Bombers-Lions: The Showdown

[Walt67]

We've been hearing more and more hype about this game as the Lions had a crack a finishing first - and now it is almost upon us.
So, biting my lip I went to youtube and watched the horrific third quarter of the 2022 Western Final when Brady Oliveira and the Bombers ran through and over us like a bulldozer through paper.
Once again Brady leads the CFL in rushing with over 1,300 yards - so please somebody tell us how RP's defence can stop the run on Friday? Otherwise, you don't need to be a soothsayer to see the Lions finishing second again, winning the semi, and then being crushed on the Manitoba tundra.

[almo89]

VA needs to be on point and score majors early. This will force Winnipeg to throw more and I think we have a better chance if we force Collaros to throw rather than face Oliviera running through us. Collaros has been so so the past few weeks.

[Walt67]

VA needs to be on point and score majors early. This will force Winnipeg to throw more and I think we have a better chance if we force Collaros to throw rather than face Oliviera running through us. Collaros has been so so the past few weeks.

Let us hope we get those majors. The last two games it was field goals, field goals, field goals with the majors coming in the second half.

[SammyGreene]

Here’s a great refresher on what the Bombers did to be so successful against the B.C. defence in the early August beatdown thanks to some terrific breakdown work by 3 Down Nation’s Ben Grant
https://3downnation.com/2023/08/08/bens ... e-rematch/

This is what makes football such a wonderful sport. The opportunity for teams to typically have a week to prepare for an opponent by breaking down film and match ups.

It’s going to be really interesting to see game plan Ryan Phillips puts together. Wasn’t a fan of the soft prevent to close out the Riders game but overall he has done a terrific job and I love the passion he coaches with. He has a bright future given he hasn’t done this for long. Kudos to Rick Campbell for believing in young coaches not long removed from the game and giving them coordinator positions. That was definitely not Wally.

Big numbers for Oliveria typically means the Bombers are in full control. Here is what he has done in their losses as other than the Riders game his carries have been limited with his team in catch up mode:
30-6 BC: 10 carries 52 yds
31-28 OT Ottawa: 9 carries 16 yds
32-30 Saskatchewan: 17 carries 88 yds
29-23 Hamilton: 9 carries 46 yds

Kenny Lawlor scares the crap out of me. Missed the first game and had over 200 yds in their win. It was the 2nd time in 3 games against BC he has had over 200 yds in receptions since 2021. His height makes him a match up nightmare with a good QB like Collaros.

But agreeing with Almo89 our offence has to come out firing on all cylinders and establishing momentum.
Easily our best game moving the ball against their first string defence the last couple of years was the win in July with VA at QB even though he didn’t have Hatcher or Rhymes that day.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have had good success stopping the run in recent weeks. They held Saskatchewan, the league's worst rushing team, to 38 yards this week and they held Edmonton, the league's best rushing team, to 90 yards last week, including 30 yards by Tre Ford in the last minute when the Elks trailed by 9. Overall, the B.C, defence ranks third in stopping the run and preventing rushes of 10+ yards. The formula is simple: Stack the box on first down, sometimes with an extra linebacker, and force the opponent into second and long. The B.C. defence ranks first in stopping teams from converting on second down.

None of this will come as a surprise to Buck Pierce and Zach Collaros. The Bombers torched the Lions through the air in their last meeting, especially over top. Collaros is a great quarterback who can shred a defence if he has time. The only way to knock him off his game is to pressure him constantly. Stack the box, blitz regularly, don't give Winnipeg receivers time to get open, and trust your DBs to make plays.

[B.C.FAN]

It looks like the Lions will get Jalon Edwards-Cooper back this week. He was a full participant at practice Monday after being a late scratch due to illness against Saskatchewan. I thought Adrian Greene did a great job filling in at cornerback, especially after not practising at the position. Ryan Phillips had to give him instructions on the sideline before every series. Greene had 8 tackles, mostly on short passes to the flat against zone coverage, and a deep pass breakup. He also had a special teams tackle, giving him 10 on the season, one behind team leader Ryder Varga.

In the secondary, the Lions made a late adjustment to flip Greene and Garry Peters against Saskatchewan to always keep Greene on the wide side of the field. They hadn't done that all season. Edwards-Cooper had always played right cornerback and Peters on the left side, minimizing the necessity to shuffle from side to side between plays. The Lions will need their secondary at full strength to defend against the Bomber passing attack, especially if Phillips stacks the box and blitzes regularly, leaving the secondary in man coverage.

[cromartie]

Otherwise, you don't need to be a soothsayer to see the Lions finishing second again, winning the semi, and then being crushed on the Manitoba tundra.

The way you counter against this is by playing keep away with the ball when you have it on offense, something this offense is not designed to do (though it has the personnel to do so). As I don't expect us to figure this out offensively, you can pick your poison and resign yourself to this exact scenario now to save yourself the disappointment later.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have listed Jevon Cottoy as questionable for Friday due to a knee injury that limited his participation in practice Wednesday. DL/ST Josh Archibald is doubtful. RG Sukh Chungh, CB Jalon Edwards-Cooper, FB David Mackie and backup QB Dane Evans should all be good to return from injury after being full participants in practice all week.

Winnipeg starting CB Demerio Houston is listed as questonable with a knee injury.

BOMBERS, LIONS INJURY REPORTS

[Toppy Vann]

Dave Naylor on Vernon Adam's CFL career from BC Neg List as the start of his Sophomore season all the way thru to a BC return.

Adams and the words MOP are being named as in the mix for this award.

Definitely other than the one game with INTs Adams is playing more confidently and less chaotically and emotionally.

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/dropping-b ... ns~2779063

Jim Barker the great proponent of physicality on the Bombers vs. BC with the edge to the Bombers in that department.

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/dropping-b ... ns~2779063

[Hambone]

Just checking out Ticketmaster. They have opened up the first 11 rows from the 438 aisle to the 444 aisle.

[B.C.FAN]

Just checking out Ticketmaster. They have opened up the first 11 rows from the 438 aisle to the 444 aisle.

Yes, the Lions announced Wednesday that just under 1,000 lower bowl tickets were available, but I take such announcements with a grain of salt. The TSN broadcast crew said the lower bowl was nearly sold out for the Rider game last week but the official attendance was 22,375.

UPPER BOWL IS OPEN FOR FRIDAY GRAVY BOWL!

[Hambone]

Just checking out Ticketmaster. They have opened up the first 11 rows from the 438 aisle to the 444 aisle.

Yes, the Lions announced Wednesday that just under 1,000 lower bowl tickets were available, but I take such announcements with a grain of salt. The TSN broadcast crew said the lower bowl was nearly sold out for the Rider game last week but the official attendance was 22,375.

UPPER BOWL IS OPEN FOR FRIDAY GRAVY BOWL!

I'm not quite as skeptical. I looked at TM around this time last week to check out what was still available for both the Rider and Bomber games. I guessed there were at least 2000 more still available for Wpg. A week later there are far fewer left for this Friday than there were for the Riders game at this time last week.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have released their depth chart for Friday’s game. They’ll be back to full strength on both sides of the ball this week but they’ve made a few interesting position changes on defence.

On offence, Sukh Chungh is back at right guard and David Mackie at fullback. Jevon Cottoy starts at his usual slotback position after being listed as questionable Thursday with a knee injury. Backup quarterback Dane Evans also returns from a back injury.

On defence, Jalon Edwards-Cooper returns at cornerback. Adrian Greene, who filled in for him
last week, starts at safety and Quincy Mauger at cover linebacker, backed up by Manny Rugamba. Tibo Debaillie is listed ahead of Woody Baron at DT. Josh Woods again starts ahead of Bo Lokombo at weakside linebacker.

[Toppy Vann]

Driving around late yesterday afternoon and again in the early evening heading to the gym, I was surprised that even 94.5, 95.3 and 96.9 had the often mindless chatter actually suggest this is a game to go to with the upper bowl opening up.

Rick Campbell's positioning this as a chance to win first place and get the bye into the WDF is the right tone to set.
Argos didn't need to put it all on the line in their tilt with the Bombers so reading too much into that games isn't possible if one were to think of a future GC matchup of last year's combatants.

This year is interesting in that BC has a legit path to the GC if they can keep up their hot play despite the run game's limitations.

Also, the East is not a gimme for the Argos either.

[Walt67]

Driving around late yesterday afternoon and again in the early evening heading to the gym, I was surprised that even 94.5, 95.3 and 96.9 had the often mindless chatter actually suggest this is a game to go to with the upper bowl opening up.

Rick Campbell's positioning this as a chance to win first place and get the bye into the WDF is the right tone to set.
Argos didn't need to put it all on the line in their tilt with the Bombers so reading too much into that games isn't possible if one were to think of a future GC matchup of last year's combatants.

This year is interesting in that BC has a legit path to the GC if they can keep up their hot play despite the run game's limitations.

Also, the East is not a gimme for the Argos either.

You mention the East and it is worth mentioning that for a change it was good to see some strong teams and performances in the East instead of the traditional turtle derby with a predictable West to East crossover. It is interesting to see Hamilton make a hard charge in the second half of the campaign after wading through endless QB woes. It will also be worth watching to see how the Argos play in the Eastern final after weeks and weeks of mean-nothing games.