This season is not going anything like my expectations for our precious Blue.

15 first downs in the 4th quarter... wow! 4 complete quarters this time.

We might have just learned how to be a winner .... we certainly have a chance to build momentum in the next few games: we play Ottawa, Hamilton, Edmonton, Montreal, Regina and Regina between now and September 9.

Have we created a Frankenstein?

13 minutes ago, do or die said:

Credit Nichols, who demonstrated some acting chops, there....

He's no Justin Goltz.  9 commercials and counting....

https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/_Y/justin-goltz

16 minutes ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

If you watch the players left hand on Nichols right shoulder, he definitely gave him a bit of a push, which he didn't have to do.

I cant remember the call that annoyed me, last week I think and this one where the radio guys talk about it over and over and over and its like they never bothered reviewing the play.  You can argue its a soft call but for people to suggest the Als player never touched him is factually incorrect.  Clear two handed shove.

I'm not going to judge this D completely until we have key members back (soon).....once Bruce Johnson and Mo Leggett are back in there, and people are playing proper positions, then I'll judge 'em appropriately...

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

I'm not going to judge this D completely until we have key members back (soon).....once Bruce Johnson and Mo Leggett are back in there, and people are playing proper positions, then I'll judge 'em appropriately...

They need to get Roc out of there. Walker and Alexander get beat, but they have also made plays. Roc is just kind of "there".

Yup agreed...can't make a true harassment until all the projected starters are back.

I truly think we are hindered or not doing a lot of the things we planned on with scheme etc because we don't have the personnel in there we planned for, and it's not a case of poor scouting and not finding talent but Wild and Leggett got hurt during first few games and Johnson did at the last moment leading up to first game..so our depth guys and development players get tossed in early..which only helps us once the starters are back.

Knox has been good and brings more good than bad to the defense..he wiffed on a couple plays last night but so did a lot of guys...up to this point he has been solid and hits hard.

We need to change the scheme tho in whats expected of the MLB or get a guy in there who can do it better. I would start subbing Miles in to see what he brings and if it's more than what we are getting then continue it. He brings more grit and toughness than Hurl and doesn't affect the ratio.

That or start rotating Corney in there to jam up the middle...he has more speed than Hurl and could cover sideline to sideline better and actually get to the QB from depth on blitzes...something Hurl just can't seem to do..always a half second too late....Corney would get there and not get lost in the wash at the line like Hurl does

 

I didn't think that the 'shove' deserved a penalty. An acting award maybe, but not a penalty.

I didn't think the 'PI' in the end zone that Carmichale took deserved a penalty. An acting award maybe, but not a penalty.

Maybe the CFL needs to put in a 'diving' penalty.

4 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

I didn't think that the 'shove' deserved a penalty. An acting award maybe, but not a penalty.

I didn't think the 'PI' in the end zone that Carmichale took deserved a penalty. An acting award maybe, but not a penalty.

Maybe the CFL needs to put in a 'diving' penalty.

Or just have its officials do a better job at what they call. The amount of weird and chintzy penalties so far this season is unbelievable.

41 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

They need to get Roc out of there. Walker and Alexander get beat, but they have also made plays. Roc is just kind of "there".

Leggett, Wild and Bruce are big injuries, there's no doubt about that. But, our linebackers and secondary are just getting absolutely shredded game in and game out. Something needs to change there.

It's nice seeing that a guy like Walker will go out there and hit hard at least. 

32 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

I didn't think that the 'shove' deserved a penalty. An acting award maybe, but not a penalty.

I didn't think the 'PI' in the end zone that Carmichale took deserved a penalty. An acting award maybe, but not a penalty.

Maybe the CFL needs to put in a 'diving' penalty.

It's called objectionable conduct and the refs can call it whenever they need.

11 minutes ago, Blueandgold said:

Leggett, Wild and Bruce are big injuries, there's no doubt about that. But, our linebackers and secondary are just getting absolutely shredded game in and game out. Something needs to change there.

It's nice seeing that a guy like Walker will go out there and hit hard at least. 

Walker made a couple plays but also got repeatedly torched for first downs.  Looked like the read for Durant was Loffler and if he was in the middle he went field (Walker) and if he wasn't they'd sit down right at about 8-9 yard depth in the middle where the safety would usually be over top.

33 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Walker made a couple plays but also got repeatedly torched for first downs.  Looked like the read for Durant was Loffler and if he was in the middle he went field (Walker) and if he wasn't they'd sit down right at about 8-9 yard depth in the middle where the safety would usually be over top.

Oh I don't disagree with any of that at all, but a part of that is definitely Hall's soft zone D. 

All I was saying is that at least Walker has a few reeedmable qualities and did something's to get excited about. Not what I'd say about the Roc at all. 

When Wild gets back I would like to see he and Leggett flanking Knox at MLB ... play 2 Canadians on the DL ... we are rotating anyway .... Corney & Thomas are less of a loss than Hurl being a slow moving pylon

4 hours ago, Sard said:

Not to defend Hurl too much because he has definitely struggled without Leggett and Wild in the lineup, but is he playing a little out of position to help cover for the newer guys and opening up holes in the D where there otherwise wouldn't be any?  Not that that helps us much, but just curious if maybe that's part of the struggle right now.

exactly.   Hes not the best MLB and when he has to cheat to help out the other guys in the core, he gets a bit more exposed.  He had 4 or 5 tackles last night I believe, most of the big runs from MTL were to the outsides if I remember correctly.   hes not spectacular but hes dependable.. when hes got the supporting cast, he is pretty solid in the middle.  People get so hung up on needing a Muamba, a Simpson, a Singleton.. and sure, we would benefit from having a MLB like that but we don't currently have one nor have we found one to fill the void.  I'd rather keep Johnson in the middle with Jeffcoat on the edge instead of having to put corney or thomas in permanently..  he helps the ratio jive real well.

40 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

When Wild gets back I would like to see he and Leggett flanking Knox at MLB ... play 2 Canadians on the DL ... we are rotating anyway .... Corney & Thomas are less of a loss than Hurl being a slow moving pylon

instead of Jeffcoat or Ogopalugo? 
 

thanks but no thanks.  also, if that made us have to leave out one of Nevins or Johnson on every play, again.. nope.

Just now, SPuDS said:

instead of Jeffcoat or Ogopalugo? 
 

thanks but no thanks.  also, if that made us have to leave out one of Nevins or Johnson on every play, again.. nope.

you had have 2 out of 3 in the lineup all the time and staying very fresh .... just slightly more rotation than now ..... and a MLB actually stopping the run

2 hours ago, Booch said:

Yup agreed...can't make a true harassment until all the projected starters are back.

 

 

 

Let me know when we can begin!

ha!...meant assessment but harassment works too

41 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

you had have 2 out of 3 in the lineup all the time and staying very fresh .... just slightly more rotation than now ..... and a MLB actually stopping the run

We have been one of the best teams against the run (if not the best) so far this season, so not sure that this is a true concern on our D... I think you're stuck on the fact that we were terrible against the run in seasons past.

Looked like those last long runs were the DE crashing in and leaving the outside open 

33 minutes ago, Sard said:

We have been one of the best teams against the run (if not the best) so far this season, so not sure that this is a true concern on our D... I think you're stuck on the fact that we were terrible against the run in seasons past.

After last night, I'm starting to buy into that idea that our "Vs. Run" stats are misleading because people were picking on our Pass D so much (Rocky, etc)......

25 minutes ago, Noeller said:

After last night, I'm starting to buy into that idea that our "Vs. Run" stats are misleading because people were picking on our Pass D so much (Rocky, etc)......

I don't believe that.   up the middle, we killed the run numerous times.  When they flipped it outside, our DE's or our SAM (for the most part, I noticed Alexander not being able to stop the RB when they got the edge) were not able to stop the play and it went for big yards.  

Hopefully Leggett back in would nullify that as he has no issues stopping RBs..  and with some film, Jeffcoat (and I suppose westerman is guilty of this too) will not jam down so hard.

1 minute ago, SPuDS said:

I don't believe that.   up the middle, we killed the run numerous times.  When they flipped it outside, our DE's or our SAM (for the most part, I noticed Alexander not being able to stop the RB when they got the edge) were not able to stop the play and it went for big yards.  

Hopefully Leggett back in would nullify that as he has no issues stopping RBs..  and with some film, Jeffcoat (and I suppose westerman is guilty of this too) will not jam down so hard.

I noticed that Alexander whiffed on a few tackles last night... felt like he had a rough game, but he did redeem himself a bit by recovering the onside kick.

Just now, Sard said:

I noticed that Alexander whiffed on a few tackles last night... felt like he had a rough game, but he did redeem himself a bit by recovering the onside kick.

yup thats true.. last night a lot of our guys redeemed themselves.. Medlock after missing his FGs with the money onside, Nichols after missing some easy throws all game, marches for the score, Alexander with the clutch snag on the onside after his whiffs..

 

glad to see our guys rallying up and fighting thru their own adversity... sounds like something coaching may play a hand in eh? 

They were far from perfect....but the men played hard.

Alexander and Loeffler also had a big part of the goal line stand at the start of the 4th quarter.