johnzo

One thing I wonder about match coverage is that you often see the RB one-on-one with a linebacker. Seems like there's a solid opportunity for checkdowns and screens there ... get a mismatch with an explosive back like Bell or Leake out there against an MLB, maybe an OL sneaks out of the line to block downfield too... spread the receivers to spread out the DBs and create wider lanes downfield -- line up in a 4x1 and run the play to the short side where there are fewer DBs to rally. You're not going to get home runs here, but you'll make first downs...

Lapo shows JY's match coverage in action against the Elks... trading pass rushers for spies and blanket downfield coverage. Our DBs basically have a power play in this scheme.

Wanna throw some love to Castillo for solving the problem of long FG coverage by deadballing his misses off the post. Seriously, those bomb FGs of his are a key part of how we can grind out wins. Love seeing him turn those marginal drives into points. It didn't work last night but it'll work again before the season is thru.

Oh man as soon as I realized this was a brother vs brother game I knew it was going to be Suitor calling it and he was gonna sell out hard for the TSN game story in that way he does. And lo... Once the Elks put the story to bed by benching their Ford, Suitor got better, and from a broadcasting standpoint I thought he told a good story in the fourth: that the bombers knew how to close and the elks had not yet demonstrated that, that Brady O was the key, and how that improbable 2nd-down conversion was the dagger play of the game. Basic stuff for blue nerds like us, not deep, but decently told and with a happy ending. there was a funny moment in the Ottawa game where Rod and Matty had to hype some HBO show and Matty was so not into chatting about whether he was going to binge it right away or wait for the end of the season. Matty doesn't do product placement apparently. also every time I am tempted to crap on TSN or their talent, I remember Luc Mullinder doing color on that pre-season Rider game that TSN showed this year. I would sooner listen to a century of Rod Black than a single game with Luc Mullinder.

My HH is being held for someone who can figure out how often you see a back put up 150 yards in a losing cause. I bet that doesn't happen often.

Edmonton

Lapo looks at Zach's play in the Banjo Bowl. Another great informative video, with the main takeaway being that Saskatchewan was playing a zone defense designed to prevent explosion plays, and Zach was checking down a lot because that's what was there. He was game managing much more than gunslinging, and we won the turnover battle and the game. The throw to Wilson was impressive to me, the window to complete that pass is open for less than a second and the ball arrives perfectly on position and on time. I can't imagine the level of brainpower, vision, and athleticism it takes to play QB at a high level. For all we grouse about these guys, they're basically superhuman.

Ottawa has had a ridiculous run of QB injuries. They'd be nuts to trade away a proven QB1A guy like Masoli while they're positioned to host a home playoff game. You don't want to roll out Crum as your QB in a game that could turn around your franchise's fortunes. I think that Booch has me convinced that our best option is to go after Heavy Balls and make him Heavy Blue Balls.

Gotta send out some HH vibe to Willie J -- not often you see a guy block a punt while he himself is being blocked. I'm digging Gritty Lucky -- dude made some critical tough yards for us in the 4Q.

yeah, he had his usual Streveller burst in that Ottawa game ... but since then, he's looked slow. esp when he runs laterally.

this might be the rye talking but it's hilarious that maple leafs cold cuts are called Natural Selection. "is your child the fittest? no? then they shall not survive -- unless you choose Natural Selection."

BLM and BOLO making sweet acronyms together.

Leggz!

Lauther no Sergio.

the Starchild giftwraps a TD to the Bombers!

Demski crossing the goal line like a fullback with both hands on the ball...

firewagon football. end-to-end action!

so match coverage is not a new or novel thing ... Lapo says that Rod Rust and Rich Stubler were the guys who pioneered it ... so I wonder what the OC flipside of this is? how do you attack it? play action? crossing routes?

ok, I liked the previous video, but I really enjoyed this one. If you're curious about how the bomber D dominates, you gotta watch this. Lapo shows what match coverage is and how the Bombers used it to create coverage sacks, low-percentage throws, and turnovers against the Lions. The split-second pattern recognition these guys do is astonishing. You've gotta be smart to play DB in this system. I remember Kramdi getting praise for his football IQ and I can see why that's important now. Once again the all-24 view is so great. All we can see on TV is the pass rush while there's a whole ballet happening in the secondary.

this is my favorite lapo video yet, where he isolates the mistakes that are playkillers. the margin for error on these things is so small. Godber doesn't get the right block, the back is bubbled outside and strung out and it's an easy tackle. Harris doesn't read a DB's body posture correctly and throws a low percentage pass that turns into a pick. the rock and roll play was super interesting. the Argos D rolls coverage to handle some horizontal motion in the Rider backfield, but KeeSean Johnson doesn't pick out the right guy to block, and a huge play is aborted.

I'm kinda hoping that if the bombers finish strong and host a playoff game ... the Ticats also go on an absolute tear and take the crossover, just for the novelty of seeing an Eastern team in the WSF...

Sonny Wade threw 89 TD passes in his career ... and 169 interceptions. Man the 70s were a different time....

Halftime show. I don't mind Kate Beirness as a host but she just failed the CFL purity test big-time talking smack about the Argos game winning rouge....

Those vintage Als uniforms are indeed beautiful.

Man the East is taking the West out to the woodshed this year -- East holds a 17-9-1 advantage, and if you eliminate Hamilton, it's 16-3-1. That's not usual.