Getting Ready For The Stampeders!

[Rammer]

Closing speed is only one aspect of a DB's game.........inexperience is a huge factor........just ask Marsh in 2004.
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Lloyd

True ShiZiMi but the advantage Mitchell has...is that he's been able to observe four CFL games while Marsh was thrust in there.

B.C. Fan is right...Mitchell is fast, he also has good anticipation skills! The surprise for me is that the Leos have switched Glover to short side corner and moved Mitchell to wideside corner. I imagine this will be a change that could last for a while, since Marsh could be out for a few games.

I would have thought the Leos would have inserted Mitchell right into short side corner, since he has practiced there and played there during the exhibition season. This change means two changes to the defense and then Glover will have to move back to wideside corner when Marsh returns.

I think they should have tried Mitchell as short side corner first in game action before making this move.

Normally I would agree with you, but Glover has the experience of game speed coming at him, he will make that adjustment quicker than Mitchell will. Plus being on the wide side Mitchell will be able to make up for his mistakes with his speed, should the Stamps go to that side.

[Lionheart]

The surprise for me is that the Leos have switched Glover to short side corner and moved Mitchell to wideside corner. I think they should have tried Mitchell as short side corner first in game action before making this move.

Normally I would agree with you, but Glover has the experience of game speed coming at him, he will make that adjustment quicker than Mitchell will. Plus being on the wide side Mitchell will be able to make up for his mistakes with his speed, should the Stamps go to that side.[/quote]

It's the rational thing to do to put the experience on the strong side, especially coach Wally. I also agree Rammer that the stamps may get tricky and go far and wide but I believe Miles knows this too.

Prediction - Miles with an interception weak side. heheh

[Blitz]

Lionheart wrote:

Normally I would agree with you, but Glover has the experience of game speed coming at him, he will make that adjustment quicker than Mitchell will. Plus being on the wide side Mitchell will be able to make up for his mistakes with his speed, should the Stamps go to that side.

It's the rational thing to do to put the experience on the strong side, especially coach Wally. I also agree Rammer that the stamps may get tricky and go far and wide but I believe Miles knows this too.

Prediction - Miles with an interception weak side. heheh
[/quote]

There is no question that the short side corner will get more balls thrown at his side and that there is more time to recover at wideside corner!

However, playing pass defense is more than just about the individual playing the postion. There is also the communication between the halfback and the corner. Glover and Phillips have been together for four games now and are playing great. Mitchell and Banks also have some training camp and exhibition playing time together.

However, there was also an altercation between Banks and Mitchell this season. Don't know if that is also a factor but I doubt it would be much of one. However, as I pointed out before, when Marsh returns Glover will have to go back to wideside corner. Chemistry/communication are important.

I would have let Mitchell go through the learning curve at short side corner. Miles could have overplayed that side more initially, if necessary, to provide help!

I'm not big on double moves, unless absolutely essential! We all saw what happened in 2005, when he lost Washington at halfback. We moved Kidd into safety, Miles to halfback, then we moved Tiller to halfback and brought someone else into nickel back. By the time we moved everyone around we went from a 11-0 team build around a strong defense to a losing record for the last part of that season as our defense fell apart.

That will not likely happen to our defense this year but when you start moving people around too much you take the chance of playing with dynamite..and it can become a deck of cards that can collapse with easily as we unfortunately learned in 2005.

Prediction Lionheart-Miles with an interception---weakside----helping out on Mitchell's side! You're on for a beer!

[Blitz]

Just a side note, Pottinger was not taken out and replaced by Johnson because he was struggling. He went off to have an overextended elbow strain bandaged , which was injured in the game the week before when he went in to replace Otis Floyd. He had to sit out for the required plays before returning

Pottinger was also replaced by Jamal Johnson later! You'll see Johnson and Glatt on second downs this game rather than Pottinger and Glatt!

I still believe the Leos would have been wiser to play Johnson at middle linebaker. I understand why they went with Glatt last season in the middle. There wasn't enough of a difference between Johnson and Glatt at training camp and playing Glatt in the middle alllowed us to use an extra import where we wanted to.

However, while Glatt has improved against the run he's still not the run stopper that Johnson is....Johnson explodes up into the hole! Glatt is simply outstanding at pass defense and is a smart blitzer. I still see Glatt as a natural outside linebacker and the Leos play him that way most of the time, with Glatt having more coverage responsibility in the Leos two linebacker set with Floyd more of a spy linebacker...the role Johnson will play against Burris on Saturday night!

On a separate topic I'm really excited about Chad Mock getting his start. Going into training camp I picked Rodgers, Vann, and Mock as having the best chance to make the Leos. Vann was hurt early in training camp but I wasn't surprised that Mock made the squad although most didn't have him pegged that way due to his lack of size.

However, Mock is a guy who is tough for a little guy! He's completely unafraid going over the middle, he will leap and fight for the football, and he can make moves in a very tight space! He's replacing one of my two favorite offensive players in Simmons but I'm happy to see Mock get this opportunity. If they throw to him I think he'll make some plays!

[cromartie]

Mitchell is an outstanding defender and is likely the fastest player on the team. The Lions lose some experience with Marsh out of the lineup, but not much else. Mitchell could be a secret weapon. If Calgary tries to go after him, he could take one back the other way.

Closing speed is only one aspect of a DB's game.........inexperience is a huge factor........just ask Marsh in 2004.

I'll type it again.

Marsh is one of the best fundamental tacklers at the Corner position in the league.

Just a side note, Pottinger was not taken out and replaced by Johnson because he was struggling. He went off to have an overextended elbow strain bandaged , which was injured in the game the week before when he went in to replace Otis Floyd. He had to sit out for the required plays before returning

And I'm sure getting run over by Jesse Lumsden a few times because he was out of position didn't help matters.

Johnson explodes up into the hole!

I know this is a football board, and Blitz is 110% football...

but there are so many punch line possibilities from this statement that my head almost exploded when I read it.

[midwestlion]

Mock is a way better reciever than Rodgers. He should have been playing in front of Rodgers. SHould show in this game. I think Obillovich missed the mark on this Rodgers kid. Maybe Rodgers will prove me wrong Saturday. Dunno.

[Blitz]

I know this is a football board, and Blitz is 110% football...

but there are so many punch line possibilities from this statement that my head almost exploded when I read it.

You gotta stop taking Viagra with your coffee in the morning cromartie!!

Marsh is one of the best fundamental tacklers at the Corner position in the league.

Quote:

Marsh is an outstanding corner!! He doesn't get a lot of interceptions so sometimes he's underrated. He is a great tackler and a very good cover guy playing a tough position on the short side!

[MacNews]

Mock is a way better reciever than Rodgers. He should have been playing in front of Rodgers. SHould show in this game. I think Obillovich missed the mark on this Rodgers kid. Maybe Rodgers will prove me wrong Saturday. Dunno.

Rodgers looks pretty good, so I'd shudder to think how good Mock is then!

[Toppy Vann]

Mock is a way better reciever than Rodgers. He should have been playing in front of Rodgers. SHould show in this game. I think Obillovich missed the mark on this Rodgers kid. Maybe Rodgers will prove me wrong Saturday. Dunno.

Obillovich finds the talent. The coaches make the call as to who makes the team and who plays ahead of who.

[Blitz]

Obillovich finds the talent. The coaches make the call as to who makes the team and who plays ahead of who.
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Wally and Co. have been very good judges of talent during their time here. This will be a good opportunity to give us a good look at Mock in extended game action.

[WestCoastJoe]

Mock is very smooth and consistent in catching the ball.

Rodgers is more effective running the ball, and is probably a more dangerous receiver. His trouble has always been catching the ball consistently. I think he will be very good with the RAC (run after catch).

Rodgers has shown some improvement this week, but we have all seen him drop balls in practice at one time or another.

[Lionheart]

. His trouble has always been catching the ball consistently. I think he will be very good with the RAC (run after catch).

Rodgers has shown some improvement this week, but we have all seen him drop balls in practice at one time or another.

I remember when Thelwell couldn't catch a cold. (consistantly)

[Rammer]

. His trouble has always been catching the ball consistently. I think he will be very good with the RAC (run after catch).

Rodgers has shown some improvement this week, but we have all seen him drop balls in practice at one time or another.

I remember when Thelwell couldn't catch a cold. (consistantly)

Thelwell isn't doing as well as the Stampeders had hoped and is now under close scrutiny.

At the other end of the scale is Ryan Thelwell, who has been targeted 21 times but has just eight catches. He’s quickly playing himself into a reduced role and these numbers partly explain why.
Here are the target numbers for the entire team:

................................REC TAR PCT
Joffrey Reynolds .....13 14 92.9
Brett Ralph .............. 8 14 57.1
Jeremaine Copeland ...11 22 50.0
Nik Lewis ..................... 7 16 48.3
Ken-Yon Rambo...........10 21 47.6
Marc Boerigter ............10 23 43.5
Ryan Thelwell .......... 8 21 38.1
Rob Cote .......................3 3 100.0
Trey Young ....................1 1 100.0

[B.C.FAN]

At the other end of the scale is Ryan Thelwell, who has been targeted 21 times but has just eight catches. He’s quickly playing himself into a reduced role and these numbers partly explain why.
Here are the target numbers for the entire team:

................................REC TAR PCT
Joffrey Reynolds .....13 14 92.9
Brett Ralph .............. 8 14 57.1
Jeremaine Copeland ...11 22 50.0
Nik Lewis ..................... 7 16 48.3
Ken-Yon Rambo...........10 21 47.6
Marc Boerigter ............10 23 43.5
Ryan Thelwell .......... 8 21 38.1
Rob Cote .......................3 3 100.0
Trey Young ....................1 1 100.0

Those are lousy numbers when the running back is the only player who catches the ball consistently. Burris is a 53% passer this year. Burris has blamed his receivers (naturally) for dropping passes. What's interesting is that receivers coach Chuck McMann and the receivers agreed. Here's an excerpt from a Calgary Herald story before the Argo game last week.

"They've been very, very mediocre," said receivers coach Chuck McMann, leading up to today's game against the Toronto Argonauts at McMahon Stadium.

"I don't know what it is. I think they think things will just come easy. We have to continue to work hard in practice, but also work hard in the games.

"There's a lack of intensity and a lack of focus in catching the football -- things that they're paid to do." Boerigter leads the team with 126 yards, which would only rank fourth-best on the Argos or the Edmonton Eskimos.

Joffrey Reynolds, a running back, tops the club with 10 receptions, and none of the pass catchers hauling in paycheques from the Stamps can feel they've earned their full income.

"When you're out there dropping balls like we have, that makes you a bad group," said slotback Jeremaine Copeland. "We're not making plays like we're supposed to. We pride ourselves on calling ourselves playmakers and we haven't stepped up to the table.

"I really think guys are looking for that spark and everything is going to change this week. I think guys are more focused, the drops are going to be minimized and I really think we're going to go out and take care of our jobs." McMann said his troops officially have 12 dropped passes, but the total doesn't include drops that were caused by defenders. The Stamps have been botching easy balls and failing to make the difficult catches.

[Rammer]

Well the numbers that Thelwell has, don't sound Thelwell like. I am sure if you were to break it down that a good portion of those throws weren't catchable, unless you ask Henry of course.