Here we go! Late start for you folks out east...(9pm CST)......both teams hurting, but I'd say the Bombers are in bigger trouble, with a slipshod (at best) LB corps that they're hoping will hold together for 60 minutes tonight. I think we need to hope for Nichols to win a shootout.....

4 hours ago, blueandgoldguy said:

People are quick to blame Lapo for the slow starts and finishes.  Maybe just maybe it is Nichols who should shoulder an equal or larger portion of the blame.  Could it be possible the he is choosing the option to pass short on 2nd and long?  Taking the shortest and safest passing option?  I think so.  We are talking about an average QB here with average at best arm strength and as already been posted here, the quarterback with the worst accuracy beyond 20 yards.

 

Nichols deserves his share of the blame and if it weren't for the turnovers by the defense that resulted in a TD and short fields I think it is safe to say Nichols would have struggled to lead the Bomber offense to more than 20 points.

how many QB's have we seen under Lapo over the years throw for 4 yards on second and long?  Not saying Nichols is perfect, but I've disliked the same things about the Lapolice offense in each of his stints here, regardless of personnel.

I will refresh everyone's memory about LaPolice; he came here as OC when Worman was fired because Charles Roberts, a second year player rebelled against Worman and it was either him or Worman to leave. The offense was good that year and LaPolice took over that offense and did little to change it. When he tried the subsequent year after his hiring the offense went down the tubes. He did win a Grey Cup with Saskatchewan however.

For those of you who suggest we just lost to a top tier team, you are correct. Regardless of score. We had to go into overtime to win our first game against Saskatchewan because of stupid coaching decisions in the 4th quarter; we lost to Calgary plain and simple; we nearly lost to Toronto in the 4th quarter and only Heath's INT prevented that from happening as Toronto was doing exactly what BC did except they didn't quite make it. In BC again up by 2 TDs and look what happened; we were fighting for our lives because we couldn't move the ball and we couldn't stop them from moving the ball. It seems pretty clear to me....we don't play football in the 4th quarter....our coaches are afraid to lose.....not try to win. It is a mentality that will quickly if not already slip into the players minds.

I will say I was pleased with the penalty count for us....not sure how many but they were nonfactors for a change which was great. Lots of work to do mostly by the coaches and GM

One big part of our often stagnant offense is that we've got no production from our receivers outside of Adams and Dressler. You can't have three receivers out there doing, we're desperate for one more playmaker.

As much as I love Denmark, the Bombers might've been on the right track getting rid of him early rather than a year too late. He's done absolutely nothing this year. 

37 minutes ago, Blueandgold said:

One big part of our often stagnant offense is that we've got no production from our receivers outside of Adams and Dressler. You can't have three receivers out there doing, we're desperate for one more playmaker.

As much as I love Denmark, the Bombers might've been on the right track getting rid of him early rather than a year too late. He's done absolutely nothing this year. 

It's not like Nicholls throws to him a lot. He can't do much with the football if he doesn't have it.

Nichols has put up basically the same numbers with each team and OC he's played with.  The one thing he's done better the past two seasons is significantly decrease the amount of turnovers he is responsible for.

Nichols

 

Td/int  (CFL.CA)

           

2012     7/3

2014     4/5

2015  edmonton  9/10

2015  wpg            10/7

2016                     18/9

2017                      8/4

so far this season he's back to throwing too many int.

The one the other day, that didn't help much, and I think one was a pick 6. And another in the other team's end zone. although some people thought that the receiver was at fault on that one.

 

all in all, not good.

 

Edited July 23, 20178 yr by Mark F

10 hours ago, blueandgoldguy said:

Maybe they meaning you should look beyond him to the other actors in the play namely Nichols.

I don't disagree about Nichols. He is an average to below average QB. For some reason he is the best we can find and of course, no one else ever gets a chance to play so ...

1 hour ago, Mark F said:

Nichols

 

Td/int  (CFL.CA)

           

2012     7/3

2014     4/5

2015  edmonton  9/10

2015  wpg            10/7

2016                     18/9

2017                      8/4

so far this season he's back to throwing too many int.

The one the other day, that didn't help much, and I think one was a pick 6. And another in the other team's end zone. although some people thought that the receiver was at fault on that one.

 

all in all, not good.

 

A 2/1 TD/Int ratio is not horrible.  Not great but not horrible either.  It's the timing of his picks that are killing the Bombers this year.

11 hours ago, blueandgoldguy said:

Maybe they meaning you should look beyond him to the other actors in the play namely Nichols.

Nichols ain't blameless but we've seen this exact same song and dance from Lapolice before, in fact this very team has fired him twice already for the exact same reasons. Paul Lapolice, good enough to barely lose. 

We can kick this around until the gin kicks home.........
The deal is....that until we figure out a way to be prepared to get out of the gate to start games......and also play to win not lose, with leads...

We are simply pretenders.

Until we start doing the things.... that real contenders do.  

 

 

I mean is it any wonder that this offense looks the best when they're down in a game trying to come back? They have the ability to be a good offense, just too often (ie. to start the game and trying to close out a game when they have a lead) they play passively and don't accomplish anything. That's Lapolice. Remember when he was the head coach here? We always lost close games because he was afraid of taking the chances required to win games. The only time I ever liked a Lapolice offense here was when it was Khari Jones tossing bombs to Stegall and Bruce down field or putting the ball in the hands of Charles Roberts or Mike Sellers, but even I could run a successful offence when the game plan is give it to Milt and Charlie. 

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

Nichols ain't blameless but we've seen this exact same song and dance from Lapolice before, in fact this very team has fired him twice already for the exact same reasons. Paul Lapolice, good enough to barely lose. 

Beginning to feel this way as well. I was a defender of the guy prior to this season but the game in BC lost me. LaPo's not very good.

I think Lapo is a smart man who understands the game quite well, I just think he's got a loser mentality and that's what holds him back. 

but lapo was a good guy who got a bad deal and that why he was brought back...........

46 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

I mean is it any wonder that this offense looks the best when they're down in a game trying to come back? They have the ability to be a good offense, just too often (ie. to start the game and trying to close out a game when they have a lead) they play passively and don't accomplish anything. That's Lapolice. Remember when he was the head coach here? We always lost close games because he was afraid of taking the chances required to win games. The only time I ever liked a Lapolice offense here was when it was Khari Jones tossing bombs to Stegall and Bruce down field or putting the ball in the hands of Charles Roberts or Mike Sellers, but even I could run a successful offence when the game plan is give it to Milt and Charlie. 

I've long suspected that Khari, Milt and Co. just ran whatever they wanted that year and ignored LaPo.

31 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

I've long suspected that Khari, Milt and Co. just ran whatever they wanted that year and ignored LaPo.

That's actually been said by Milt in the past, to a slightly lesser degree.... 

6 minutes ago, Noeller said:

That's actually been said by Milt in the past, to a slightly lesser degree.... 

Yep. He said he would come back to the huddle and say 'hey, they can't cover me.' 

He's said in the past that Khari acted as a de facto OC for a long time and would make stuff up as the game went along. I maintain that's a lot easier to do when you have the type of weapons he did at that time... 

5 minutes ago, Noeller said:

He's said in the past that Khari acted as a de facto OC for a long time and would make stuff up as the game went along. I maintain that's a lot easier to do when you have the type of weapons he did at that time... 

Yeah, heard that too and also agree with your point. Wish we had Khari as an OC. He's done good work in BC and I really believe he's helped Jennings development.

If you don't like Lapo then you should be criticizing MOS because MOS wanted him and appears to continue to want him.

10 minutes ago, Noeller said:

He's said in the past that Khari acted as a de facto OC for a long time and would make stuff up as the game went along. I maintain that's a lot easier to do when you have the type of weapons he did at that time... 

When you have that type of receiver it's a nice plan to have. Throw to Stegall.

To a lesser degree look at some of the catches SJ green is making from Ray this year. Our receivers wouldn't catch some of those. I don't mean that as a knock on our receivers, but as recognition of how good a guy like Green is at coming down with the ball. We don't make a ton of catches in traffic.

I wish teenage me knew to enjoy the 2001 season more (other than the grey cup game.....)

5 minutes ago, White Out said:

If you don't like Lapo then you should be criticizing MOS because MOS wanted him and appears to continue to want him.

I think that will be the downfall of MOS. There wasn't much on the market that year, he went with Lapo. Now that the team is decent he's unlikely to fire a coordinator, meaning the coordinators will go when MOS himself goes.

Just now, brett_c_b said:

I think that will be the downfall of MOS. There wasn't much on the market that year, he went with Lapo. Now that the team is decent he's unlikely to fire a coordinator, meaning the coordinators will go when MOS himself goes.

I get that there should be loyalty in the business but Lapo hasn't earned it. I also find it hard to believe you couldn't find ANYONE besides Lapo.

But it seemingly has become so that MOS has hitched his wagon to Lapolice. Foolish.

3 minutes ago, White Out said:

I get that there should be loyalty in the business but Lapo hasn't earned it. I also find it hard to believe you couldn't find ANYONE besides Lapo.

But it seemingly has become so that MOS has hitched his wagon to Lapolice. Foolish.

Well, another 3 seasons.

Hey I was against Lapo from the get go, I really wanted Khari Jones, and looking at the BC offense it's pretty explosive. But they went with the "safe" choice which was Lapolice. Now we just hope someone decides they want to hire him as a head coach.