Lions starting RB on July 18th?

Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:40 pm

Yes Joe was banged up but Wally was trying to send a message as well. Do we see Joe Smith back in the starting line-up next week or does Wally go with the momentum and Logan again?

Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:42 pm

How about a 3rd option.... Both.

Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:08 pm

I am confused?

Are you asking if Joe will be healthy enough to start??

I mean, there is no doubt otherwise.....right????

Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:42 pm

This is a tough one.

How can you sit out Logan based on his terrific effort against the Bombers? Meanwhile, do you toss Joe aside after two mediocre team losses?

Tough one...but I think it will be Logan again next week. One thing is sure - Smith will be itching to get back to the practice field ASAP.

Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:56 pm

KnowItAll wrote:Are you asking if Joe will be healthy enough to start??

I mean, there is no doubt otherwise.....right????

"I am telling you, Smith had the mother
of all injuries, and could not play."

Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:48 pm

Logan was awesome tonight, no doubt. I loved watching him run, it was a thing of beauty. But, it was still just one game. Joe has proven to be a good back for the better part of 2 years and shouldn't be the fall guy for a team that had problems in every facet of the game. I personally think that the backfield is big enough for both Joe and Logan to see plenty of action. It would keep defences around the league on their toes if they were forced to account for the power of Smith and the speed and elusiveness of Logan. We all have fond memories of the Sean Millington - Cory Philpot days...let's bring that type of attack back and utilize both talents.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:13 am

Yeah, I'm in the 'both' camp as well. What is wrong with running a 2 back set? Can you imagine the big blocking power of Joe, combined with the explosive speed of Logan? Whoooo....bet it would be a thing of beauty!

Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:34 am

Throwing the rock to Smith out of the backfield would be a nice changeup too, as well as hauling it out of the backfield.

The game is chess on grass; now if a knight can go over one and up two instead of always up two and over one, and if you have TWO knights.....

Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:38 am

i am a huge lover and supporter of joe smith, but the work of logan tonite was awesome! he played with such passion like every time he got the ball he was gonna get a td. could it be that joe is resting on his laurels lately or is logan the real deal? qb controversy has been resolved for the time being,now the rb controversy begins

Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:38 am

CatsEyes wrote:Yeah, I'm in the 'both' camp as well. What is wrong with running a 2 back set? Can you imagine the big blocking power of Joe, combined with the explosive speed of Logan? Whoooo....bet it would be a thing of beauty!

So what is the trick to this? Is it a ratio issue? Would an import guy have to sit in favour of a Canookian? Coleman out Nicholson in? (That last one was not serious...or was it? Noo..yess..nooo..)

Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:56 am

No Ordinary Joe wrote:Logan was awesome tonight, no doubt. I loved watching him run, it was a thing of beauty. But, it was still just one game. Joe has proven to be a good back for the better part of 2 years and shouldn't be the fall guy for a team that had problems in every facet of the game. I personally think that the backfield is big enough for both Joe and Logan to see plenty of action. It would keep defences around the league on their toes if they were forced to account for the power of Smith and the speed and elusiveness of Logan. We all have fond memories of the Sean Millington - Cory Philpot days...let's bring that type of attack back and utilize both talents.

I know Logan is popular right now, but Smith has a great body of work in the last two years that can't be ignored. Listening to he game, and watching parts, it seemed like the Lions were much more committed to running the ball last night. While I like Logan's speed, over the course of a season I would feel more comfortable with a bigger RB shouldering the bulk of the carries. They should both play.

Let's not forget that Logan has one fumble lost in one game. Nothing to panic about, but we need to see if he is a fumbler or not.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:17 am

Lions4ever wrote:So what is the trick to this? Is it a ratio issue?

Yep... it would definitely be at the expense of Coleman or Rodgers as there is no way Wally is going to sacrifice an import on defence (Jamal Johnson or Jerome Dennis).

It would be a nice luxury dressing both but you know their number one priority is to have 5 effective receivers given how many ace back packages they run. It would also mean having six RB/FBs on the roster when you also factor in Smart, Green, Bwenge and Lumbala.

If Smith and Logan were to co-exist it would be at the expense of Smart and Logan really hasn't been worked into the return game yet.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:43 am

Which ever way you cut it it will be a hard choice to make as someone of value would have to sit .Kinda like what Calgary had last year with excess receivers . I would say it would come at the expense of either Rodgers or Coleman too . Of those two so far, while Rodgers seems to be getting better but so far I'm impressed by Coleman and would hate to see him out too. But having hard choices with a group of players because they are all good is one of those good kind of problems I guess . But the season is young and ,no doubt, sooner or later the injury bug will come into play and the choice will be made for us . (as it was last night )

Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:11 am

I liked what I saw in Logan but I voted Smith...IMHO, he hasn't played himself out of the starters spot.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:17 am

I was thinking of the ratio and the two back set as well, but the solutions aren't what people here want to hear, and especially what the Coaches would want to hear.

Using Green, Bwenge or Lumbala as a real FB (not just a blocking back), and Logan or Smith as the RB/HB. It's been done before, Marshall in Edmonton, Mankins and Foley in Ottawa, Lumsden in Hamilton...

It's one thing to do it (Green dresses now) but quite another to design the offence to incorporate the Canadian FB rushing the ball, or taking the quick screen out of the backfield say, or as an underneath receiver instead of JUST being a blocking back, in the scheme that the Lions use now.

It would throw a monkey wrench into the works for opposition Ds in a hurry though. They'd never be able to key on one back until they knew who the ball went to.