Lions @ Stampeders -- Post Game Stats and Comments

[David]

The biggest head-scratcher for me is defensive tackle. While Minter showed flashes at training camp (Brooks was injured while I was there), the two players who seemed best able to stop the run in preseason were McFarland and Monroe. Monroe was released and picked up by Saskatchewan, where he has five tackles and three sacks in three games as a starter this month, while McFarland languished on the practice roster for half a season before being activated last week. He responded with two tackles and a knockdown while shutting down Jon Cornish. I hope the Lions find a way to keep him.

I think it comes down to strategy. Buono and Tedford had it in their heads in the off-season that they were going faster and lighter in the interior of the D-line and have had blinders on. While this strategy worked quite well with Brooks, the same could not be said for Roh, who was getting pushed around by 315lb centres and guards (this is not to say that Craig Roh is not a good football player. He had 4 sacks despite playing out of position. He needs to be lining up at DE in place of Smith or Bazzie).

Further proof of this strategy occurred when I called TSN1040 and actually spoke to Wally, imploring him to add more size/stoutness to the 1 and 3 technique (after we were gashed by the Alouettes at home). He said, ".....but 300 pounders can't get after the quarterback." Maybe so, but they can be disruptive and get a good push in the middle, while a DE comes in for the sack.



DH

[WestCoastJoe]

The biggest head-scratcher for me is defensive tackle. While Minter showed flashes at training camp (Brooks was injured while I was there), the two players who seemed best able to stop the run in preseason were McFarland and Monroe. Monroe was released and picked up by Saskatchewan, where he has five tackles and three sacks in three games as a starter this month, while McFarland languished on the practice roster for half a season before being activated last week. He responded with two tackles and a knockdown while shutting down Jon Cornish. I hope the Lions find a way to keep him.

I think it comes down to strategy. Buono and Tedford had it in their heads in the off-season that they were going faster and lighter in the interior of the D-line and have had blinders on. While this strategy worked quite well with Brooks, the same could not be said for Roh, who was getting pushed around by 315lb centres and guards (this is not to say that Craig Roh is not a good football player. He had 4 sacks despite playing out of position. He needs to be lining up at DE in place of Smith or Bazzie).

Further proof of this strategy occurred when I called TSN1040 and actually spoke to Wally, imploring him to add more size/stoutness to the 1 and 3 technique (after we were gashed by the Alouettes at home). He said, ".....but 300 pounders can't get after the quarterback." Maybe so, but they can be disruptive and get a good push in the middle, while a DE comes in for the sack.



DH

Wally's fingerprints are everywhere in this organization.

Pass rush inadequate? Why he will show a reporter tape how they are doing exactly as demanded.

Too small inside? But that is what Wally wants. Speed to get after the quarterback. Necessary because the four DL go it alone. He does not like to gamble with the blitz. He does not like fancy stuff like stunts or overloads or fakes.

Of course the GM can have influence everywhere on a team. Hufnagel and Austin have that. So has Wally always had that. A problem arises when that person has misguided notions such as small fast guys inside. He had mentioned that our first draft pick Ese could play inside.

He no doubt thought highly of John Beck.

Wally's judgment seems very questionable. Moreso than ever this year. As I noted earlier, his unsound preference seems to hold sway until the entire world says he must let the unsound idea go. Finally the better player, or the better system, ot the better alignment, rises to the top.

He was right that the lighter, faster Roh could get after the QB. But his misguided, unsound idea had us being steam rollered by running attacks. That plus the misguided deep, deep zone alignment.

[David]

Pass rush inadequate? Why he will show a reporter tape how they are doing exactly as demanded.

Not just reporters. He even did film study 2 weeks ago at a Waterboy's breakfast (nothing like a 7:00am x's and o's session to rouse them from their slumber!!) while his daughter filmed it and posted it to Periscope.

It was Quinn Tedford approved.

SMH.



DH

[WestCoastJoe]

Pass rush inadequate? Why he will show a reporter tape how they are doing exactly as demanded.

Not just reporters. He even did film study 2 weeks ago at a Waterboy's breakfast (nothing like a 7:00am x's and o's session to rouse them from their slumber!!) while his daughter filmed it and posted it to Periscope.

It was Quinn Tedford approved.

SMH.



DH

A couple of years ago, I saw King Lear at Bard on the Beach. Wally's decisions have me wondering and questioning his judgment.

Even taking it upon himself to show tape. To Matt Sekeres. Now to the Waterboys. ??? Trying to convince the world that his view is correct, and everybody else is wrong.

Even having his daughter film it. ???

As noted of course a GM can be heavily involved with decisions more closely associated with the HC. That is certainly the situation with dual GM/HC positions. Wally always had that. It seems he still wants to operate that way.

And, as noted, that would be fine. Except ... He seems stuck with old, outdated notions. He even seems to have some new, unsound notions, such as fast, light guys at DT. And his judgment of talent seems at question. Ese. Beck.

Par for the course? Normal? It does not seem normal to this fan. It seems like the ship is listing badly.

And, as noted, numerous times, Wally is a survivor. Eventually he seems to get it right, after sweeping away some misguided notions or judgments.

[cromartie]

STs have benefited greatly from Tedford's involvement, but still WAY TOO MANY penalties and inconsistency...many times those units are simply not prepared to go on the field. IMO Chuck McMann is perhaps the worst coach at his position in the CFL. Now, if Tedford can get involved in S Ts and generate a positive result, why he won't take a more active interaction with both the offence and defence is beyond me.

Because Rome wasn't rebuilt in a day.

But we see that good things happen when Tedford puts his hands on (by which I mean 'completely take over) one particular facet of the team.

It gives me hope that if he actually gets to bring his own guys in next year, things can improve considerably.

[MexicoLionFan]

What shocks me about this 2015 season, as well as in the past on too many occasions, is how long it takes our Leos to figure out something that most Lionbackers see well before.

The biggest head-scratcher for me is defensive tackle. While Minter showed flashes at training camp (Brooks was injured while I was there), the two players who seemed best able to stop the run in preseason were McFarland and Monroe. Monroe was released and picked up by Saskatchewan, where he has five tackles and three sacks in three games as a starter this month, while McFarland languished on the practice roster for half a season before being activated last week. He responded with two tackles and a knockdown while shutting down Jon Cornish. I hope the Lions find a way to keep him.

I was going to start a thread when I saw Monroe's success in SSK, and then thought against it...just pilling on now...

[MexicoLionFan]

What shocks me about this 2015 season, as well as in the past on too many occasions, is how long it takes our Leos to figure out something that most Lionbackers see well before.

There were numerous posts that we should have been giving Jennings a series or two, when Lulay was struggling and even more posts questioning why we were going with a 34 year old backup when Jennings was the future or at least deserved the chance to show he could be the future.

Now our Leos are asking Roh to lose weight so he can play defensive end, his natural position, when for most of the season he was played out of position at tackle. The last couple of games or so Roh, who is our leading sacker has not dressed. All season long, Lionbackers has said we need to get bigger at tackle and both Minter and McFarland have been impressive.

Heck, by season end, after Westerman has not had a single sack, we may even decide he is better at his natural defensive tackle position. (and it was Wally who pushed for Roh to start at tackle and for Westerman to move outside)

At least fans are excited to see Jennings get a chance. Fans will support a losing Leos team that is rebuilding if they see exciting schemes and players being given opportunities.

The list goes on and on...why have we been playing without a free safety for almost a decade until Fraser was inserted into the lineup 2 weeks ago? Last year I started speaking up about Bazzie just past the half way point as an End who was benefitting from "single man protection", often teams would only put a back on him. It was VERY CLEAR as the season went on the Bazzie as not only wearing down, but being eliminated way too easily once the opposition got serious about blocking him. I believe I called for the Lions to cut him over the winter, and now he's splitting time with a 40 year old and not getting any production.

[WestCoastJoe]

What shocks me about this 2015 season, as well as in the past on too many occasions, is how long it takes our Leos to figure out something that most Lionbackers see well before.

There were numerous posts that we should have been giving Jennings a series or two, when Lulay was struggling and even more posts questioning why we were going with a 34 year old backup when Jennings was the future or at least deserved the chance to show he could be the future.

Now our Leos are asking Roh to lose weight so he can play defensive end, his natural position, when for most of the season he was played out of position at tackle. The last couple of games or so Roh, who is our leading sacker has not dressed. All season long, Lionbackers has said we need to get bigger at tackle and both Minter and McFarland have been impressive.

Heck, by season end, after Westerman has not had a single sack, we may even decide he is better at his natural defensive tackle position. (and it was Wally who pushed for Roh to start at tackle and for Westerman to move outside)

At least fans are excited to see Jennings get a chance. Fans will support a losing Leos team that is rebuilding if they see exciting schemes and players being given opportunities.

The list goes on and on...why have we been playing without a free safety for almost a decade until Fraser was inserted into the lineup 2 weeks ago? Last year I started speaking up about Bazzie just past the half way point as an End who was benefitting from "single man protection", often teams would only put a back on him. It was VERY CLEAR as the season went on the Bazzie as not only wearing down, but being eliminated way too easily once the opposition got serious about blocking him. I believe I called for the Lions to cut him over the winter, and now he's splitting time with a 40 year old and not getting any production.

Yes, MLF and Blitz. But the key is that Bazzie is small, fast and light. Wally has shown a preference for D Line to be that way. Sounder judgment finally prevailed on him, and we went to the 300 pounders inside that he said could not get after the QB.

King Lear? Don Quixote? Dunno, but Wally's judgment just seems unsound in so many ways these days.

Too tough? Just stand by as the shipwreck happens?

Can we actually right the ship once again and save the season? Anything is possible. Jennings could/might transform our offence. Tedford could exercize his influence more on our defence. Is it likely that we will suddenly look like a contender? Not likely. Marginal improvement? Of course.

Wally expressed great dissatisfaction with our record at 4 and 5. Well, now it is 4 and 7. We are on our third starting QB. We still play with 6 or 5 guys in the box on defence. We still do not attack the LOS.

Can we be optimistic? One can always have some hope. Realistically? Batten the hatches. Keep the expectations moderate.

[MexicoLionFan]

What shocks me about this 2015 season, as well as in the past on too many occasions, is how long it takes our Leos to figure out something that most Lionbackers see well before.

There were numerous posts that we should have been giving Jennings a series or two, when Lulay was struggling and even more posts questioning why we were going with a 34 year old backup when Jennings was the future or at least deserved the chance to show he could be the future.

Now our Leos are asking Roh to lose weight so he can play defensive end, his natural position, when for most of the season he was played out of position at tackle. The last couple of games or so Roh, who is our leading sacker has not dressed. All season long, Lionbackers has said we need to get bigger at tackle and both Minter and McFarland have been impressive.

Heck, by season end, after Westerman has not had a single sack, we may even decide he is better at his natural defensive tackle position. (and it was Wally who pushed for Roh to start at tackle and for Westerman to move outside)

At least fans are excited to see Jennings get a chance. Fans will support a losing Leos team that is rebuilding if they see exciting schemes and players being given opportunities.

The list goes on and on...why have we been playing without a free safety for almost a decade until Fraser was inserted into the lineup 2 weeks ago? Last year I started speaking up about Bazzie just past the half way point as an End who was benefitting from "single man protection", often teams would only put a back on him. It was VERY CLEAR as the season went on the Bazzie as not only wearing down, but being eliminated way too easily once the opposition got serious about blocking him. I believe I called for the Lions to cut him over the winter, and now he's splitting time with a 40 year old and not getting any production.

Yes, MLF and Blitz. But the key is that Bazzie is small, fast and light. Wally has shown a preference for D Line to be that way. Sounder judgment finally prevailed on him, and we went to the 300 pounders inside that he said could not get after the QB.

King Lear? Don Quixote? Dunno, but Wally's judgment just seems unsound in so many ways these days.

Too tough? Just stand by as the shipwreck happens?

Can we actually right the ship once again and save the season? Anything is possible. Jennings could/might transform our offence. Tedford could exercize his influence more on our defence. Is it likely that we will suddenly look like a contender? Not likely. Marginal improvement? Of course.

Wally expressed great dissatisfaction with our record at 4 and 5. Well, now it is 4 and 7. We are on our third starting QB. We still play with 6 or 5 guys in the box on defence. We still do not attack the LOS.

Can we be optimistic? One can always have some hope. Realistically? Batten the hatches. Keep the expectations moderate.

King Lear.

As I said before Joe, this thing can still get A LOT WORSE unless the burgeoning changes that we are starting to see are allowed to grow and expand. Westerman needs to rotate back inside, Roh should start at one DE position. Lokombo should be starting now. Phillips should be replaced at DHB. Jennings should start. Manny should be cut and the younger receivers should be given a shot.

But it still comes down to the coaches beginning to run systems that are effective against the likes of Hufnagel and Austin. At EDM this week, Chris Jones will definitely remember his personal blunders in the Eskimos loss to us in VAN.

[DanoT]

Blitz wrote:

"What shocks me about this 2015 season, as well as in the past on too many occasions, is how long it takes our Leos to figure out something that most Lionbackers see well before."


The thing under the Tedford regime is it is not just the slowness to recognize when a change is needed and act but how strange and mistaken some of his decisions seem to be.

The seeming lack of an impact on Cortez's play calling and the notion to keep Lulay and Beck in the pocket when they needed to be rolled out are baffling.

Until I see a HC impact on Cortez and the rest of the coaches I'm saying TEDFORD IS A DUD.

[Blitz]

What did Wally see in Printers, Wynn, Pierce, Jackson, Lulay and Reilly that they didn't see in Jennings? Why wasn't a journeyman ever brought in as insurance for Dickenson who was frequenty hurt? And it's not like Beck has Kevin Glenn's resumé in this league. It completely contradicted what the organization had done for years despite having a very fragile No. 1 and the dire need to develop a future starter.

Printers was a 3rd stringer in his first year, only completeing 2 passes all year long. Jackson was on the practice roster for over a year before getting any game action. Pierce didn't start a game until week 16 after injuries to Dickenson and Printers. Lulay didn't start a game until his second year. Reilly spent most of a year on the practice roster and another as the 3rd stringer before getting a chance to start a game when Lulay got hurt.

By these comparables, Jennings is being fast tracked.

In 2004, Casey Printers stepped in for an injured Dave Dickenson for the first 3 games of that season and then started the rest of the way until the Grey Cup game. He are right maxlion….Printers was the 3rd string quarterback in 2003 and only had 2 reps before he started in 2004.

Buck Pierce was the 3rd string quarterback behind Dickenson and Printers in 2005. Jarious Jackson was the third string quarterback in 2007 and only played after Dickenson and Pierce got hurt. Jackson had never started a game until 2007 and we won 9 of our last 11 remaining games in that season. Lulay got his first start for us started for us in 2009, only due to injury.

You are right about all your points maxlion

But all of them, Printers, Pierce, Jackson, Lulay never had to sit and wait behind a 34 year old untried and unproven quarterback.

None of them had to wait their turn because a Kevin Glenn was traded for. We developed our own quarterbacks in those days. We developed some good ones.

Its not whether Jennings is being fast tracked or not. He’s young and has potential. Printers, Pierce, Jackson, and Lulay were young when they got their first CFL starts. Their development was not held back by a an older or a veteran quarterback who was not going to be our future.

[dupsdell1]

What did Wally see in Printers, Wynn, Pierce, Jackson, Lulay and Reilly that they didn't see in Jennings? Why wasn't a journeyman ever brought in as insurance for Dickenson who was frequenty hurt? And it's not like Beck has Kevin Glenn's resumé in this league. It completely contradicted what the organization had done for years despite having a very fragile No. 1 and the dire need to develop a future starter.

Printers was a 3rd stringer in his first year, only completeing 2 passes all year long. Jackson was on the practice roster for over a year before getting any game action. Pierce didn't start a game until week 16 after injuries to Dickenson and Printers. Lulay didn't start a game until his second year. Reilly spent most of a year on the practice roster and another as the 3rd stringer before getting a chance to start a game when Lulay got hurt.

By these comparables, Jennings is being fast tracked.

In 2004, Casey Printers stepped in for an injured Dave Dickenson for the first 3 games of that season and then started the rest of the way until the Grey Cup game. He are right maxlion….Printers was the 3rd string quarterback in 2003 and only had 2 reps before he started in 2004.

Buck Pierce was the 3rd string quarterback behind Dickenson and Printers in 2005. Jarious Jackson was the third string quarterback in 2007 and only played after Dickenson and Pierce got hurt. Jackson had never started a game until 2007 and we won 9 of our last 11 remaining games in that season. Lulay got his first start for us started for us in 2009, only due to injury.

You are right about all your points maxlion

But all of them, Printers, Pierce, Jackson, Lulay never had to sit and wait behind a 34 year old untried and unproven quarterback.

None of them had to wait their turn because a Kevin Glenn was traded for. We developed our own quarterbacks in those days. We developed some good ones.

Its not whether Jennings is being fast tracked or not. He’s young and has potential. Printers, Pierce, Jackson, and Lulay were young when they got their first CFL starts. Their development was not held back by a an older or a veteran quarterback who was not going to be our future.

That is right if Jennings starts the rest of the way we only win a few games then we have no future but if he wins most of the games for us gets us into the playoffs and does some damage drop all other qbs except Jennings and Lulay ( which should consider to take a back up position )

[TheLionKing]

Further proof of this strategy occurred when I called TSN1040 and actually spoke to Wally, imploring him to add more size/stoutness to the 1 and 3 technique (after we were gashed by the Alouettes at home). He said, ".....but 300 pounders can't get after the quarterback." Maybe so, but they can be disruptive and get a good push in the middle, while a DE comes in for the sack.



DH

Is this the same Wally that said that sacks are over rated ?

[TheLionKing]

Wonder if Wally is grooming his daughter Christy to be the new GM ? That way he can still have his finger on the Lions while enjoying his retirement.

[DanoT]

Wonder if Wally is grooming his daughter Christy to be the new GM ? That way he can still have his finger on the Lions while enjoying his retirement.

The way I feel about the GM, HC. OC, DC, performance this season, Christy might be an upgrade.