Game Day Thread, Lions @ Riders, July 14, 2012

[WestCoastJoe]

I have a feeling the Riders will be playing fired up football.

The Lions will have to execute better on O than we have.

In the CFL, it seems to be true that any team can beat any other team.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/07/13 ... for-lions/

Hoodie covers up heat issue for Lions

July 13, 2012. 4:56 pm • Section: The Fifth Quarter

Lowell Ullrich

Hoodie covers up heat issue for LionsPosted on Jul 13, 2012

The Lions doing their get-rhythm thing at the start of their walkthrough at Mosaic Friday

It is a measure of the depth and quality of the reporting which goes on here that we provide you with one of the questions asked of Mike Benevides once the Lions’ delayed flight landed in Regina Friday:

You guessed it: Are you going to wear a hoodie tomorrow?

It actually isn’t that bad of a question given the forecast of heat-sapping temperatures in the Queen City for the game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“Haven’t found one yet that can carry an ice pack, so I’ll probably wear something orange,” was the response, should you care.

But though the current afternoon weather would not pose a problem if the game was played at this hour, it was interesting to note than at least half the players on the Lions walked onto the field with a sampling of equipment man Stu Mitchell’s bottled product from the Chilliwack Water Store prior to their walkthrough. Benevides has talked about hydration needed to get through a 1 p.m. local time start. It’s always interesting to see if it’ll be a factor.

As for more meaty topics, well, they were in short supply really. Byron Parker is being replaced by Joshua Bell for the Lions but print readers knew that a few days ago. Jason Arakgi is back too.

The bigger changes are with Saskatchewan, which clearly sees the Lions’ pressure front as an issue and so will start a third import, Johan Asiata, on the offensive line, with Brendan LaBatte (shoulder) expected to be only in a support role. It means non-import WR Jordan Sisco must start to balance the ratio, so it’s fair to say even the threat of a big day by Khalif Mitchell et al is effective enough to force a team to make a roster move that may weaken them in another area.

More after the game as usual; for now we’ll try to get to the bottom of that hoodie issue.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Lion ... story.html

Lions’ Khalif Mitchell vs. Riders’ Kory Sheets: Friend & foe

Ex-NFL teammates butt helmets in Regina on Saturday

By Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun July 13, 2012

“On this long road to greatness. It has many twists and turns but I won’t stop until I reach the top.” — Twitter motto of Saskatchewan Roughriders’ tailback Kory Sheets.


REGINA — Kory Sheets’ road to greatness hit a rough patch when he tore his Achilles two years ago after the Miami Dolphins practically guaranteed him a job as the NFL team’s kick returner and third-down back.

“The job was mine. They told me it was mine to lose,” Sheets said. “It just broke my heart.”

But it didn’t break his spirit, a reason the former Purdue Boilermaker’s career journey has taken him on an unexpected detour to Saskatchewan and the Canadian Football League.

On Saturday, Sheets — “quick to the hole, agile, can make defenders miss in tight quarters,” according to his NFL scouting report — will use the B.C. Lions as another test case to reassert himself as the starry feature back he believes himself to be.

Purdue’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (48) is among the the CFL’s new crop of breakthrough stars early in the 2012 season, joining Tiger-Cats running back Chevon Walker (89 and 95-yard touchdowns in his first two starts) and Winnipeg returner Demond Washington (82-yard punt return touchdown last week).

The 27-year-old Sheets had 123 combined yards and a touchdown in the Roughriders’ 43-16 opening win over the Tiger-Cats, and he scored the game’s only TD last Sunday against Edmonton, a 34-yard dash to the end zone late in a 17-1 victory that was the only salvageable piece of highlight video from an otherwise unwatchable game.

“I have a nose for the end zone,” Sheets said, following the Riders’ final prep at Mosaic Stadium for Saturday’s game against the Lions (Noon, TSN, Team 1410). “Once I get within 30 yards of the end zone, my ears go up, like a dog smelling red meat. Then, I try to score any way possible.”

For that to happen Saturday, Sheets will have to run through or around the CFL’s most formidable defensive line, which includes defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell, a former teammate with the San Francisco 49ers, one of three NFL teams which saw promise in Sheets that went unrealized.

Mitchell, a brilliant but mercurial man-child who can physically take over a game when he puts his mind to it, was pursued by a number of NFL teams in the off-season, but it was the Dolphins who snagged him. After agreeing to terms with Miami, however, Mitchell had a change of heart, angering not only the NFL team but his agent whose contractual work went for naught.

CFL players just don’t turn down NFL money. That’s not the way the football world is supposed to work. But Sheets was one of the few who understood the motivation driving Mitchell.

“I was in Miami when Khalif made his decision, and he told me why he did it,” Sheet said. “Man, I knew what he was talking about. Nothing in the NFL is guaranteed. Look what happened to me. Promised a job one day. Gone the next because of an injury. No matter how much money is involved, you want to be around people who care about you. Khalif told me people cared about him in B.C. So that’s why he’s back there, helping them to win another Grey Cup. I understand where he’s coming from.”

“Kory’s my boy. He knows how I think,” Mitchell said. “Plus, he’s a real good back.”

Sheets scored three touchdowns in a pair of pre-season game with the 49ers in 2009, then was plucked off San Francisco’s practice roster by the Dolphins, who were loaded with running backs of the ilk of Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Reggie Bush.

The Dolphins envisioned him as a third-down, short yardage back — a situational player — but Sheets insisted he was good enough to be the featured runner.

“Those guys are no better than me. They just get paid more than me,” he said.

Coach Tony Sparano wasn’t quite prepared to agree with Sheets, however, and the point became moot when he tore his Achilles.

Now, fully healed, Sheets can’t wait to show again why he was considered one of U.S. college football’s most underrated players in his NFL draft year.

“I can’t wait to run at big 96 [Mitchell],” he said. “He’s an outspoken guy and an outstanding talent.”

With two rookies on the offensive line, one of whom, Johan Asiata, is making his first start, it remains to be seen whether the Roughriders can punch a hole big enough for Sheets to run through. But, if they do, look out.

“He’s explosive … a home-run hitter,” Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant says. “He adds a dimension to our offence that we really haven’t had in the past couple of years.”

[Blitz]

This is going to be a very interesting game, with the revitalized Riders 2-0 taking on our undefeated and defending Grey Cup champion Lions...a very good early test for this season.

The Riders have added an import offensive lineman to their starting lineup in an attempt to negate our defensive line pressure from our six man rotation along with our blitz packages. The cost to the Riders is they have to play a non-import receiver to do it.

Last week Hamilton hurt us on some bliz packages due to the astute play calling of George Cortez and the experience of Henry Burris, who has seen a lot of bitzes in his career, Durrant is a differen quarterback and as long as we don't let him hurt us with his running ability our pressure will cause more problems for him than it did in the Hamilton game. Of course we'll need to negate Streets as well.

We won our first game of the season on the strength of our defense. We beat Hamilton based upon the strenght of our return game. For us to win this game, our passing offence needs to come alive. Going into the weekend, we were seventh in the leauge in pass offence, with only Edmonton worse, and their offence played much better on Friday night.

Travis Lulay will need to be better on his reads and more accuarte with his throws and we will need to distribute the football better and integrate Foster and Johnson into the offence more. We've had some receivers open deep behind opposition defenses a number of time in our first two games but just missed on some potential big plays. Hitting one of those big plays would hurt the Riders strategy. Barrin Miles will be trying to take away the strenths of our offence and that will cost them if we can take advantage. It will be interesting to see if we start Gore or how much play time Iannuzzi/Jackson will get.

Bell will start at wideside corner for the inured Parker and you can bet he will get tested. He won't be intimidated though with having the experience of starting in the NFL. Bell was our best cover guy at training camp so it will be interesting to see how he performs in his fist starting CFL action.

Its an early starting time for our Leos on the road in the unfriendly confines of Regina....excited about watching what should be a very good football game.

[SammyGreene]

Great breakdown Blitz. Looking forward to this one as well.
Totally agree about getting Johnson and Foster more involved. Lulay has yet to throw for over 300 yards which isn't a huge concern after 2 weeks (with a 2-0 record) but there is just too much talent on this offensive unit to keep putting up ordinary numbers. I understood getting the ball to Geroy in the season opener but even last week Lulay seemed to be forcing some throws his way. Johnson had a terrific camp and is probably our best YAC receiver with his speed so when need to get the ball in his hands more with real estate in front of him.

The Lions defensive line rotation will be a key today in the hot weather and the o-line is also in for a big test against a Riders front 7 that has looked good so far.

[TheLionKing]

Barron Miles facing and Stu Forde facing their old teams. Should be interesting

[cromartie]

Bad feeling about this one. No one wins them all. Though, as always, I'm glad to be wrong.

[notahomer]

I think both of these teams need improvement on the offensive side of the ball. I know the Lions have had success and so have the Riders. However, I think defence has been a bigger part of these wins. For us, the defensive side of special teams could hurt or hopefully we'll have another banner day returning kicks. Most weeks I think Tim Brown deserved special teams POW but Taylor beat him, no question.

If Durant has his best game of the year, the Riders may win this one. I don't see that happening and think the Lions win another high scoring game. Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing these teams play here in the new palace......

[WestCoastJoe]

Bad feeling about this one. No one wins them all. Though, as always, I'm glad to be wrong.

Yes, I am concerned too.

However, I do recall, as a coach, that sometimes when you are concerned, is your team ready?, the opponent seems formidable, that your team comes out firing on all cylinders, and ya blow 'em out. Seems like ya never know for sure.

[Belize City Lion]

The Lions have only lost once is a very long time... sooner or later they are bound to lose another game. I just today is not that day GO LEOS!!

[TheLionKing]

Bad feeling about this one. No one wins them all. Though, as always, I'm glad to be wrong.

You too ??

[Odie]

Anybody find somewhere to stream the game over the internet? We dont have TV at the moment and, although the radio does the trick, id rather watch!

[TheLionKing]

Sounds pretty loud at Mosaic. Wondering if they're pumping in noise ?

[TheLionKing]

3-0 BC Good start

[cromartie]

If Mitchell was held any more on that second down pass, the offensive lineman would have been flagged for not wearing a condom.