This week Lapo breaks down the Montreal offensive smackdown against Ottawa. 

That all-24 view is so dope, it shows so much more than the regular broadcast.

@4:00 it's funny how ineffective the Redblacks undisguised blitz is. 

@7:15 the tight end allows the slot receiver to attack the cornerback with a waggle.  I've been watching CFL for decades and I had no idea.  So obvious.

@9:23 every time I see a stack formation from now on I'm gonna watch to see if the db banjos it right.

1 hour ago, johnzo said:

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...

100%. Delayed rb wheel routes are a huge opportunity.

 In general, pass catching rbs are extremely valuable in all levels and leagues. 
 

And yeah, the whole point of match cover is to keep every thing in front of you, cover the seams, and let athletes come up and make plays. Force the offence to make consecutive great plays to keep the ball moving and make significant field position gains. 

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

 Force the offence to make consecutive great plays to keep the ball moving and make significant field position gains. 

For whatever reason BC just couldn't cope with this ... both Rourke and VAJ kept trying to hit those intermediate routes against us despite the fact we had that part of the field locked down with men high and low. Would really expect them to have more of an ability to adjust.  Was not impressed with their offensive coaching in our home-at-home.

5 minutes ago, johnzo said:

For whatever reason BC just couldn't cope with this ... both Rourke and VAJ kept trying to hit those intermediate routes against us despite the fact we had that part of the field locked down with men high and low. Would really expect them to have more of an ability to adjust.  Was not impressed with their offensive coaching in our home-at-home.

 

just announced that Rourke will start this week.

12 minutes ago, johnzo said:

For whatever reason BC just couldn't cope with this ... both Rourke and VAJ kept trying to hit those intermediate routes against us despite the fact we had that part of the field locked down with men high and low. Would really expect them to have more of an ability to adjust.  Was not impressed with their offensive coaching in our home-at-home.

And, if you think back, the same thing happened in the West Final last year.

2 hours ago, Booch said:

And effectively you should have 3 to 4 support guys coming down hill on it.

Even better with athletic dline guys with backside pursuit motors

2 hours ago, wbbfan said:

In general, pass catching rbs are extremely valuable in all levels and leagues. 

Ricky Ray would agree.

5 hours ago, Booch said:

Even better with athletic dline guys with backside pursuit motors

those plays where a DL recovers from their pass rush and gets on their horse to make a downfield tackle ... I hate to give up the yards but man I love to see the giddyup from the DL.  I remember that Gavin Walls was especially good at chasing runners down from behind.

2 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Ricky Ray would agree.

for all his dinking and dunking, Ray also knew the value of a guy who could get a step on a corner route.  so many rainbow throws of pillowy softness from that guy...

8 hours ago, johnzo said:

those plays where a DL recovers from their pass rush and gets on their horse to make a downfield tackle ... I hate to give up the yards but man I love to see the giddyup from the DL.  I remember that Gavin Walls was especially good at chasing runners down from behind.

100%. That is my favorite play to see from a DL. That means not only does the guy have the athleticism to do that, but the relentless motor to succeed in general. Tom canada was a high motor guy too. 

 Our better finds among imp DTs have been those types. Bryant, stove, sayles etc. Especially the good 3 tech types. 

8 hours ago, johnzo said:

for all his dinking and dunking, Ray also knew the value of a guy who could get a step on a corner route.  so many rainbow throws of pillowy softness from that guy...

And slants. Oh man did he used to carve us up baaad throwing 10-15 yard slants at the seams. 

2 hours ago, wbbfan said:

 

And slants. Oh man did he used to carve us up baaad throwing 10-15 yard slants at the seams. 

Ricky Ray is the most accurate passer I think I've ever seen. Just dropped it in a bucket for his guys all the time.

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

And slants. Oh man did he used to carve us up baaad throwing 10-15 yard slants at the seams. 

'08 playoffs...damn you've triggered me again!

37 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

'08 playoffs...damn you've triggered me again!

Yup, I'm twitching over here!

On 2024-09-24 at 7:05 PM, Mark H. said:

My take:

If you're eliminating most of the downfield stuff, especially explosion plays, and you're getting turnovers because your scheme puts athletes in good position...

Then the odd screen or check down for a first down...is probably a play you can afford to give up.  

In 3 down football it is very difficult to nickel and dime your way to points. Don't allow large chunks of yardage on any given drive and the offence will not sustain many drives. It's too hard to maintain efficiency for any offence up and down a field 5 yards at a time when you don't have any margin for error. One broken play or one defensive good play and it's drive over. Any defence will give any team the short yardage stuff all day long and they won't get scored on very much. It's what we are doing so well this year. We limit the first down gains and force them to pass on 2nd down. Teams run around 50% efficiency on 2nd and long on a good day.

24 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

In 3 down football it is very difficult to nickel and dime your way to points. Don't allow large chunks of yardage on any given drive and the offence will not sustain many drives. It's too hard to maintain efficiency for any offence up and down a field 5 yards at a time when you don't have any margin for error. One broken play or one defensive good play and it's drive over. Any defence will give any team the short yardage stuff all day long and they won't get scored on very much. It's what we are doing so well this year. We limit the first down gains and force them to pass on 2nd down. Teams run around 50% efficiency on 2nd and long on a good day.

Or even one penalty.

Saw Ricky at subway in downtown peg years back hours before their game. Later that night he carved us up like shredded turkey. 
 

 

this one is fun to watch.  Two checkdown throws go for TDs, so you can imagine how excited Lapo gets about that.

Lots of superb breakdown here -- Lapo talks a lot about the recognition that enables ZC8 to find the opportunities within each play. You get to see how an offence works under absolutely ideal conditions.

3 hours ago, johnzo said:

this one is fun to watch.  Two checkdown throws go for TDs, so you can imagine how excited Lapo gets about that.

Lots of superb breakdown here -- Lapo talks a lot about the recognition that enables ZC8 to find the opportunities within each play. You get to see how an offence works under absolutely ideal conditions.

yup...Ideally you like it to be ideal lol

It's always fun to see Lapo break down a Bomber beatdown!

 

really dig the blocking on Brady's run at 11:10.  Clercius cruises across the formation and completely erases the DE with a Bailey-style block.  And Dobson just forklifts his man.  Bully ball.

50 minutes ago, johnzo said:

really dig the blocking on Brady's run at 11:10.  Clercius cruises across the formation and completely erases the DE with a Bailey-style block.  And Dobson just forklifts his man.  Bully ball.

Those split blocks on zone runs are pretty lethal.  Usually the end just stops when he realizes it's coming.  Those two receivers motioning across hold his eyes too because he has to respect a potential hand off to one of them.

53 minutes ago, johnzo said:

really dig the blocking on Brady's run at 11:10.  Clercius cruises across the formation and completely erases the DE with a Bailey-style block.  And Dobson just forklifts his man.  Bully ball.

If you watch more of the game...Wheatfall too is a bad ass blocker....the one brady run I think Lapo shows it you see him owning mr MOP Milligan and tossing hin to the turf when it all said and done....he is very active in the run games doing his part

There was a BC game late in the season where TSN reported that Campbell had said that he didn't have great blocking receivers.  That was shocking to me -- I didn't think a WR could play at the pro level without being a good blocker.  Explains a lot about why BC under Campbell does not win the tough games. 

That's a great watch. Huge props to Buck & ZC8

Reminds of the days of 17to85, when Khari would look off the safety and Milt would slip into the openings 

Here's a flipside video about the Argos run D in the final. People are saying that the entire game rests on the contest of Argos DL vs our O, so I was very interested to watch this. Was surprised how intricate and orchestrated run defence is; from the outside it just looks like a chaotic furball.

Impressed with the play at 3:20 where the Argo DE Smith reads the play really well and goes all the way across the formation to stop Fletcher before he can get to the second level. Having always watched football from the sides, I've never appreciated the lateral movement of either line, outside of the occasional stunt or pulling block that the broadcast crew calls out.

24 minutes ago, johnzo said:

Here's a flipside video about the Argos run D in the final. People are saying that the entire game rests on the contest of Argos DL vs our O, so I was very interested to watch this. Was surprised how intricate and orchestrated run defence is; from the outside it just looks like a chaotic furball.

Impressed with the play at 3:20 where the Argo DE Smith reads the play really well and goes all the way across the formation to stop Fletcher before he can get to the second level. Having always watched football from the sides, I've never appreciated the lateral movement of either line, outside of the occasional stunt or pulling block that the broadcast crew calls out.

Agree, had to listen to the game on CJOB as I was at the rink all day, kudos to Derek Taylor for doing such a great job describing the different formations and the player substitutions used by the Bombers D.  I watched the game later Sat. night and not once did the TSN broadcast crew ever mention the Bombers had up to 9 DB's on the field at the same time! 

It seems like the description of strategic formations being used should be fundamental to better explaining the game, but somehow tactical info. is considered not worthy of presenting???  The visual isn't much better, with the tighter camera angles provided and the focus on the offensive backfield it's difficult to see what formations are being used in the secondary. 

Hopefully with the advancement in technology taking place TSN reconsiders how they go about presenting the game and don't cling tenaciously to the 50+ year old model they've based their broadcast on.