An encore performance: Brent Johnson's disappearing act

[Tighthead]

The defensive player who I really thought dropped off this year was Glatt. Some of it was injury related, but it seemed like he just wasn't around the ball and having the same impact as he had last year.

[Shi Zi Mi]

I'm definitely not sold on Glatt as a MLB........he does not react well and fill the hole on draw plays.......something a solid MLB MUST be able to do.

[Blitz]

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.

He wasn't double teamed most of the season. It started off that way but Johnson did what he did all last year in the first half of the season. He used his explosion, his hands, and his strength to get to the quarterback, both single teamed and double teamed.

In the second half of the season Johnson was mostly single teamed as Wake began to see more double teams. For example yesterday Wake made a great sack by beating the Riders offensive tackle and Wes Cates to sack the quarterback. Teams started to roll away from Wake or double him while single teaming Johnson as Wake just kept on getting more dominant.

Johnson did not have the same explosion off the line in the second half of the season. He didn't use his hands as well. However, mostly that great motor of his was stuck in third rather than fifth gear. He didn't bull rush that often nor did he make that great slip move of his, when he makes contact, and then gets past the hips of the offensive tackle.

I think Johnson hit a plateau. He played the run fairly well. He just couldn't get to the passer. He was close a number of times but what made him such a great defensive end for all of last season and the first half of this season was the ability to be able to grab that quarterback's arm or get a piece of his jersey and drag him down. In the last couple of games of the season I saw Johnson even go into a four point stance at times to try to get that explosion.

Johnson liked the rotation last year. It kept him fresh. He also didn't line up at defensive end all the time. Sometimes we lined him up inside. We dropped him off sometimes into pass coverage in zone blitzes. This year, he was an every down player, who didn't have the benefit of being moved around on the defensive line or given a breather. We also blitzed less with linebackers on his side, which allowed him to be involved in more stunts.

This year it was more of a vanilla pass rush on every play. I think it was that combined with hitting a bit of a plateau that resulted in Johnson being an effective player but not a great player in the second half of the season!!

The difference between being ordinary and extraordinary isn't that great in pro football. It can be a lot of small things. Part of it was scheme, part of it was Johnson perhaps being a little tired, perhaps mentally as well as physically. Rush ends go up against big strong offensive tackles.

A defensive end like Wake was young, hungry, very talented, fast, strong, and fresh. He hasn't been through the wars as Johnson has. It takes a toll. The same thing happens to running backs after a few years of being pounded.

It's why I so believed in a rotation and since Wake was having a great season we could have spelled Johnson off for a series or two a game with Foley.

Brent Johnson finished fourth in the league in sacks. However, most of those sacks took place in the first half of the season. However, you can't blame Johnson's lack of sacks yesterday on him. The scheme was for Johnson not to get too deep and to contain Joseph!

[Lastunas]

Look for him bounce back and be a dominating player again next season.

Yeah, because he'll be playing in the final year of his contract. Doesn't Brent Johnson play his best when he's playing for a new contract?

Reminds me of Russian hockey players.

[TheLionKing]

Does anyone know whether Johnson was playing with an undisclosed injury ?

[MacNews]

I noticed him throwing up his arms in exasperation a lot during the play.

He did complain a lot but he had every right to. I remember countless times seeing Johnson held shamelessly by the opposing o-lineman and there would be no call.

[Gerry]

Another whine r's thread, and as ridiculous as the Simon thread. The Lions overcame some real adversity this year to post an amazing record. Their injuries caught up to them in the big game against a very good football team. I'm proud of them for the most part.

[Larry Key]

I'm definitely not sold on Glatt as a MLB........he does not react well and fill the hole on draw plays.......something a solid MLB MUST be able to do.

I too, thought in my mind that he was not cut out to be your every down MLB. Javy just isn't big enough to do the run-stop. He seems more suited for an OLB position. Pottinger has the physical tools to be that big run stopper at 6'-2" 243 pds. but time will tell.

[SammyGreene]

LU brought up some the areas that he thinks could use some upgrading in his blog including LB:

The offence looked as bland as it at the start of the season. Geroy Simon, Jason Clermont and Paris Jackson were ordinary. The Lions have never been able to find a second import receiver. That should be a priority in the winter.
A much bigger problem, however, exists behind the front four. B.C. had a great pass rush, but all season long they tried to hide the fact they did not have a dominant force at linebacker. Frankly, they're too light.
The secondary was just average. They beat average teams by not getting beaten over their heads. Give Kerry Joseph enough time, however, and he'll do just fine moving the offence underneath.

Finding a quality import receiver shouldn't be such a tall order. Just makes the release of Jones back in TC even more baffling.

Interesting the potential upgrades on defence given this was basically the same unit that played lights out in ’06 and even the start of this season. Could the Lions be going hard after Reggie Hunt and where would that leave the oft-injured Jamal Johnson?

I don't see much wrong with the secondary but I was no fan of Ritchie's constant use of zone coverage that had some major holes in it if a QB got any kind of time.

Really though... the Lions defence played more than good enough to win on Sunday.

[B.C.FAN]

LU brought up some the areas that he thinks could use some upgrading in his blog including LB:

The offence looked as bland as it at the start of the season. Geroy Simon, Jason Clermont and Paris Jackson were ordinary. The Lions have never been able to find a second import receiver. That should be a priority in the winter.
A much bigger problem, however, exists behind the front four. B.C. had a great pass rush, but all season long they tried to hide the fact they did not have a dominant force at linebacker. Frankly, they're too light.
The secondary was just average. They beat average teams by not getting beaten over their heads. Give Kerry Joseph enough time, however, and he'll do just fine moving the offence underneath.

Finding a quality import receiver shouldn't be such a tall order. Just makes the release of Jones back in TC even more baffling.

Interesting the potential upgrades on defence given this was basically the same unit that played lights out in ’06 and even the start of this season. Could the Lions be going hard after Reggie Hunt and where would that leave the oft-injured Jamal Johnson?

I don't see much wrong with the secondary but I was no fan of Ritchie's constant use of zone coverage that had some major holes in it if a QB got any kind of time.

Really though... the Lions defence played more than good enough to win on Sunday.

I agree completely with these assessments. You can add the lack of veteran Canadian depth on the O-line to the list of needs.

Teams are successfully attacking Dave Ritchie's zone defence with intermediate routes, especially to the wide side of the field. The Lions get beaten when they play man-to-man defence. Teams pick on Markeith Knowlton and nickleback/LB and Ryan Phillips at strong side DB. If people think Geroy Simon or Brent Johnson look exasperated at times, check out Phillips every time teams complete a 20-yard pass against him in second and long. I was really impressed with how Barron Miles stepped up his play at the end of the season and in the WDF but he is 35 and Washington is 34. At least one change will be necessary for next year, likely two. Glover, Marsh and Banks are as good as anyone at their positions.

I'm not sure whether the woes at linebacker this year were due mainly to injuries. Floyd has been great for the last half of the season since he was healthy. I never saw Glatt or Jamall Johnson compete at last year's level in 2007. I like Knowlton but he is not a linebacker. He can't stop the run or blitz the QB.

You can add Bret Anderson to the list of possible retirements at receiver/ST. He had only one reception this year and McCallum outkicked him by about 10 yards on kickoffs in the WDF and 6 yards in the regular season.

[No Ka Oi]

You want a run stopper, how 'bout Ricky Foley in middle?

[Tighthead]

You want a run stopper, how 'bout Ricky Foley in middle?

Foley looks more like a DE, or an edge LB in a 3-4 to me, than a linebacker. Maybe it is his #, but I don't see him playing well in space like a LB needs to. Of course, he could learn, and I could also be flat out wrong.

[Area51]

Interesting thought to line Ricky up at MLB - - and the same one BC had when they drafted him. No question he's got LB speed but that's not his position. But he's also strong enough to play DE.

That's what made him such a devestating force on ST this year. Too big, too fast and too strong. Teams couldn't block him at the point of attack with a lineman because he'd blow them away in downfield pursuit. They couldn't use a fast guy to blockhim because he'd toss the guy aside at the point of attack.

Speed and power...that's what you need from a rush end. I'm not expecting Ricky to get much of a chance in BC - - unless Benevedes moves up to DC next year.

There's several points to this thread.....pretty much agreed that BJ didn't have the game breaking ability that he did last season and it's unfathomable Ricky didn't get more of an opportunity to take defensive snaps.

But that's Dave Ritchie for you. Been around long enough to have built up a rep in the league, and also been around long enough to be too set in his ways to change when they're not working.

[FINELION77]

Brent is a good man! he's had a tuff time this year trying to live up 2 last years expectations! many of the players have struggled 2 live up to last years dynasty! they are human! they are not purrfect much like the human race! questionn yourself? what was the last great thing you did?