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That was at least entertaining. As Huge Talent said in the game-day thread, you know it's a bad season when your best game is a loss.

The Lions outgained the Ticats 457 yards to 355 and had a whopping 16-minute advantage in time of possession but still surrendered 16 straight points in the fourth quarter to lose 35-34. Two costly Mike Reilly interceptions on tipped balls, a bad snap by Phillip Norman that took the Lions out of field goal range and injured Reilly and a defence that couldn't pressure the QB or cover Hamilton's receivers helped seal another B.C. defeat.

Terrible special teams coverage was also a key factor, giving Hamilton one TD and setting up another. A well-executed onside punt set up another Hamilton field goal.

This team can't help itself.

Some notable performances in the loss:

PASSING
REILLY, Mike 21/28 75.0% 306 2 2 47

RUSHING
WHITE, John 15 124 8.3 25 2

RECEIVING
BURNHAM, Bryan 7 8 149 18 21.3 47 2
DURANT, Lemar 6 9 89 36 14.8 28 0

Mazzoli wasn't playing. Nuff said. BB

Let the firings begin.

I think Lions must realize at least privately this team isn't going to make the playoffs. It was an enjoyable until last 5 minutes or so then Lions began to unravel and ended with them losing. They had 2 weeks to prepare and look rested and well prepared and then it all fell apart. I cannot see them recovering from this. If David Braley was watching he needs to act now before what is left of this franchise fades away into nothing. The team is a joke. I personally feel they need to clean house at the end of the season. I caught the last 5 minutes of the radio post game and Brooke Ward suggested maybe Claybrooks is in over his head. I think that is true and feel he probably will be gone after the season. Hervey too. I think just firing a few assistant coaches will not go over in this market. The question is David Braley really even aware what is going on. Did he even watch the game in the stadium or at home?

They needed to make more changes during the bye, but choose not to make any coach a scapegoat and believe in talent on this team. Well it is not working and they continue to lose. What do they do next? My feeling is probably not much.

Firing is all well and good if there is a plan to it. Simply removing players or coaches at this point is not going to do anything so long as that is the case. Each move should be an upward move. Cut poor players if you have better ones to put in. Start looking at NFL cuts in earnest to help in the positions we are weak not just for now but for next year. Trade players if that will lay a better foundation for next season. Start training up some of your backups. Give some of the younger players some game time. Keep Reilly healthy for the remainder of the season even if it means playing him sparingly. There is no point in arguing about how the fans will lose interest. The fans have already lost interest and the gate is appalling. Every step forward from this point should be about next season, this one is done.

Good points made about not knee jerking. If you can't improve something, then not much you can do. Holding pattern for now. There needs to be one or two horrible teams in every league, just as there are inevitably dominant teams. I guess it's our turn to be that really bad team.

Nothing rhymes with Incompetence.

I thought at the time that Hervey was a great hire, and gave Claybrooks the benefit of the doubt based on Hervey's past record of hiring coaches, but it is definitely looking like he blew this one. Claybrooks looks to be in over his head, Claybrooks' choices for assistant coaches are looking poor, and the team is a mess. I feel sorry for Reilly, Burnham and a few others who put it all on the line this game.

I don't agree with the holding pattern. I cannot remember the name of that OL on the Lions radio show, but on the postgame he mentioned Lions need to get a pass rusher. Their guys are not getting it done and it cost them the game. Odell Willis is past his prime and this needs to be his last year in BC. He only had a year or 2 left when Edmonton traded him. It was one.

Hervey needs to realize this season is done and start doing things to improve the team for next year. Start improving the defence and special teams for they are killing us. This was a game we should have won. We played a great game on offence till the last 5 minutes or so.

Can your heart handle another 10 games for that is how long it will be till this is all over and right now that seems to be an eternity.

And yes, they probably can hold off firings till the off season and likely they will come.

Ballistic Bob wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 10, 2019 7:55 pm

Mazzoli wasn't playing. Nuff said. BB

We keep making backup QBs look good. Calgary, Saskatchewan, Hamilton, Toronto and Winnipeg. All losses to the backup QB.

As I said prior to the game, this is one poorly coached football club (although Jackson, for the most part, called a very good game). Completely disorganized. Talent level far exceeds their 1-7 record. Whatever "system" Stubler is stubbornly clinging to for our D-line is not working and has not worked and needs to be abandoned immediately.

No point in doing much now but I maintain Mike Benevides would be an immediate upgrade as special teams coach (I believe he is vacationing in Europe right now so it's moot).

At this point, I just don't see how DeVone can make it to next year.


DH

I agree I think Devone will be fired at the end of the year. You cannot bring back a coach that may end up with the worst record since 1992. Hervey may fire Devone to save his own ass and convince owner that he made a mistake and needs to correct it. Giving a guy time to develop into a good coach just does not happen in the pros. You lose you get fired. Just reality especially when some were predicting Lions may win the West.

Earlier this evening, when the Lions were leading, I said that I was worried the Lions might blow the lead - which they had been doing all season. And sorry to say, I was right.

Hard to believe but I'd rather watch last year's team than this year's team, even with Jennings and Lulay. At least we had a 50% chance of winning games. With this team, we have no chance of winning.

I feel bad for the guys who played well like Burnham, White, Reilly and the O-line in general (though they did give up sacks tonight).

If the morale of fans are near zero, what must it be like for the players? It must be disheartening for the offence when it feels like the D and the ST's did not carry their load. The ST coverage is like wet butter - players just run right through them. The tackling and pursuit looked non-existent and I see guys pulling up instead of chasing down the Ticats to the bitter end. We need better players - where's Roy Shivers when you need him? He was great at finding talent.

We had a decent team last year - just needed a proper CFL quarterback and Offensive Coordinator. Instead, Hervey blew the team up, kept the OC and our ex-Lions are helping other CFL teams as starters.

I love the Lions and will keep watching them even though they'll probably lose the remaining games of the season.

Now Reilly knows why he's getting paid so much - to endure the torture.

(Hope Hervey and HC are paid based on the # of wins! Not.)

I have a theory in sports. Bad teams don't get any breaks from the refs.




DH