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I’ve been critical of Zach and O but that was a great job of managing the clock to get us 3 points. Masterful job.

First things first....Glad we won and is always what I want/hope for. But that was not a game to give anyone warm fuzzy feelings and hopes of optimism, but here are some of my takes from it Smith....Let the kid be on the field all the time. He has shown he can be a difference and play maker at SAM and WILL....so let him grow and evolve as he is on fast track to becoming one of the best Canadian Defensive players in the league...period! We also don't need all of Ayers, Woodbey, Wilson and Jones it's redundant and doesn't really serve a purpose. Jones sure he gets tackles but was exposed over and over in space...losing his angle on tackles and generally doesn't know where to drop back into coverage to disrupt anything. Wilson is not an all-star type anymore, but he serves a purpose and has fewer holes, still will make impact plays and can play multiple LB spots...Jones can't....use that import spot elsewhere Woodbey is young...athletic...can play several LB spots, as well as a modified Jack...as can Ayers and while Griffen is out a starting unit of Woodbey/Ayers/Smith with Wilson as the swing guy gives us a much better crew...younger...faster..athletic...all versatile and all with upside, and experience already...Griffin back then you go Smith...Ayers/Woodbey....Griffin Kelly...Hallett...Ball should never...ever be on the field with those 2 safety looks...ever! I guess with Ball looking to be done for the yr we can avoid that now, but that is just ridiculous, not needed for ratio and just makes us a poor defense. Isit the osh wanting to push the Canadiana?...Just ineptness in coaching...Both?...but it's pointless. And while Kramdi wasn't ideal at safety while he is out the Kelly experiment there needs to end....He has shown over 2 seasons now he isn't an answer at that 2 safety look....or at starting safety. We have Stuart who was lights out on teams...actually has HB potential....and size...so there's the guy we should slot in at Safety right now and let him grow there...Likely he becomes a staple there. We also have the Global Oyelola...get him on the roster...see what he can do...as opposed to rotting on the PR. Relatively young...several yrs in NFL honing his game...he must have some skill to stick for almost 3 yrs...Time for his shot instead of recycling the same end of roster guys in different roles. If it wasn't proven last night our offense and it's identity flows through BO then all the coaches should be cut loose...Used like Harris circa 2019/2021 and well we saw what can happen...and that's also one of the ways to compensate for a suspect O-line. And start installing progression plays off of it. I also would like to see us implement some packages and extended plays with Perkins...Especilly with some tempo and pre snap motions...we kinda just wastinghis skillset soley as a guy taking the plunge...Would also better set us up in 2027 for TC and having a true battle for #1 with him..Dru and TE... WR group tho...yikes...worst in league...poorly utilize what we do have and no home run hitter let alone true #1...and that's gotta change fast. If it means bringing in Lewis...or just starting Singer or Womack....or actually go out and find a physical playmaker then do it. Our group is small...weak...and very one dimensional. If you look at a lot of the incompletions...especially intermediate and long it's because we have no guys who will attack the ball...Demski can a bit and can make some those contested catches with guys all over him, but you shouldn't rely on a receiver built like him for that. Wilson is especially bad and has zero fight at all for the ball...he be ideal #3 as he is shifty and greasy and when gets ball in his hands in space is good at yac and making a 3 yard catch into a 10+ yd one...but he is no #1 by any stretch...Not sure what's up with Nield...can he not get open/separate?...never in right spot but man with him and Cobb out there we basically have 3 guys that are garnering any attention. Give that spot to Big kev...he is our only physically dominant wr...has great hands...and can do something after the catch...we have seen it...and inside he would be a handful...Is he not getting the reps or that spot because Nield was supposed to be this bigtime FA score?...Wouldnt shock me with Osh...But man we are weak and wont go far in the season let alone playoffs with this crew as it is Oline not sure what to do there other than like I mentioned create an offense to compensate..lotsa runs...lots slide protections and movement moving the QB's launch point..there's ways to accommodate but treating them and playing them like the lines we had when we won the Cups is not gonna work. And if we gonna run 3 imports on the line...all3 should be top grade beef...all 3 are not and sacrificing a skilled position player on offence for defence for that is just effectively slitting your own throte Which leads me to my final opinion...based on what we saw in the game again...the leadup...the non urgency to change anything...we wont win or have any Cup aspirations until this team moves away from some coaches

did enough to win, i don’t think we would’ve beat any one else with this effort

Smith is not only one of our best linebackers he's one of our best Canadians. Absolutely criminal that he's not a full time starter. We draft all these linebackers and they want to go with a million Americans, we draft 0 receivers and think we can play 3 Canadians there. Make it make sense

I will bet you 10,000 the als get 0 points against the blue next week

Our receiving corps are a bunch of nice pieces, but as a unit are hugely lacking. Lacking those 1-2 guys that can bail out the QB. We basically need the ball to be perfect from the QB. We have no consistent vertical threat, we don't have anyone that can those physical routes. Hard dig into the field from the boundary. We ran one to Wilson last night that Zach put a decent throw out to, and the DB just got his hand in and knocked it away. We don't have anyone that can put their foot in the dirt and box out the DB. No one for those 50-50 balls. Demski, White, Wilson all great players when they get wide open. Nield I don't think we've really figured a role for, but doesn't seem like a guy who likes to play in traffic, or block consistently. We're missing a couple big pieces of a competent CFL receiving corps and we pay for it every week.

Putting Zach back in right away is insane lol

So halfway through the season the team is somehow 5-4. Basically 3 more wins to lock up a playoff spot. 5 more wins probably gives a home playoff game. Remaining games: Week 12 - @Elks Week 13 - vs Als Week 14 - Labour Day Classic Week 15 - Banjo Bowl Week 16 - BYE Week 17 - vs Argos Week 18 - @Als Week 19 - vs Stamps Week 20 - @Elks Week 21 - @Lions No more OTT, no more HAM. 2x Elks, 2x Als, 2x Riders. Could be tough for this team to scrape out 3 more wins. They're going to have to start figuring their **** out. Next four weeks could be brutal.

Catch and PI. nicely done Demski Perkins goes in standing up

Great night of returns for Vaval

If this isnt confirmation enough we need to get some wr help I dont know what is...like what 2 new guys and 3 rooks in that secondary..nobody can get open..just nothing after catch for most..zero physicality...like christ If we didnt have BO and this wasn't Ottawa.. we be getting trounced

Brady came to play. MOP of the team this season so far.

Nothing like ample evidence after barely more than one quarter that we used our bye week to correct absolutely nothing

I forgot to comment...shocked but happy perkins stayed on roster...figured osh would make the dumb decision...I will applaud him for that

Smith definitely knows how to tackle..nice change

What has Ayers done in his three years to justify keeping him on the roster? Excellent at teams but wrong passport and has never established himself on D. He has 17 tackles in 3 years and 6 in the past 2. Smith had more than that (7) last night. I agree that Smith is an emerging talent.

IMO we never replaced Lawler/Adams and Wolitarsky. I'd be fine with Wilson or White being our main slot receiver. Don't think you really need both. Demski and maybe another thicker slot, or you move the Wolitarsky replacement inside and have someone like Cobb/recent draft pick out at field WR.\ I feel like organizationally we got so used to having depth that we basically are viewing the draft as an exercise in adding depth pieces when we actually don't have enough Canadians that can actually play OL, receiver.

Any other club and we would've been waxed....A big positive this club has is Brady,,,,Sergio....Jefferson...Ceresna Demski AND Perkins...who I'm liking more and more every time out ...I honestly think he could start and hasn't had chance to show he's a helluva talent ...Great that we have that talent at qb....IF we could only say that about a few other positions (including coaching) we'd be in good shape

the way brady ran and we got him 11 carries lol.

What kind of soft ass call was that?

Refs getting involved, call against Nichols was horse ****

I'll be shocked if that's overturned

White has had a nice 2nd half

Another great return from Vaval, he wants the end zone

Yeah hate to see a guy get hurt..but no loss..now we can actualky put vaval out there

Brady's a 1 man show tonight

Adarius Bowman just fell to his knees in a Walmart

Pokey should head straight to the locker room.

Nice catch and run from White Nice hands Pokey

8 point lead at halftime, better than losing

Brady train a rolling

Went through this with BOLO a couple seasons ago.

Man, I hate sideline chit chat while the play is going on.

brady killing it. tc better bench him

This looks like a game between the 2 worst teams in the league

I'm not convinced he should be out there at all at this point if everyone is healthy.

These are two brutal, badly coached teams.

Why wouldn't you just run 20 until Ottawa proves they can stop him? Baffling.

This secondary is horrific

Sniper from the rafters got him cause the db's had no chance

Bad ankle and all Brady still chugging

The 3 weak wussies in pursuit...saved by the upright We have a db backfield full of lil pansies After being embarrassed at home the last game and coming off of by at home again we sure look like crap

They're tired and trying too hard.

2 and out. This chapter just repeats and repeats and repeats.

yep. and as the old saying goes, luck is the residue of hard work. Reese did a great job of keeping his motor going and chasing a pass down field.

A little luck is always welcomed

Sometimes I watch the panel wondering is today the day when Henoc's eyes pop out, does Milt catch them or does Sanchez knock them down Wears a gold jacket picks the Red Blacks

I feel like half of these panels when Henoc is on are just the other two guys staring at him because he's so terrible at this.

One of the biggest differences is the size, athleticism, and talent of opposing Ts and OL in general. Back in those days, even back not that long ago, OL were canadian ham n egger types. Now we have guys like Tyler Elsbury. He's faster than a handful of our skill position players, 6'6 and 333lbs. Our 2nd-best T (imo) is Hunter, who is 6'8 330 jumps a 30" vert, can put up 30 reps, and jumps almost 9 feet broad. The average DL is getting smaller in the CFL. We see far more 235- 249 lb DEs, and a lot more tweeners 275 and under who play DT and edge. Even if you are a bigger DE, say 265-270 and not playing inside, you are giving up an insane amount of weight to the T every single snap. Playing inside is even rougher, as you are likely to be hit by multiple OL. DL has gotten more athletic as well, but premium big athletes seldom go to DT over OT these days. OT is a vacuum at all levels, sucking up the best and biggest players teams can find. The gap, though, has gone from a size vs. athleticism battle on the edge to DL having to punch up in weight. The evolution of sports training has guys focused much more on explosive quickness and 10-yard splits rather than basic cardio-style run-jump stuff. And those fast-twitch muscles need more rest, and so does the whole athlete who is fighting an uphill battle. A tired DE, might be at 50%. But a rusher under 90% is likely to get his butt whupped unless he is elite. Another harsh reality of life in the CFL is that we don't get the polished players we used to. We seldom see pass rushers come up with more than a raw skill set and maybe 1 decent move anymore. The easiest way to succeed on the DL and create disruption is to cycle through guys quickly and keep them running as hard as they can, subbing them to keep them fresh. The longer your recovery system is in stay-fresh mode and not in heavy recovery mode, the better as well. If you are tired in the first quarter, you will not recover to 100%. You will peak lower, and each time you tire, the cycle will repeat. The OL also has the tremendous advantage of knowing what they will be doing before the snap and being able to dictate the play. Having to react and try to stop what you don't know demands a great deal of athleticism to overcome. As well as other factors, it is a great drain on athleticism. Speed is a butt saver as much as anything on D. Actively subbing high-wear positions is spreading like wildfire across football. It isn't just DL; it's RBs and more sharing the load. OL, WR, and DB are really the outliers in this area. WR and DB are paired in being less physically demanding and being tuned more for marathon-type activity. Ol, is so thin across all levels of football that the drop-off after the 5th guy is far too steep.