Not sure if I'm the only one - - or the only one other than Dave Ritchie - - who noticed Brent Johnson was invisible for much of the season. Twelve sacks my a$$ - - when the team needed someone to step up with a big play on D all through the season and especially yesterday BJ was nowhere to be found.
But yesterday's game was the ultimate finish to Johnson's invisible year. Zero pressure on Joseph. And it wasn't like he was being doubled at all. Not only was he being locked down by the tackle, there were several plays when he was allowed to come free but got picked up by the back. Honestly, how does one of the alleged top DE's get blocked by a RB?
If you're a pass rusher that's what you fantasize about - - when there's only a RB between you and the QB either toss him aside, run over him, or blow past him. But to be shut down like Johnson was yesterday is inexcusable. The only thing more baffling was why old man Ritchie continued to trot him out, just as he'd done all year, for down after ineffective down all the while having Ricky Foley sitting on the bench. Look at what Foley did against Calgary when he got reps for just two quarters - - defensive player of the game. Either a stunning move in coaching ineptitude, or a stubborn refusal to go with a new guy who issn't one of his.
An encore performance: Brent Johnson's disappearing act
Moderator: Team Captains
Brent Johnson felt he had a very good season. However, there is no question that he was not the force we have been used to in the second half of the season, in terms of sacks. Johnson only had one sack in the second half of the season.
He's never had a sack in a playoff game ever. I thought Brent Johnson had looked his best in the final two games of the season in that he was getting some jump out of his stance. In yesterday's game Johnson was more concerned with contain than sacks. However, there is no question in my mind that Johnson's play had a serious drop off in the second half of this year and I commented about it a few weeks ago. Wally also had a meeting with him a few weeks back to try to get Brent to get back to his "A" game.
He's never had a sack in a playoff game ever. I thought Brent Johnson had looked his best in the final two games of the season in that he was getting some jump out of his stance. In yesterday's game Johnson was more concerned with contain than sacks. However, there is no question in my mind that Johnson's play had a serious drop off in the second half of this year and I commented about it a few weeks ago. Wally also had a meeting with him a few weeks back to try to get Brent to get back to his "A" game.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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SammyGreene
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Johnson got off to a decent start then was a beast in a game at Calgary in July where he was basically on top of Burris on every play and being constantly held. Since then, he hasn't looked the same and seemed a step slower.
One of the keys to the Riders' success yesterday was pressure coming from both ends with Perry and Chick. The Lions should have been lethal to deal with having Wake and Johnson on the edge.
Hopefully we see the old #97 next season.
One of the keys to the Riders' success yesterday was pressure coming from both ends with Perry and Chick. The Lions should have been lethal to deal with having Wake and Johnson on the edge.
Hopefully we see the old #97 next season.
On pays when it wasn't Otis Floyd's job to contain, or in two linebacker sets on second down, which I'm betting was over half the time, it was Brent Johnson's job to contain. Hence him not rushing every down.
Sometimes D Ends have more to do than pin their ears back and rush the passer.
Now, having said that, there is something to be said for a lack of a line rotation, another issue we've pointed out on this board repeatedly over the course of the year. Line rotation doesn't mean, take one out on second and long and rush three, it means rotate one of the guys out for a breather and rush four. Foley has talent. Use him.
Sometimes D Ends have more to do than pin their ears back and rush the passer.
Now, having said that, there is something to be said for a lack of a line rotation, another issue we've pointed out on this board repeatedly over the course of the year. Line rotation doesn't mean, take one out on second and long and rush three, it means rotate one of the guys out for a breather and rush four. Foley has talent. Use him.
Brent Johnson's numbers were up in most statistical categories this year. It could easily be argued that he had a better year in 2007 than in 2006. He led the league in forced fumbles, was second in fumble recoveries, fourth in sacks and sharply increased his number tackles to 32 in 2007 from 22 in 2006. It's just that he was overshadowed by Cam Wake this year, who supplanted him as the CFL sack leader and leading candidate for CFL defensive player of the year.
On Sunday, Johnson was in Joseph's face all night. I don't have stats for quarterback pressures, but he applied constant pressure and, despite a lack of finish, often flushed the QB toward Wake or from the pocket.
One thing I noticed all year, including in the WDF, was that Johnson would often arrive at the QB a half second after Wake, who finished with 5 more sacks than him in the regular season. If Wake hadn't been here, how many of his 16 sacks would have gone to Johnson? Probably enough for Johnson to lead the league again, and be a repeat candidate for defensive player of the year.
Johnson is tactically sound. QBs don't bootleg against him, teams don't run sweeps against him. He plays his position and exercises his responsibilities, which don't always include tackles and sacks.
This has been one of the greatest seasons for the defensive line in team history. It's not just Brent Johnson picking up the sacks and accolades, it's all four starters. They've played as well as a unit as any B.C. defensive line since the Headhunters of the mid-1960s, and their stats back it up. It's a shame that Johnson is the only starter who didn't make the allstar team. Fred Perry made it with more tackles and tackles-for-losses, but fewer sacks or forced fumbles than Johnson.
Johnson's play in the regular season and WDF does not deserve the criticism that it has received.
On Sunday, Johnson was in Joseph's face all night. I don't have stats for quarterback pressures, but he applied constant pressure and, despite a lack of finish, often flushed the QB toward Wake or from the pocket.
One thing I noticed all year, including in the WDF, was that Johnson would often arrive at the QB a half second after Wake, who finished with 5 more sacks than him in the regular season. If Wake hadn't been here, how many of his 16 sacks would have gone to Johnson? Probably enough for Johnson to lead the league again, and be a repeat candidate for defensive player of the year.
Johnson is tactically sound. QBs don't bootleg against him, teams don't run sweeps against him. He plays his position and exercises his responsibilities, which don't always include tackles and sacks.
This has been one of the greatest seasons for the defensive line in team history. It's not just Brent Johnson picking up the sacks and accolades, it's all four starters. They've played as well as a unit as any B.C. defensive line since the Headhunters of the mid-1960s, and their stats back it up. It's a shame that Johnson is the only starter who didn't make the allstar team. Fred Perry made it with more tackles and tackles-for-losses, but fewer sacks or forced fumbles than Johnson.
Johnson's play in the regular season and WDF does not deserve the criticism that it has received.
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Soundy
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In a way, it's not unlike being a defenseman in hockey - yeah, it's nice when you get the offensive-defenseman types that can score goals and be really noticeable, but you also need the really solid stay-at-home types that just quietly go about their jobs of shutting down the other team's big scorers, without being flashy about it. Those are the ones that you look at the stats at the end of the night and see big minutes and good plus/minus and realize you've barely even heard their names in the play-by-play.rb wrote:I agree. Brent might not have been spectacular but he did his job. Sacks aren't everything.
Not every D-man can be Cam Wake... or needs to be.
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Larry Key
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Do all of you think he's hit the wall/plateau now?? Mind you, he has probably been double team through out the season for what he did last year and that is evident in the way Wake's played this year. I'd like to hear from Blitz on this one.joesports wrote:He's barely been mentioned this year....the invisible man.
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SammyGreene
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I heard Daved Benefield on the TEAM tonight mention the Riders o-line was constantly shifting to Johnson's side which set up Wake for a big game which he took advantage of.
I never would have noticed it and it takes a former player to point something like that out. It's these types of observations that backs up what B.C. FAN wrote.
It's amazing how open line phones on the TEAM today have been nothing but Lions talk after a loss like that. Everything from Wally blew it to Dickenson should retire.
Good to see so many people care and are willing to phone in about.
I never would have noticed it and it takes a former player to point something like that out. It's these types of observations that backs up what B.C. FAN wrote.
It's amazing how open line phones on the TEAM today have been nothing but Lions talk after a loss like that. Everything from Wally blew it to Dickenson should retire.
Good to see so many people care and are willing to phone in about.
B.C.FAN wrote:Brent Johnson's numbers were up in most statistical categories this year. It could easily be argued that he had a better year in 2007 than in 2006. He led the league in forced fumbles, was second in fumble recoveries, fourth in sacks and sharply increased his number tackles to 32 in 2007 from 22 in 2006. It's just that he was overshadowed by Cam Wake this year, who supplanted him as the CFL sack leader and leading candidate for CFL defensive player of the year.
On Sunday, Johnson was in Joseph's face all night. I don't have stats for quarterback pressures, but he applied constant pressure and, despite a lack of finish, often flushed the QB toward Wake or from the pocket.
One thing I noticed all year, including in the WDF, was that Johnson would often arrive at the QB a half second after Wake, who finished with 5 more sacks than him in the regular season. If Wake hadn't been here, how many of his 16 sacks would have gone to Johnson? Probably enough for Johnson to lead the league again, and be a repeat candidate for defensive player of the year.
Johnson is tactically sound. QBs don't bootleg against him, teams don't run sweeps against him. He plays his position and exercises his responsibilities, which don't always include tackles and sacks.
This has been one of the greatest seasons for the defensive line in team history. It's not just Brent Johnson picking up the sacks and accolades, it's all four starters. They've played as well as a unit as any B.C. defensive line since the Headhunters of the mid-1960s, and their stats back it up. It's a shame that Johnson is the only starter who didn't make the allstar team. Fred Perry made it with more tackles and tackles-for-losses, but fewer sacks or forced fumbles than Johnson.
Johnson's play in the regular season and WDF does not deserve the criticism that it has received.
Lloyd