Lions 26 - Stampeders 21, Post-Game Stats and Comments

[Blitz]

Our Leos 26-21 road victory last night over the Calgary Stampeders was a HUGE win and likely will turn out to be THE of our 2018 regular season.

But then again, next week's game may earn that distinction.

I was not surprised with the upset. I’ve posted numerous times this season and colleague Liobackers have also affirmed the belief that our Leos have the talent to win the Grey Cup this year.

To beat the Calgary Stampeders, in the pre-game thread, I posted that we would need to use predetermined running plays (no RPO), that I hoped that Lulay would take off for a couple more runs per game (he had only run the football 6 times this season prior to this game) and we would need great defense.

Our Leos had won 4 of their last 5 games with Jennings at the helm. In our previous victory, Jeremiah Johnson had run the football 19 times for 118 yds and a 6.2 yd. average. We made changes for this game and those changes certainly did not hurt us.

I also believed that the Calgary Stampeders were ripe for an upset, with all the injuries they had experienced to their receiving corps and that fact that Bo Levi Mitchell had also been struggling, also because he was not getting the pass blocking that he had enjoyed in the past and that also was impacting his play.

All the ingredients were there for an upset for our Leos – a talented defense with a defensive line that can get consistent pressure on a quarterback, sound special team play, and an offence that can move the football if there is offensive balance (eg: if we establish the running game).

We also needed to play a Stampeders team not running on all cylinders to beat them at home. Calgary’s offence had been struggling for a number of games. They failed to score a point on Montreal for 3 quarters of the game against Montreal the previous week, only put up 12 points against Montreal, and Bo Levi threw 3 interceptions in that contest.

Calgary’s offence struggled once again. A combination of good defense on our Leos part and Calgary also misfiring badly at other times with their passing game, also paved the way to our victory.

Coaching is a critical aspect of winning and losing football.
Its not as simplistic as who is playing quarterback or changing quarterbacks. This was a game in which coaching played the key role in our victory, so that is where I will start first in these post-game comments.

COACHING

WALLY BUONO

Most often, a CFL Head Coach would not turn their tailback reins over to another starting tailback, when their previous starter had rushed for 118 yds. and a 6.2 yd. average in his previous contest.

But that is what Buono did by going with Terrell Sutton taking over Jeremiah Johnson for this game.

Nor would it be usual for a Head Coach to bench his starting punt returner (again) after that punt returner had scored a big punt return touchdown (called back on penalty) in his previous contest.

But that is what Buono did, inserting Jeremiah Johnson in his place, as a backup tailback and kick returner, and having Anthony Parker and Ricky Collins Jr, run back punts instead.

Terrel Sutton ran the football 22 times in this contest for 108 yds and a 4.8 yd. average. They were tough yards and while Sutton was held down much better in the second half by the Stamps defense, Sutton was a bruising runner in the first half who bounced off or ran over the first tackler who attempted to hit him.

Buono was poised and composed for a second game in a row on the sidelines and did not panic or get angry or rageful when we turned the football over twice, late in the second quarter, with both turnovers leading to Calgary touchdowns. He won a key challenge call.

Buono gave the go ahead for Long to attempt a 52 yard field goal in this game, even though the weather was cold for that distance and Calgary has dangerous return men.

That was not something Buono would usually do in past seasons, punting for field position instead. Had Buono not kicked that field goal, Calgary would not have attempted their unsuccessful, third down gamble in the fourth quarter.

The decision to use Parker and Collins as punt returners looked brilliant when Parker ran a punt back 79 yds. to the Calgary 4 yd. line to set up our first touchdown of the game and not so brilliant when Ricky Collins dropped a late second quarter punt that led to Calgary scoring a quick touchdown.

But overall, while not knowing how well Johnson would have played, Sutton proved that he is a tailback who brings a different dimension.

The only blemish in Wally’s coaching was once again, he sent in the short yardage team and attempted to run ‘er up the gut’ on second and two and Sutton was stopped cold. Wally won’t be able to blame Johnson or Rainey this time.

The reality is that no back can get a first down on the play because everyone including my grandmother knows its coming.

The Wally Farewell Tour has mostly been under the radar this season and our road record has been terrible. But, on a night that the Stamps organization showed a lot of class with their pre-game video tribute to Buono, our Leos would cap off the night with a special victory at McMahon Stadium.

The tribute and the win has to have Buono feeling very good today and it was a good thing for Buono and the CFL.

Offensive Coordination

Jarious Jackson should have his playbook stolen before every game. This was his best game as a Leo offensive coordinator.

We had to run the football against Calgary and successfully at times too. In order to do that, we had to get our of RPO and pre-determine the run game. We did exactly that.

Instead of receivers running routes on run plays, we had receivers in motion and run blocking. Our offensive linemen were able to fire out and run block, without the worry of pass protecting too. That was key to our success on offence.

Jackson also kept Calgary off balance by running pre-designed draw plays and he was not predictable on first down, sometimes going to the air and sometimes keeping it on the ground.

The only major mistake was not sticking with the run game or at least a short passing game, late in the second quarter, with a 20-12 lead.

Lulay’s deep intermediate pass was intercepted and that play could have turned out to be the key play leading to a loss because it could have been momentum changing for the rest of the game. It didn’t turn out to be, thankfully.

When Jackson did go to RPO play calls (which were greatly reduced in this contest) we were mostly unsuccessful. Lulay has an RPO play batted down, Faocault missed a cut block that led to Lulay being tackled, and a slant pattern to Posey (the same slant play that was picked off by Hamilton in our road game there) was once again, poorly executed.

Our passing game was mainly successful off the deep ball. We hit Burnham for 55 yds, even though he was well covered, got a key interference call on a deep ball thrown to Parker, and also hit Shaq Johnson over the middle deep.

Some, in the past have viewed this type of football as ‘Jennings type of football’ but in reality it’s the type of football that arrives with a good running game.

The run sets up more time to make those deep throws, and especially when the defense starts to overplay the run.

Of course, what is also needed are underneath routes as well, so that the quarterback can come back to a layered underneath route if the deep receiver is not open.

Jackson also used Sutton as a blocker on pass plays quite often and he is a very effective pass blocker. Most of this season we’ve used our tailback as a misdirection fake runner or underneath receiver rather than in a more tradional pass blocking role to pick up a free defender or as a swing pass receiver.

But overall, Jackson called the type of offensive game we needed and came in with the type of offensive game plan that offered us the best chance of success.

For the second week in a row, we had a tailback gain over 100 yds. Prior to the past two weeks, that had not happened.

The formula for success in 2016 was a powerful running attack, the deep ball off play action, and defensive pressure on the opposing quarterback. That was the same formula for success against Calgary.

What we didn’t have in 2016 but now have shorter patterns to utilize as well (not RPO’s)

DEFENSE

I’m not as sure that Mark Washington called a great game as much as Dickenson and the Stamps allowed us to play man defense most of the game. That was not wise on Calgary’s part.

Instead of going quads a lot, to the wide side and a single receiver on the boundary side, and using their tailback to that side as a receiver, the Stamps played right into our hands.

By playing tight man coverage, we also had more defenders able to come up and help out on Calgary’s running plays and they had great difficulty running against us, when they tried to run outside, due the fact that we had linebackers and defensive backs in positions to come up and make plays.

What Washington did wisely, knowing that we could play man coverage, was bring the blitz at various times and he also ens

ured we had a very good mix of blitzes when he sent them.

Bo Levi managed to make some plays but overall, we got good pressure on him and like any quarterback, pressure kills, whether its opposition quarterbacks or our own quarterbacks..

Bo Levi three 3 interceptions last week as did Mike Reilly. Bo Levi, in this game only completed a miserable 44% of his passes. Some of his problems were due to chemistry issues with his new receivers but most often he just was inaccurate when under duress.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jeff Reinbold is a very experienced, very knowledgeable special team’s coach. This season, all of our special team units reflect good coaching. Yes, a player can botch a play or break down on occasion but overall, everyone on our special teams knows their assignments and are well prepared.

In a game of this magnitude, our special teams coaching reflected Reinbolds solid work because Calgary can hurt you if you are not well prepared for their special teams.

I did find it interesting that our huge punt return by Parker came off a wide punt return and not a ‘run ‘er up the gut’ return style of play that Wally has been so passionate about.

OUR LEO PLAYERS

Offence

I’ll start with our starting quarterback position, since this seems to always be a primary focus on Lionbackers, the media/press etc. as well as others on our Leos management.

First of all, it was great to see Lulay get the win as our starting quarterback, in that our Leos had lost our last two games with him as our starter.

It was especially great to see him run the football twice in the second half, as I hoped he would, off the zone read, because the play really diversifies our run game. Lulay is a very smart runner and it’s a part of his game that has been missing this season.

Lulay had only run the football 6 times for 36 yds. so far this season while Jennings had ran the football for 226 yds. this season. Jennings is a very good runner but Lulay is one of the best runners we’ve ever had at the position.

Lulay has to be more judicious now but from now on, defenses will have to account for that part of his game again, which will help our offence in other areas or he will hurt them again.

It was great to see the smile on Lulay’s face after the game. As Bo Levi said, in an interview that was played during the game, that when Jennings was being viewed as a special quarterback in 2016, Lulay’s love of the game enabled him to continue to fight though his injuries and keep a positive attitude, which he more than has, and is more than deserving of the good things when they come his way.

But there is also no need to bring Lulay up by bringing Jennings down.

There is no need for Ed Willes to write that Jennings is not a competent pro quarterback when he throws for 199 yds. because he won’t say the same when Lulay throws for 194 yds. as he did against Calgary last night and we didn't score a touchdown in the second half.

The Pauser posted that ‘Lulay’s numbers were ugly’ but also viewed the ‘confidence the team has with Lulay in there vs. Jennings.

I don’t blame either of our quarterbacks for low numbers. Outside of a couple of excellent passing outings by both Lulay and Jennings our passing numbers have not been that good this season.

Poor passing numbers are more the norm than the exception for our offence this season.

There have been a lot of reasons for it IMO, including RPO style plays, the style of blocking for RPO, the use of the tailback for midsection, rather than pass blocking. There is one other reason and I will go over it when I discuss our receivers below.

As for the comment that our Leos are more confident with Lulay in there. I’m really not sure how some people measure that because its very, very subjective.

We looked very confident when Jennings led us back to an incredible victory at home against Hamilton or when Jennings led us to 5 of our last 6 victories. We’ve lost close games with Lulay and also won three close games with him starting.

We’ve won a lot of close games with Jennings as our starter and we’ve also lost a couple. Sometimes we look confident with Lulay in there and sometimes we don’t and it’s been the same with Jennings.

The reality is that, as Bryan Burnham, Shaq Johnson, and other Leos have said: They feel confident with either quarterback and that is a good thing because we have needed both and we may still need both before this season is over.

We’re lucky to have both because no other CFL team is in the position we are of having two quarterbacks than can come in for each other and get wins.

Lulay, like Jennings in his last game, struggled with the short passing game. Like last week, with Jennings starting, it was some big long pass plays that were difference makers.

The reality is that our receivers are not getting good separation on a lot of plays. In this game, also like last week’s game, our starter threw footballs to well covered receivers but who were in the better position to make a play on the football than the defender.

Lulay threw passes to Burnham, Shaq Johnson, and Parker, with Calgary defenders back turned away from the football. All three were smart throws, even though coverage appeared to be good.

Offensive Line

Calgary was forced, on defense to begin blitzing us. Calgary usually doesn’t’ do that because they don’t feel the need to. But with a strong running game coming off pre-snap determined run blocking and pre-snap determined pass blocking, it made our offensive line’s job much easier.

Receiving

DeVier Posey was our leading receiver in terms of number of catches in this game, with 4 receptions (44 yds) while Burnham led our receivers in pass yardage with 2 receptions for 68 yds. Shaq had 48 yds. on 2 receptions.

But with only 14 receptions in the entire game between Lulay and our receivers, there were not a lot of catches to go around.

The reality is that our receivers were well covered again, on most plays, as they have been all season, whether in RPO or not. The question is WHY?

Burnham is usually very well covered but makes great catches. Shaq Johnson is a speedster who has not gotten free like last season. Posey has had difficulty getting separation. Anthony Parker has also as has Rickey Collins.

Most of our recievers are top echelon, in terms of speed. But even in non-RPO spread, they are well covered and one big reason is the types of patterns and the types of combination patterns we are asking them to run are not working.

Against zone defenses, the types of routes the combinations or receiver routes, and the location of those route combinations is so important to get into seams and open areas of zone defense. Against man defenses layered crossing patterns and rub routes are usually very successful

.

We are not doing any of the above well at all or at all. Our pass plays are not well designed and that is making things too difficult for our quarterbacks, who also have other things to contend with.

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

Calgary prides itself offensive balance – on being able to run the football well with diversified running plays and to pass the football well with diversified pass plays that attack all areas of the field.

But in this game, we took that away. We took away their run game with excellent defensive plays. Don Jackson has 12 carries for 35 yds and a miserable 2.9 yd. average. Morris had 1 carry for 3 yds.

That made the game even more difficult for Bo Levi because Calgary wanted to run due to their receiver injuries. We put them in second and long situations often due to shutting down their run game and we shut down drives when they tried to run on second and short.

Davon Coleman was once again outstanding with 3 defensive tackles and Claudel Louis was also a force inside. Shawn Lemon had a sack and a key defensive tackle.

But was Bo Lokombo who was a defensive star in this game. He was our leading defensive tackler. Ivan McLennan continues to impress and he made two big defensive plays, along with a sack.

We had excellent coverage in man pass defense and all our defensive backs and linebackers did well in coverage. Thompson was asked to pay a too deep safety again as he often is but in this game it worked out as we made a good read and came across for an interception that Bo Levi made easy to read and Thompson made a good line to the football.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS

Ty Long was ‘money’ as he almost always is.

Parker had a huge return for us that gave our offence the football on the Calgary 4 yd. line.

Colllins fumbled once but it was not an easy game to catch the football on a windy night and Collins has not had much time as a punt returner this season.

WRAP

This was really a game of hard running and big plays and outstanding defense. Big plays on offence to Burnham and Shaq and the interference call on Parker.

A couple of huge defensive stops when Calgary gambled on third down. A big punt return. Two turnovers could have cost us and made the game closer than it should have been but in the end we overcame.

I agree with the Pauser that if you are successful with a challenge you should keep getting one until you are not. Or at the very least, you should get a second one if you are successful with the first one.

But in this game, that would have hurt us. We got away with a number of penalties. Sometimes the refereeing breaks your way and sometimes it doesn’t.

But in the end, this game came down to our defense. We only scored 2 second half field goals and that normally would mean getting our butts kicked by Calgary. But we held the Stamps to only one second half field goal and that was what won us this game.

Our defense came through and shut down two third down gambles by the Stamps in the second half and three times during this game.

The recipe is now simple for the rest of the season. Stay in man defense, use little RPO, run the football with pre-snap run plays, and go play action in the passing game, with some adaptions to our pass patterns and pass route combinations.

A big, big win!!

[TheLionKing]

The next game against Edmonton is an absolute must win. Win and the Lions are in the playoffs. Lose and they have to beat both Saskatchewan and Calgary plus hope Edmonton loses their final game of the season. For a team that has found ways to make things harder than they need to be all season long, I hope they realize what a gift they will have laying before them on Friday night.

Destiny is in their hands. No excuses. Lose and I don't expect the Lions to finish the regular season with back to back wins.

[VictoriaFan]

My take on Lulay is as much as I like him as QB, I also really liked Buck Pierce and the two of them have been so busted up over their careers that I feel its just a matter of time before Travis takes another beat down, kinda the glass QB syndrome. As much as I also like Rainey, sadly I think he is damaged goods also . Not sold on Posey either.

[WestCoastJoe]

Excellent reads, Guys.

Kudos to both Jarious and Mark W. Solid game plans. Reinebold too.

Passing game plan and receiver routes need adjusting. Methinks we run same old, same old, allowing teams to key, cover, anticipate and jump our routes.

We knew the focus for us would be running the ball. Good. Hard to figure why we have avoided that so often. Oh yeah, Wally and Jarious fell in love with RPO. Good to see less and less of RPO. Our guys look ridiculous on cut blocks. Please just trash it. Our hogs love run blocking. Lock on and drive. As we know it wears down the D and keeps their O off the field.

Nice varied calls by Mark W on defence.

Very solid effort by our players. Great character. √

We took it to Calgary, and they had little to say about it. They look out of sorts. Dickie looks stressed.

Great win.

The Eskimo game is obviously huge. They also look out of sorts.

[Blitz]

My take on Lulay is as much as I like him as QB, I also really liked Buck Pierce and the two of them have been so busted up over their careers that I feel its just a matter of time before Travis takes another beat down, kinda the glass QB syndrome. As much as I also like Rainey, sadly I think he is damaged goods also . Not sold on Posey either.

Travis has been with our Leos since the start of the 2009 season. He's been one of our longest serving quarterbacks.

Buck was not the only quarterback in the Wally era who has been busted up. Dickenson only started about 1/3 of the games he was in a Leos uniform due to injury. Printers played injured in 2004 and was injured for part of 2005.

Buck came next and was injured a lot and then Printers came back and played on a knee that required knee reconstruction surgery after he was released in 2010.

Of course we know Lulay's long list of injuries but Jennings has also had injuries, including a shoulder injury last season that brought Lulay back into the role of starter and then when Lulay hurt his knee last season, Jennings played injured.

So, for a lot and lot of years now, we've had backup quarterbacks coming in for injured quarterbacks and then the starter coming back in, sometimes a number of times during a season.

We've also had numerous times when both quarterbacks were healthy and changed who we wanted as our starter. That happened many times and not only this season.

I call it the 'musical chair' system of quarterbacking during the Buono era. It creates lots of controversies, keeps fans constantly focused on the quarterback position (rather than the coaching) and gives the press who seem lacking in writing about anything else, lots of articles to write.

For the remainder of this season I hope Lulay can stay healthy. I would really like to see us go with one quarterback under center because my brain is always spinning watching one be the starter and then the other.

However, should Jennings need to come in due to injury, I hope he plays well and I have confidence that he, like Lulay, has the tools and only needs the environment and systems and game planning to thrive.

Now, lets talk about the offensive guard position.

Maybe not.

Everyone thinks their an expert at the quarterback position but not too many are real comfy talling about the offensive guard spot. So there won't be many posts to read.

Its not easy to win these days.

[DanoT]

The Lions have just gone 2 100 yard games with 2 different RBs and an O line featuring an undrafted rookie centre in Andrew Peirson. So did Wally or Jarious figure out that if they do a lot of running the ball, it will simplify things for the young inexperienced centre. It even helped keep the QB upright, burned time off the clock and thus give the Stamps less opportunities. WHO KNEW?

Next game:
Step Two: Run a variety of run plays, draws, off tackle, reverses, misdirection. Wally and Jarious just might get this thing figured out. WHO KNOWS?

[TheLionKing]

Next game:
Step Two: Run a variety of run plays, draws, off tackle, reverses, misdirection. Wally and Jarious just might get this thing figured out. WHO KNOWS?

Don't expect too much. Took the Lions over half the season to realize the RPO doesn't work in the Canadian game.

[Hambone]

The Lions have just gone 2 100 yard games with 2 different RBs and an O line featuring an undrafted rookie centre in Andrew Peirson. So did Wally or Jarious figure out that if they do a lot of running the ball, it will simplify things for the young inexperienced centre. It even helped keep the QB upright, burned time off the clock and thus give the Stamps less opportunities. WHO KNEW?

Next game:
Step Two: Run a variety of run plays, draws, off tackle, reverses, misdirection. Wally and Jarious just might get this thing figured out. WHO KNOWS?

Bit of a difference between the two 2-game stretches Dano.

In the last 2 games:
Game tied at 0-0: 17 minutes
BC trailing: 1-1/2 minutes by 1 point
BC leading: 101-1/2 minutes with 43 minutes of 10+ point leads

In the previous 2 games:
Game tied at 0-0: 15 minutes
BC trailing: 94 minutes with 63 minutes of 10+ point deficits
BC leading: 11 minutes with 3 points being the biggest lead


Do those simple numbers explain everything? No. But when you spend 78% of 2 games trailing you simply will not be running the ball as much as when you spend 85% of the same period leading. While a balanced attack is akin to the Holy Grail in the CFL the running game is used as much as a tool to protect the lead as it's used to build it. Rarely do teams stick to it doggedly to get back into a game they trail. Also purely comparing rushes to pass attempts can be misleading. In the grand scheme of an offense things like shovel passes and little dumps to the backs while they go into the books as passes are really extensions of the running game.

[Dusty]

Looking ahead to the Edmonton game, I wonder if the "NON-cold weather" environment of BC Place will bring about a move away from the Lions running game and bring about more RPO/short passing plays. I hope not. The warmer/no-wind environment of BC Place is purrfect for the mis-direction, crossing and intermediate pass play so long as they are not telegraphed.

It is always nice to be looking ahead at the next game with some optimism on a Monday!

[Sir Purrcival]

Well, if the pundits are to be believed, having a smash mouth RB that can block will have some major ramifications.

1. It will punish the defensive side.
2. It will allow better time for the QB to throw through improved blocking.

We saw a couple of examples last game where Sutton picked up a Stamps blitz quite nicely. That was probably a bit of a mind twister for the Stamps who along with many other teams have been able to blitz against us successfully.

[David]

Well, if the pundits are to be believed, having a smash mouth RB that can block will have some major ramifications.

1. It will punish the defensive side.
2. It will allow better time for the QB to throw through improved blocking.

We saw a couple of examples last game where Sutton picked up a Stamps blitz quite nicely. That was probably a bit of a mind twister for the Stamps who along with many other teams have been able to blitz against us successfully.

Sutton's strong inside running really opened up play action and the fake handoff quarterback keeper. Stamps were so concerned about corraling Sutton that they got really snookered a couple of times.

I was a little nervous seeing Travis take off, but he has pretty good awareness on when to hook slide.


DH

[Blitz]

Well, if the pundits are to be believed, having a smash mouth RB that can block will have some major ramifications.

1. It will punish the defensive side.
2. It will allow better time for the QB to throw through improved blocking.

We saw a couple of examples last game where Sutton picked up a Stamps blitz quite nicely. That was probably a bit of a mind twister for the Stamps who along with many other teams have been able to blitz against us successfully.

Sutton's strong inside running really opened up play action and the fake handoff quarterback keeper. Stamps were so concerned about corraling Sutton that they got really snookered a couple of times.

I was a little nervous seeing Travis take off, but he has pretty good awareness on when to hook slide.


DH

Absolutely, Sutton had some excellent blitz pickups but he was also assigned on those plays to pick up the blitz off a Spread play.

When we run RPO plays, as we have done so often this season, the tailback is given a misdirection play action post snap and the quarterback takes one or two steps in the opposite direction and throws.

Therefore the tailback has not been in position to pick up a blitz, especially to the quarterbacks side of the play. That's why blitzing linebackers have been in Jennings and Lulay's face.

In one game the linebacker almost took the football out of Jennings hand and last game, when we did run a few RPO plays, Lulay almost had the football batted back into his face by a Calgary linebacker.

Pre-snap play action tells the offensive lineman to drive ahead and make one hit, and then snap back into a pass block. That is very different than an RPO play, where the quarterback fakes it to the tailback. The offensive linemen don't know whether its a run or pass and have to run block only.

Last game we went pre-snap running plays and then pre-snap play action. That is what set up those long throws with Sutton pass blocking.

[almo89]

My take on Lulay is as much as I like him as QB, I also really liked Buck Pierce and the two of them have been so busted up over their careers that I feel its just a matter of time before Travis takes another beat down, kinda the glass QB syndrome. As much as I also like Rainey, sadly I think he is damaged goods also . Not sold on Posey either.

Travis has been with our Leos since the start of the 2009 season. He's been one of our longest serving quarterbacks.

Buck was not the only quarterback in the Wally era who has been busted up. Dickenson only started about 1/3 of the games he was in a Leos uniform due to injury. Printers played injured in 2004 and was injured for part of 2005.

Buck came next and was injured a lot and then Printers came back and played on a knee that required knee reconstruction surgery after he was released in 2010.

Of course we know Lulay's long list of injuries but Jennings has also had injuries, including a shoulder injury last season that brought Lulay back into the role of starter and then when Lulay hurt his knee last season, Jennings played injured.

So, for a lot and lot of years now, we've had backup quarterbacks coming in for injured quarterbacks and then the starter coming back in, sometimes a number of times during a season.

We've also had numerous times when both quarterbacks were healthy and changed who we wanted as our starter. That happened many times and not only this season.

I call it the 'musical chair' system of quarterbacking during the Buono era. It creates lots of controversies, keeps fans constantly focused on the quarterback position (rather than the coaching) and gives the press who seem lacking in writing about anything else, lots of articles to write.

For the remainder of this season I hope Lulay can stay healthy. I would really like to see us go with one quarterback under center because my brain is always spinning watching one be the starter and then the other.

However, should Jennings need to come in due to injury, I hope he plays well and I have confidence that he, like Lulay, has the tools and only needs the environment and systems and game planning to thrive.

Now, lets talk about the offensive guard position.

Maybe not.

Everyone thinks their an expert at the quarterback position but not too many are real comfy talling about the offensive guard spot. So there won't be many posts to read.

Its not easy to win these days.

One constant going back all the way to Dickenson's time is Wally. During Wally's era all of his star QBs start out strong and end up getting battered and taking all the blame. Jennings is just the latest. Lulay has been a good soldier. Never blaming anyone. Just keeps coming back. Probably one of the toughest QBs to ever put on a Lion uniform. Wally brought some great times to the organization. The early 2000s was probably the most fun I had as a Lions fan. We were always finishing first and had those awesome Western Finals that was almost a given, but I'm now ready to move on to a new modern era without Wally.

[Figaro]

Speaking of the offensive guard position - what is going to happen with Vaillancourt? He has been on the six-game list all year. I thought when they drafted him that he was a starter out of the box and yet they stayed with Fabien and only slipped Vaillancourt in the line-up to cover injuries. I liked his play: a strong square 6,3 and 305 that played with the nasty you want to see in an offensive guard. I was hoping that this year with Fabien gone that the guard position was his rather than Foucault - who I think is too long to play guard as effectively - he is more of a tackle body. Not meaning to slag Foucault here as I think his play has improved with every game and would be a starter for any team.

I love the future of our O-line. Peirson is a pleasant surprise at center - a wide body - and really picks up his blocks. I keyed on him when watching the game - impressive. Usually, we discuss QB controversies, but what happens if Husband comes back healthy - I think Pierson has played just as well. Guards Godber, Vaillancourt, Stewart, Foucault, and Knevel - a bounty of riches in the form of huge 300 pound plus, mobile nasty and ready to hit. I love watching them on run plays almost as much as they like to hear the run play called.

Tackle? I think that Figueroa is the best left tackle in the game right now. He is seldom beaten one on one and is a crushing run blocker. I love his team spirit - how many times does he run downfield after a play to congratulate the back on his run. The kind of player coaches dream about. On the other side Olafioye is hanging in there. He is not the presence he used to be - I think he plays with a lot of pain but plays as well as any right tackle. However, I think he is on the backside of his career and Foucault or Knevel should be brought along as probable replacements in a year or two.

Ed Hervey sure looked after both lines. They are stand out. Last year's O-line and D-line would have been a complete disaster this year.

In closing, we are solid at the O-line and if they were allowed to strut their stuff away from the confines of the RPO they would get even more praise and recognition. These big guys are the real "skill players" on any team.

[Blitz]

Usually, we discuss QB controversies, but what happens if Husband comes back healthy .

In closing, we are solid at the O-line and if they were allowed to strut their stuff away from the confines of the RPO they would get even more praise and recognition. These big guys are the real "skill players" on any team.

Yeah, a short break from quarterback talk.

I was a big Vaillencourt fan, like you Figaro and I could never understand why we played Fabian over him, during the times Vaillencourt was healthy.

In his rookie season, Vaillencourt won the starting guard spot over Fabian coming out of training camp, started two games, got hurt, couldn't get back in the lineup much, when he returned from injury and we know the rest.

I love our offensive line too. Pierson has been a pleasant surprise.

We really have the potential to go with an all National offensive line. I love Figuroa but as Jovan's career may be winding down due to back issues, it certainly would make sense to go National at right tackle.

Like you, Figaro, Figuroa impresses me. But if he wasn't here, nor Olifioye, I believe our offensive line talent would still be good.

Steward has the talent to play left tackle. Faucault could be starting at right tackle. Kneval could back up both. All three are natural starting tackles that Wally has converted to guard and as you emphasized, are tall for the guard position and having to deal with powerful, huge, built lower to the ground, defensive tackles.

Godber showed he is starting guard calibre. Both Husband and Pierson can play center and Husband has been a starting guard (2015) and could be moved over with this hypothetical scenario.

Or Vaillencourt could be starting at right guard, and he is tough and nasty too while Pierson continues to learn his craft behind Husband.

As you note, Figaro, what do we do with all this depth in the future. With the lineup and depth we have now.

As for RPO, just imagine yourself being a Leos offensive lineman this season. All you football playing days, from high school, college, and the pros and you have always run blocked (man or zone) on running plays and pass blocked (dropped back to form a pocket) on passing plays.

Then suddenly this season you are run blocking while also trying to protect your quarterback should he decide to pass post-snap. Every play you block, without knowing whether is a run play or a pass play until the play is over.

Imagine that, in the past, you were also used to receivers blocking on run plays to help sprng a long one if the tailback got past the second layer. Now they just run routes on post-snap run plays...have they ever got it easy too.

I'm sure our offensive lineman this season have felt like an upside down world at times when we have used RPO (and we have used it a lot until reducing it a lot last game)

Why we would want to run this crummy offensive scheme, knowing how bad the Riders have struggled so much with it (and continue to).Rider fans hate it.

Lets start a center controversy Figaro. I don't have any stats to prove it but I can just tell that Husband has a bit of a deer in the headlights syndrome and he looks a bit jumpy and I think the Leos have more confidence in Pierson. He 'sparks' them, I can just tell, you know.

I'n also not sure how much time Husband is spending in the tape room looking at opposition aligments. I know he is not sleeping at the facility so that is not how he is going to become an 'elite' offensive center. In the past, we've had to simplify our offensive line calls for him.

Now I know we usually throw Husband under the bus, whenever our offensive line gives up a lot of sacks and our offence sucks, but don't you think he deserves it? Hell, we don't want anyone focusing on our lousy offensive scheme so why not blame a center - is a key position.

What do you think Figaro?