Post Game Thoughts

[Lions4ever]

Well Glatt was great in the second half, but I was cursing him in the first half as IR.

Okay, I'll give you that one. I recall a couple of missed tackles in the first half that had me shaking my head. But that 2nd half was possibly his finest in a Lions uniform....and he's played some great games. Just unloaded on Charles. Great anticipation.

Yes, Javy played like Ray Lewis in that second half. Great job. Too bad he played like Shari Lewis in the first.

[cromartie]

Mallett looks like a younger version of Joe Smith.

Faster , runs more upright, doesn't pass block nearly as well. The only way there's as similar is in the way they hit defenders: hard. Not that this is a bad thing, mind you.

I thought our run blocking was very strong tonight

Agreed, this has the potential to be a very strong run blocking line. The problem is, you have an OC that doesn't design a strong run blocking game plan. That guy is now on the opposite sideline (Barisi).

Credit Benevides and Roach. The defence was able to make adjustments to what the Riders were doing.

Yes. I think the adjustments in the second half were very good. The run defense was good as well, and Toney, overall, held his own. In time, this should gel into a pretty nice unit.

I was frustrated as anyone at Buck not taking more shots down field but clearly the lack of protection disrupted everything.

Cumulatively, I suppose but we can't answer that for certain without coaches tape from the end zone perspective. Certainly 5 sacks out of 8 being protection breakdowns is unacceptable, but three out of eight being either coverage sacks or decision making sacks is unacceptable as well.

[Rammer]

Buck was also in the game against Edmonton a season or two back that he was sacked like 9 times, you have to begin to wonder if he isn't holding onto the ball a little too long, given the two circumstances.

[B.C.FAN]

Buck was also in the game against Edmonton a season or two back that he was sacked like 9 times, you have to begin to wonder if he isn't holding onto the ball a little too long, given the two circumstances.

You have to get rid of the ball quickly when they're bringing more people than you can block. And the running backs have to see where they're coming from and not stand there looking the other way, as happened all night. An offensive tackle isn't expected to pick up a halfback blitz around the outside, which caused the first fumble. The blame can be spread pretty equally among coaches, running backs, linemen, quarterback and receivers.

[Volpe]

Why did we go for a two point convert with only minutes gone in the 3rd quarter and the score 20/ 25
Why didnt Paul try a field goal from the 35 in the 4th quarter
Why didnt Wally go for it with two minutes left and instead took the field goal. BB

Agreed Bob! Wally has made some very suspect calls the past couple of seasons; at times the future Hall of Famer looks confused on the sidlelines??

[WestCoastJoe]

Buck was also in the game against Edmonton a season or two back that he was sacked like 9 times, you have to begin to wonder if he isn't holding onto the ball a little too long, given the two circumstances.

Wally said as much at some point after the game. Something to the effect of: it has to be 1, 2, 3 get rid of the ball. Dickenson did not like to throw the ball away either.

Sometimes the more you know, the worse you play a sport. It sure happens in golf. It seems to happen to a lot of QBs, especially in the NFL. Buck might have been more instinctive when he burst onto the scene against the Riders a few years back. Now his head is full of ideas. Probably too many ideas.

The Riders stumbled and bumbled in the game. We stumbled and bumbled more than they did.

Some cause for hope?

Buck played better through the second half. He got the possible game winning throw to RGM with a few seconds left. RGM muffed it. RGM has had some physical problems. It looks like he might have some software issues too. Is he fragile with the emotional, mental side of the game?

Arceneaux looks like a keeper, as he has all through the pre-season.

Mallett looks capable.

The O Line should get better. Out-schemed this game.

Gibbs and Hunt look solid in the middle of the D Line. McKenzie looks capable. The DBs should be good.

The season is young. Many new players. Many missing all-star players from previous years.

Concerns:

McCallum has not prepared himself well for the season.

Buck is not calm and confident, although he almost pulled out the victory at the end.

Play calling is suspect.

Wally's game management decisions are questionable. After all these years, does he have the ability to push the right buttons to motivate and to instill confidence?

Does he see the talents and skills (or lack of) of his players clearly? Or does he have some preconceptions that are not realistic? Lumbala, RGM, a couple of veterans on defense ...
...........

Lots of questions.
............

"Mama, don't let your sons grow up to be football coaches." (Apologies to Willie Nelson.)

[Belize City Lion]

Why did we go for a two point convert with only minutes gone in the 3rd quarter and the score 20/ 25
Why didnt Paul try a field goal from the 35 in the 4th quarter
Why didnt Wally go for it with two minutes left and instead took the field goal. BB

Agreed Bob! Wally has made some very suspect calls the past couple of seasons; at times the future Hall of Famer looks confused on the sidlelines??

another brain fart in Regina... seems to be an annual tradition.

[The_Pauser]

Mallett looks like a younger version of Joe Smith.

Faster , runs more upright, doesn't pass block nearly as well. The only way there's as similar is in the way they hit defenders: hard. Not that this is a bad thing, mind you.

I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure Mallet knows who his coach is, so that's another difference between the two

[Tighthead]

I have often felt that Wally the coach needs a stacked deck.

Fortunately, as a GM he is good at stacking the deck.

[PigSkin_53]

Buck was also in the game against Edmonton a season or two back that he was sacked like 9 times, you have to begin to wonder if he isn't holding onto the ball a little too long, given the two circumstances.

For most of the evening I counted five second drops, and more times often than not, he was still holding the ball.

[West Coast Blue Fan]

Just a few notes;

Biggest concern going into the season for me was the 4-2-7 alignment, sure looked good last night. Very impressed with Banks as the nickel and McKenzie made me forget about Otis Floyd.

After seeing Sean Whyte boom them in training camp and on the PR for the last 2 seasons, I have to question Pasquale thinking. Usually WB is spot on when players are getting long in the tooth, but McCallum seems to be the exception. I love PM, and I realize kickers are an anomaly when it comes to age.....but this kid deserves his shot before we lose him.

Why do we continually refuse to use the screen pass? Sask was teeing off on the rush, and Stevie Baggs, when in Wpg was one of the worst I'd ever seen for containment. If Smart doesn't blow a nut, he scores on our one and only attempt. A few more of those mixed in may take the aggresiveness out of the opposing D-line. I know most on here hate JC, but Buono has the final call when it comes to plays being sent in.

As BB asked, why does Pasquale choose to punt from inside the Riders 40?
Is he thinking we hem them in, get a safety and then the ball.....take the 3 and we win that game.
Why do we then kick the FG with less than 3 mins to go, especially when it looked like we had a little momemtum on our side.
Why does he put an ice cold Jarious in for a hail mary from the 50? I recall Buck heaving a dam near purrfect ball on the final play of the Western Final from around that same yardage?

Oh well......glad the Stamps lost, it's only week 1 and we do play the Ti-cats this week.

[Rammer]

Really I had no problem with the decision to hem the Riders in with the punt from the 33, it was the execution that was the problem. All second half we had the Riders O's number, had Paul done his job, the Lions would have been able to put the hammer down just by playing conservative. The punt sailing for the single changed the outcome of the game more than any other single play.

[TheLionKing]

Buck was also in the game against Edmonton a season or two back that he was sacked like 9 times, you have to begin to wonder if he isn't holding onto the ball a little too long, given the two circumstances.

Remind me of a guy that played for the Lions couple of years back. Wore #12

[dde901]

Okay first post here on Lionbackers, I am a full fledged member of RiderNation and I am NOT here to troll. Rammer should recognize my screen name as will a few others, me thinks.

I was at the game, I am at all of them at MS. I have to agree with some of you who are questioning Wally's decisons at Mosiac. It's, I think, the 3rd time in 3 years his poor decisions have given the Riders a game, too bad one of the times wasn't last November. I am not sure why the Lions didn't run more, we haven't shown we can stop the run and that is the only part of the Rider D which looked suspect. As for Pauly M., I think some of you are a little hard on him. He had 1 brain fart, which is 2 less than Wally, last night. The miss on the FG, meh it happens. His punting was far better than the Riders and remember the wind tunnel that is MS is not a easy place to kick. Sometimes you have to line drive the kick to get any distance. Last night the wind was not consistantly but at times it was a stiff breeze so it was tricky.

I think the Rider and Lions are going to fight for 3rd. Our QBing may be a issue for us, and your O-line maybe for you. I hope its not because that means our D-line is that good. They were fun to watch. Sloppy game both ways. Lets be glad neither team played Montreal or it would have been spank city.

[CatsEyes]

Welcome! Great first post! I think a lot of us would have been more forgiving of PM had he not also missed 3 in a row in the last preseason game as well. Scary thought either of those teams playing Montreal *shudder*. Seemed like neither one wanted it all that badly either. But...it's done now, and hopefully we can keep looking ahead!