides to play the good oline for Lulay and the bad one for Jennings.

Hamilton was unable to fully expose these tendencies this week. I suspect that next week they will do better.

Our def line managed four sacks, but we gave up a lot of yards in the air. A good QB like Masoli is going to expose the weaknesses in our secondary that have been apparent for most of the season.

The one factor that gives me hope for next week is the look on Ticats faces after the game. I suspect that many were not happy with June Jones' decisions in the final minutes. They may be the better team, but a loss like this can be pretty deflating for a team.

[DanoT]

. It is like Dorazio decides to play the good oline for Lulay and the bad one for Jennings.

I guess you missed last game and the other one where Lulay got knocked out of the game and as I recall the most recent one Bowman came in, unblocked.

[maxlion]

. It is like Dorazio decides to play the good oline for Lulay and the bad one for Jennings.

I guess you missed last game and the other one where Lulay got knocked out of the game and as I recall the most recent one Bowman came in, unblocked.

It's not possible to eliminate all contact. Lulay got hurt on a dirty play (hit to the head), and a routine tackle in which he landed awkwardly. Overall, I feel that the oline has been pretty solid.

[Blitz]

Jennings passed for over 300 yards and avoided interceptions, which is very encouraging. His performance in the final minutes was outstanding.

However, the tendencies that have limited his effectiveness in the past were also on full display, including: throwing balls up in the air and praying that someone on our team catches it, relying too heavily on Burnham and Arseneaux (now Posey), indecisiveness under pressure and failing to recognize blitzes. It is interesting how bad olines seem to follow Jennings around. It is like Dorazio decides to play the good oline for Lulay and the bad one for Jennings.

Last night you wrote that Jennings had deer in the headlights syndrome. After the fact, you concede after that his performance was 'encouraging'.


RECEIVING vs Hamilton

BURNHAM, Bryan
10 receptions - 90 yds

COLLINS, Ricky
4 receptions - 54 yds.

POSEY, DeVier 50 yds.
3 receptions -

JOHNSON, Shaquille
2 receptions - 49 yds.

WATSON, Cory
5 receptions - 42 yds.

PARKER, Anthony
2 receptions - 25 yds.

JOHNSON, Jeremiah
5 receptions - 19 yds.

MACKIE, David
1 reception - 17 yds.

Bad offensive lines most often follow Dorazio around. Just ask Dave Dickenson who was sacked 74 times in 2005 and 57 times in 2006, both the worst sack records those season.

Or perhaps you can ask Rider fans, who saw their quarterbacks sacked 65 times (worst in the league) in Dorazios' only one season there (Bet you wonder why the Riders didn't keep him as their offensive line coach.

Sacks follow Dorazio, not Jennings. Lulay made Dorazio look good for many seasons because he was such an incredible runner - the only way to avoid being the most sacked quarterback (or throw a diet of very quick, short passes)

Travis Lulay's last full game as our starter (and not a knock on Travis either) before being injured 3 times in his last two games getting hit behind the line of scrimmage.

LULAY, Travis
21/36
58.3% completion rate
240 yds passing
Sacked twice, pressured 14 times

[maxlion]

Last night you wrote that Jennings had deer in the headlights syndrome. After the fact, you concede after that his performance was 'encouraging'.

There was good and bad.

[TheLionKing]

Did we win or did Hamilton lose? Seems to me it is as much a case of the latter as the former. As I said, I'll take the win but this was a much luck as it was skill and hoping for lightning to strike twice is a fool's game. Next time, we won't get so lucky.

Good question. No doubt that Jones made a colossal mistake in kicking the single instead of the field goal. Lions still need work on 3rd and short and the run game. Too predictable of always running off tackle.

[TheLionKing]

-Don’t know what Jones was thinking passing up on the 45-yd FG for a potential 10 point lead. It was a 7 point difference. Not 5 or 6. Worse case scenario is a miss is returned for a major and BC kicks the single to tie the game and you get the ball back. Unreal.

Hope Wally learned something. Wouldn't surprise me if Buono chooses to punt if he was in that situation. Too conservative. Frankly I was surprised that he allowed Long to kick that 50 yard field goal. Perhaps Jeff Reinbold finally convinced him.

[B.C.FAN]

Things looked bleak in the first half. The Ticats outschemed the Lions on offence and defence and built a 14-3 halftime lead.

The Lions looked incapable of scoring enough points to match the Ticats until they finally went away from RPO and opened up the spread offence late in the game, scoring 32 points in the second half and overtime, including 18 in the fourth quarter.

Things were even worse for the B.C. defence. June Jones outschemed Mark Washington all game, forcing him to largely abandon his man pressure defence in the first half by overloading one side of the field and exploiting holes on the back side with quick passes to the flat and well-timed draws and read-option plays. The Ticats had only one two-and -out in the first half and Masoli had big runs of 17 and 18 yards to the open side of the field. Washington was forced to largely abandon the blitz in the second quarter and switch to a soft zone with a four-man rush. Only strong play of Davon Coleman and Claudell Louis on the D line kept Hamilton from running away with the game.

The dramatic comeback victory sets up a great rematch for coaches and players. Usually in back-to-back games, coaches adjust their schemes to take away what they gave up in the first game. Mark Washington's job will be to find a way to pressure Masoli without leaving the flats open.

I can't see the Lions taking as many dumb penalties as they did this week (10 for 154 yards, including 5 for 109 yards on the defence). The Lions gave Hamilton 10 points with pass-interference penalties and uncharacteristically gave up two long TD passes on busted coverages (one when Anthony Orange bit on a double move by Mike Jones in man coverage and one when Winston Rose let Jones go past him in the dying minutes, thinking he had help over top in two-deep zone but Thompson was out of position and then overran the play). With Brandon Banks expected back in the Hamilton lineup next week, the Lions will need to be much more focused on preventing the deep pass.

Both teams know they can play better on defence. I would expect a more low-scoring game.

[WestCoastJoe]

An amazing win.

And many outstanding, insightful posts by Sammy, Blitz, BCFAN and many others.

The detail in Blitz's summary post was amazing. I especially liked the reminiscences of iconic plays of years past. McManus to Flutie in the snow. Oh yeah. I will never ever forget that one. At least three in this game from Jennings to Burnham belong in that pantheon, especially the two point conversion.

Jennings

Burnham

God bless. Two warriors and friends for the ages. Keep the faith.

More later.

[Blitz]

Last night you wrote that Jennings had deer in the headlights syndrome. After the fact, you concede after that his performance was 'encouraging'.

There was good and bad.

Yes, but you were content to dump on Jennings most of the game in your posts during the game and never posted anything good about him in those last 5 minutes during the game.

It makes me wonder if you would have been happier to have Jennings fail, even if we lost the game, rather than be wrong about Jennings, even if it was just for one game.

Makes we wonder if you would rather be right than be a true blue (or true orange) Leos fan.

[QB Club 63]

I think Joel Figueroa deserves a ton of respect for his efforts last night.

I was at the game (the only time I left my seat was while the video review was under way to visit the restroom! Ahhh!) so I didn't have the benefit of isolation replays etc so I only saw bits of his work, but he battled hard all game long. Time after time late in the game it looked like he was done, down on the carpet, but he got up and went just as hard on the next play. And the next...

And the next...

Another great pickup by Ed Hervey. I hope we can keep him!!

[maxlion]

Last night you wrote that Jennings had deer in the headlights syndrome. After the fact, you concede after that his performance was 'encouraging'.

There was good and bad.

Yes, but you were content to dump on Jennings most of the game in your posts during the game and never posted anything good about him in those last 5 minutes during the game.

It makes me wonder if you would have been happier to have Jennings fail, even if we lost the game, rather than be wrong about Jennings, even if it was just for one game.

Makes we wonder if you would rather be right than be a true blue (or true orange) Leos fan.

Hmm, not really interested in responding to posts calling into question my personal integrity. I saw good and bad in Jennings' play, leave it at that.

[Blitz]

Things looked bleak in the first half. The Ticats outschemed the Lions on offence and defence and built a 14-3 halftime lead.

The Lions looked incapable of scoring enough points to match the Ticats until they finally went away from RPO and opened up the spread offence late in the game, scoring 32 points in the second half and overtime, including 18 in the fourth quarter.

Things were even worse for the B.C. defence. June Jones outschemed Mark Washington all game, forcing him to largely abandon his man pressure defence in the first half by overloading one side of the field and exploiting holes on the back side with quick passes to the flat and well-timed draws and read-option plays. The Ticats had only one two-and -out in the first half and Masoli had big runs of 17 and 18 yards to the open side of the field. Washington was forced to largely abandon the blitz in the second quarter and switch to a soft zone with a four-man rush. Only strong play of Davon Coleman and Claudell Louis on the D line kept Hamilton from running away with the game.

The dramatic comeback victory sets up a great rematch for coaches and players. Usually in back-to-back games, coaches adjust their schemes to take away what they gave up in the first game. Mark Washington's job will be to find a way to pressure Masoli without leaving the flats open.

I can't see the Lions taking as many dumb penalties as they did this week (10 for 154 yards, including 5 for 109 yards on the defence). The Lions gave Hamilton 10 points with pass-interference penalties and uncharacteristically gave up two long TD passes on busted coverages (one when Anthony Orange bit on a double move by Mike Jones in man coverage and one when Winston Rose let Jones go past him in the dying minutes, thinking he had help over top in two-deep zone but Thompson was out of position and then overran the play). With Brandon Banks expected back in the Hamilton lineup next week, the Lions will need to be much more focused on preventing the deep pass.

Both teams know they can play better on defence. I would expect a more low-scoring game.

Excellent analysis B.C. Fan. We have both been on the same page regarding RPO for a while now.

On defense, I didn't think it was necessary to go zone. We could have put T.J. Lee and Orange on Tasker and Jones, played man and gone one or two deep safety behind, depending on down and distance.

We are not a good zone team and never have been under Washington.

[B.C.FAN]

I think Joel Figueroa deserves a ton of respect for his efforts last night.

I was at the game (the only time I left my seat was while the video review was under way to visit the restroom! Ahhh!) so I didn't have the benefit of isolation replays etc so I only saw bits of his work, but he battled hard all game long. Time after time late in the game it looked like he was done, down on the carpet, but he got up and went just as hard on the next play. And the next...

And the next...

Another great pickup by Ed Hervey. I hope we can keep him!!

He’s a gentleman, too, and always acknowledges the fans. He signed my jersey at training camp and politely corrected my pronunciation of his first name. Last night I shouted my congratulations as he was one of the last players to walk off the field. Most players in that situation will respond with a nod or a wave at best. He responded, “Thank you, sir.” That made me feel even better.