Rider Game

[swervynmerv]

Allright lets get this week started. Lionbackers, answer the following question: " The Lions will beat the Roughriders in the Western Semi-Final if the following occurs":

[KnowItAll]

if they leave chap at home

[KnowItAll]

If wally doesnt decide its time for a QB change

[1greatmysticbushape]

their plane doesn't fall out of the sky.

[East_coast_leos_fan]

Lions are a team of destiny, baby! Lions are gonna roll over the Riders like a drunken trucker rolls over Bambi on a dark prairie highway...

[1greatmysticbushape]

yippee-ki-yay East Coast Leos Fan. now we got it rollin' how we gonna get it stopped.

[swervynmerv]

Not quite what I was looking for boys! I am looking for the keys to the game. These are mine:

The Lions will win if:

1. Tad Crawford has a career game. The corners will be under pressure to cover Fantuz and Dressler and the long pass. Crawford needs to provide deep cover and not get beat deep.

2. A pash rush with containment. Keeping Durant in the pocket and not giving him time to scramble will throw him off his game.

3. Chap has a creative running attack. This is the Riders weakness. Long range forcast is -3 and light snow so the running game will be ultra important. I would like to see more Davis and Messam to change things up. Barrin Simpson may not play from wjhat I have been hearing, so that is another hole in their run defence.

4. Lulay has time and continues to make good reads and not turn the ball over. Not being afraid to stretch out the field like he did angainst the Ti-Cats will help out with the run game.

5. Mc Callum continues to be money. The Riders don't have a kicker that seems to be able to make a FG over 30 yards so that will hurt them.

All said and done, I predict a close game with McCallum breaking the Rider fans hearts on a last minute FG.

[lion24]

If Phillips decides to try tackling instead of being blocked out of plays.......oh sorry stay positive

In reality I think anyone can be beat this season and the Lions have beat both the Riders and Stamps. I think the way the wins have gone lately it is going to take some real good returns from Yonus and defence bending not breaking by giving up fg's instead of td's.

[Disturber]

The D needs to show the same finish they showed in Hamilton. Arceneux having another career game won't hurt either.

[WestCoastJoe]

Good points, merv.

Pass rush. Ours has not been up to our standard of previous years. We do not have that rush end specialist, CFL-style, despite bringing in about 10 guys since TC opened. Geathers might have been the guy. Who knows?

Running game. Not our emphasis since TC. Change and emphasize it now? Got the big hogs. Got the RBs. We'll see.

Pass pro. A problem from the get-go this year. Solved? Don't know about that. A running game is the best antidote to a strong pass rush IMO. Plus the zone read play with a mobile QB. Lulay is all of that. Swing passes are part of it. We started using those in the latter part of the year.

............

Riders vulnerable to the run this year.

Durant somewhat inconsistent.

They seemed to play better against the Schmoes than they had been playing for a few games. They are not as tough to beat at home as they have been in the past perhaps.
.............

The Lions are young, talented and hopefully hungry. Lulay is a keeper IMO, well suited to the CFL.

Bring it on ... Time to see some busted watermelons.

[Lionheart]

This will be more important than people realize. The snap of the ball. Firstly, the Lions with Lulay under center have had problems.. the ball gets snapped late. I don't know why, except that Lulay is a raw rookie. If you watch the timing is not there... receivers can't quite run up to the line, there's always a stutter and wait. Also, out line up formation has had big problems with resulting flags. Ad in a very vocal crowd noise I think this is gonna be a big issue.

[bbking]

Special teams can be and often is the difference.

It would be nice to see Yonus (or Harris) catch the ball on the run while heading straight up the field.

All the sideways dancing did not amount to much last game.

I seemed like Wally was gesturing to Yonus to head up the field.

If that in fact was what he was inferring it didnt make much of an impression as Yonus continued to go sideways and backwards.

Field position may count on re-establishing the success on kick returns they have had in the preceding games.

[TheLionKing]

-if we exploit the Riders porus run defence especially if Barrin Simpson is not playing

- if the Lions can establish a ball control game

- if the Lions put pressure on Dariant Durant

- play disciplined and error free football

[pennw]

Lulay has been getting better every game , if he has another career game like yesterday , I think the Lions win .

[smphantom]

Lions will win if Saskatchewan doesn't throw any passes to a receiver Stanley Franks is trying to defend.