Poll ... Schemes or Execution? Reasons for the turnaround

[WestCoastJoe]

Many factors are involved. In your opinion, what are the 5 most important factors in the turnaround of the team?

I would weigh them in this order, roughly ...

1 Dennis Skulsky laying out the structure of Wally's' lifetime job ... "or from a tap on the shoulder" ... Reality bites. The reality of 8 and 10. 8 and 10. 1 and 6. Survival instincts kick in.

2 Change of schemes on O ... Opening up the playbook. Unpredictable play calling.

3 Change of schemes on D ... More aggressive play calling. Abandonment of the 3-4. Solomon as the MLB of a 4 -3. Overloads at the LOS. Movement prior to snap. Stunts. Blitzes. Mixing it up.

4 Change of personnel, Arland Bruce, Tad Kornegay, Khalif Mitchell, Anthony Reddick

5 Change of positions, Korey Banks, Ryan Phillips

Many factors are involved. Many changes were made. And all those changes resulted in improved execution. The chicken and the egg. Around it goes ...

For those talking about schemes, such as myself, there was the reaction when Wally would deny schemes playing any part of our lack of success. He laid that on lack of execution. And for his part, I expect, changing schemes is a pretty radical thing to do in midseason. Once Wally decided to change things up, with prompting from Dennis Skulsky IMO, and from the near 3 years of lack of success, he changed up all kinds of things. Personnel. Schemes. Positions. Even philosophy from ultra conservative to more aggressive and innovative. With our outstanding personnel, the flood gates opened. Voila, execution. However we got here, it is a pretty good place to be for fans, just now. I can't imagine any backsliding. There is just too much awareness everywhere. From ownership on down through the team, all the way to the media and the fans.

For now, it is all good.

[Rammer]

I think that the last option should read, Wally finally forced to make moves due to supreme intervention.

[B.C.FAN]

The old debate doesn't die. The improvement is mainly due to personnel and position changes, which in turn have led to better execution. Other than the switch from the base 3-4 to 4-3 defence, I don't know of any schemes that have changed.

[notahomer]

I voted schemes but I meant that to mean Coaches giving the Players the plays/tools to succeed. If Trestman tried to force Calvillo into being a Damon Allen type QB' what success would AC have? Little to none, IMO. This team has improved its offence and defence but its the success of each that seems to have moved those close losses into steady wins. One casualty seems to be special teams but even that sounds like its not going to be left to fester as it was obviously the only reason why Calgary was still in this game come the fourth quarter...........

[mrbigglesworth]

It is a bit of "chicken and egg" and it would be difficult to point to any factors in isolation. I think the turnaround is due to everything coming together in terms of schemes and players, energy and confidence being injected by the new players, and Wally/Brailey not making any rash decisions during the slump. Many of those losses in the early going could easily have been wins with a little luck on our side - a dropped pass here or there, an inopportune penalty, etc. cost us close games (only 1 of the 5 was more than an 8 point game).

Having the confidence and stability to be able to ride out a slump by making adjustments as opposed to clearing house and replacing the coaching staff and overhauling the roster is important. Those types of changes often pay dividends in the short term, but not long. (Not an entirely fair comparison, but look at the Riders and the change to Miller this year - a couple wins over the top team and then back to the basement.) Of course this only works if you have the talent to begin with, which the Lions do.

[Toppy Vann]

It is a bit of "chicken and egg" and it would be difficult to point to any factors in isolation. I think the turnaround is due to everything coming together in terms of schemes and players, energy and confidence being injected by the new players, and Wally/Brailey not making any rash decisions during the slump. Many of those losses in the early going could easily have been wins with a little luck on our side - a dropped pass here or there, an inopportune penalty, etc. cost us close games (only 1 of the 5 was more than an 8 point game).

Having the confidence and stability to be able to ride out a slump by making adjustments as opposed to clearing house and replacing the coaching staff and overhauling the roster is important. Those types of changes often pay dividends in the short term, but not long. (Not an entirely fair comparison, but look at the Riders and the change to Miller this year - a couple wins over the top team and then back to the basement.) Of course this only works if you have the talent to begin with, which the Lions do.

I was thinking the same thing myself today. Toronto fires DC and is worse now. Sask didn't get that the problem was in their locker room with the players.

I do think though that 3 seasons of arrogance about schemes and we're going to do this regardless of reality got too much for somebody.

Wally no longer yaps on about scheme but for anyone not thinking that schemes on O and play calling on offense weren't a problem must have missed Dean Valli saying how easy it was D's knowing they were passing 25 times in a row.

You have to give the QB plays he can be successful with. Not just what you want as OC. As Ziggy said it is a lot of factors coming together but you will notice that even Wally says he has been hard on JC play calling.... that for me is the final proof.

There seemed to be a change in the coaches this year - less arrogance after the losses and seemingly a change due to Wally telling all that they will be gone next year maybe. Something happened as this has been as dramatic a turnaround as Paul on the road to Damascus.

[PigSkin_53]

I don't know of any schemes that have changed.

With all due respect, your last statement flys in the face of all visable evidence, reason and fact B.C.FAN!

You know perfectly well that like saying "the sun's not yellow, it's chicken"

[budha]

I honestly think that it is players making the plays that they are supposed to. How passes did Lions Recievers drop in the first few games? Even Simon dropped balls in important situations. The Lions were in most of the early games this season, but the execution by the players prevented them from winning.

[ziggy]

All of the above?

[TheLionKing]

To me the biggest reason for the turnaround was Dennis Skulsky's statement that some people in the organization may have a job for life but maybe not in their current capacities. We started seeing the emergence of a running attack, a facet of the game that Chapdelaine had ignored for 2 1/2 years. We began seeing more creative schemes, playcalling. The defence became more aggressive and played a more attacking style.

[Blitz]

To me the biggest reason for the turnaround was Dennis Skulsky's statement that some people in the organization may have a job for life but maybe not in their current capacities. We started seeing the emergence of a running attack, a facet of the game that Chapdelaine had ignored for 2 1/2 years. We began seeing more creative schemes, playcalling. The defence became more aggressive and played a more attacking style.

[pennw]

I don't know of any schemes that have changed.

With all due respect, your last statement flys in the face of all visable evidence, reason and fact B.C.FAN!

You know perfectly well that like saying "the sun's not yellow, it's chicken"

With due respect , BCfan consistently makes about the most sensible posts on here .

[pennw]

I honestly think that it is players making the plays that they are supposed to. How passes did Lions Recievers drop in the first few games? Even Simon dropped balls in important situations. The Lions were in most of the early games this season, but the execution by the players prevented them from winning.

Hey dropped passes have nothing to do with it ... how can they effect a game ?

[WestCoastJoe]

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/foo ... ice=mobile

[joe kapp22]

I honestly think that it is players making the plays that they are supposed to. How passes did Lions Recievers drop in the first few games? Even Simon dropped balls in important situations. The Lions were in most of the early games this season, but the execution by the players prevented them from winning.

Exactly, though Chap did start adding misdirection into the backfield, but when guys are making the plays they are supposed to be making life does become much easier.