Well, that was a nice throw by Jennings.

I think Willy will come around. You can see it coming together a bit. He's gotta work on his deep ball. But the guy really didn't play for over a year. Gonna take some time for the entire O to gel. Lots of new faces and a new play book also. 

7 minutes ago, Blueandgold said:

Man, I know we're frustrated with Willy but I would hate to be stuck with a duo like Jennings & Lulay.

Agreed. BC isn't remotely as good as their record.

At this stage in the season, Ottawa is the only team that really looks like a contender (keeping in mind that Edmonton has only played that same Ottawa team, so they're still a bit of a question mark). 

Right now I think the east is Ottawa, then Montreal. TO and Hamilton are pretty much equal, and neither look very good to me. 

As for the west, tomorrow's Edm/Sask game will reveal a lot. Assuming Edmonton wins, I'd say they're alone on top with the other four teams looking relatively weak (yes, even with Calgary's big win against us, I just don't think it's a true reflection of that team).

It's kind of weird to say this in such a small league, but it just seems like most of the teams aren't very good. The quality of play across the league feels like it's much lower than in years past (and has been trending towards this over the last five or so years).

Of course, just my opinion!

1 minute ago, O2L said:

 

It's kind of weird to say this in such a small league, but it just seems like most of the teams aren't very good. The quality of play across the league feels like it's much lower than in years past (and has been trending towards this over the last five or so years).

Of course, just my opinion!

This is the issue I have with just about everyone declaring doom and gloom for us (not saying that you are) before tonight, and still after tonight's win. It's week three. Hamilton beat Toronto, Toronto beat BC, BC beat Calgary, Calgary beat us, we beat Hamilton. For anyone to pretend like they know how things will play out this season for us, or the league as a whole, you're kidding yourself.

33 minutes ago, O2L said:

Agreed. BC isn't remotely as good as their record.

At this stage in the season, Ottawa is the only team that really looks like a contender (keeping in mind that Edmonton has only played that same Ottawa team, so they're still a bit of a question mark). 

Right now I think the east is Ottawa, then Montreal. TO and Hamilton are pretty much equal, and neither look very good to me. 

As for the west, tomorrow's Edm/Sask game will reveal a lot. Assuming Edmonton wins, I'd say they're alone on top with the other four teams looking relatively weak (yes, even with Calgary's big win against us, I just don't think it's a true reflection of that team).

It's kind of weird to say this in such a small league, but it just seems like most of the teams aren't very good. The quality of play across the league feels like it's much lower than in years past (and has been trending towards this over the last five or so years).

Of course, just my opinion!

NFL expanding rosters & hoarding players.

8 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

NFL expanding rosters & hoarding players.

Good point. I also think it has a lot to do with the relative youth/inexperience at QB league-wide right now. Consider early 2000s:

Khari, Dave Dickenson, Henry Burris, Ricky Ray/Jason Maas, Damon Allen, Danny Mac, Anthony Calvillo

vs. Willy, Reilly, Jennings, Collaros/Masoli, Mitchell, Harris, aging tired Ray. Basically, there's Burris, Glenn, and Durant. Glenn is serviceable, we don't know where Durant is at yet, and Burris is injured and in his twilight years. Ray a shell of his former self. In the early 2000s, 400+ passing yards in a game by most teams wasn't an unreasonable expectation. Now, breaking 300 is considered pretty big (and I don't think that defences having gotten better, just look at the BC/TO game tonight and the huge holes all over the field). 

Not saying that Collaros, Harris, Reilly, and Willy aren't good, just that maybe their best years are yet to come. Jennings is a question mark to me - I don't think he's all that great right now, but he's also incredibly young, so if he sticks, he could play for two decades. 

I think the search for qbs for the CFL has taken them to sign more D2 & even D3 qbs. Guys that wouldn't get NFL looks because of the level of play at their college level. We used to get most of our qbs from the D1 levels & most had 2 or 3 years as pros. Now we get young guys that aren't as experienced thrown to the wolves by coaches searching for the next Great One. There definitely is a drop off at the qb position (I believe) these days.

Edited July 8, 20169 yr by iso_55

11 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

I think the search for qbs for the CFL has taken them to sign more D2 & even D3 qbs. Guys that wouldn't get NFL looks because of the level of play at their college level. We used to get most of our qbs from the D1 levels & most had 2 or 3 years as pros. Now we get young guys that aren't as experienced thrown to the wolves by coaches searching for the next Great One. There definitely is a drop off at the qb position (I believe) these days.

That makes a lot of sense. No longer worrying about signing guys that'll run to the NFL. (Hell, Dickenson, Ray, Burris, and even Casey Printers all got NFL looks after good CFL performances). 

Guys have always been thrown to the wolves in the CFL...  Are Vernon Adams, GJ Kinne and Tahj Boyd not top prospects?  Just like Kerwin Bell and Matt Nichols...?  Its always a mix of top prospects and no names...

2 hours ago, O2L said:

That makes a lot of sense. No longer worrying about signing guys that'll run to the NFL. (Hell, Dickenson, Ray, Burris, and even Casey Printers all got NFL looks after good CFL performances). 

Thirty five years ago we'd bring in qbs with years of backup & some playing experience. Guys like Don Jonas, Bruce Lemmerman, Jerry Tagge, Kent Austin, Tom Wilkinson, Benji Dial, Greg Barton. Guys that had either played in the NFL or had been around football offenses for a few years. We don't bring in players like that anymore. Guys that are 28-30 years of age.

Now they're young guys who are wet behind the ears or fresh out of a football combine or CFL team free agent camp. They're 22 or 23 & have no idea what 3 down football is or how to play it let alone ever heard of the cities in the CFL. Most have never been drafted by an NFL team. Then in just a 10 day training camp they're expected to unlearn the things they took years to master in US high school & college football to play this new 3 down game with a longer, wider field & bigger end zones. They're expected to understand the principles of 12 man football & the different defenses being thrown at  at a hundred miles a minute, let alone learning a brand new offense that has different terminologies as well as receivers in motion in their 300 page playbook. is it any wonder 99% of these qbs fail? That it takes years for some of them to just get good enough to become backups & not starters? That maybe 1 in 30 qbs get good enough to actually start?

These are kids & they play like kids at times. The older guys don't get the chance anymore. I don't know why. Maybe they want too much money to come up here. Maybe CFL teams don't want to invest the time in an older player. However, maybe they should with the maturity factor & some NFL training camps under their belts. I know in the past these older qbs did pretty well. Some went on to some very good & even great CFL careers.

The line play is horrendous and that's pretty much universal.  Hard to develop QBs in that situation.  The expanded rosters have allowed teams to expand their DL rotations all the while most teams are still trying to pigeonhole NI's on the OL even if the supply of guys who can play at even at adequate level is not enough.  The first team to just play Canadians where they are deserving and forgot the "we need at least 3 NI OL" mindset will be the next dynasty.

Those Lions jerseys are really close to being nice... they need a solid black on the sleeves (the orange stripe looks stupid) and the tramp stamp is atrocious... otherwise, not too bad...

Why do the leos unis' make them look like they all lost a lot of weight... pencil like..Optical illusion??? In any event it looks like Wally world has come back down to earth, as Jennings started to fade, while old Ray found some reserve gas.... I think they're pretty evenly matched...Lulay looked good ...Could there be a change in the qb. order there???

I watched a bit of the game last night...  Jennings looks like Bishop 2.0 ....  Lulay looked like his arm is back and I don't understand why they wouldn't start him instead?    

Whitaker made people miss all night long... looked like Charles Roberts on some of those plays... real good. 

 

48 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I watched a bit of the game last night...  Jennings looks like Bishop 2.0 ....  Lulay looked like his arm is back and I don't understand why they wouldn't start him instead?    

Whitaker made people miss all night long... looked like Charles Roberts on some of those plays... real good. 

 

Totally agree with the Mikey Bishop comparison...  would rather have Brandon Bridge

REDBLACKS hosting the Stamps ... MY EYES, MY EYES! I can't process so much red and black ...

*edit, Ottawa might be good ...

Edited July 8, 20169 yr by IC Khari

10 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

The line play is horrendous and that's pretty much universal.  Hard to develop QBs in that situation.  The expanded rosters have allowed teams to expand their DL rotations all the while most teams are still trying to pigeonhole NI's on the OL even if the supply of guys who can play at even at adequate level is not enough.  The first team to just play Canadians where they are deserving and forgot the "we need at least 3 NI OL" mindset will be the next dynasty.

The problem is, at least for the Bombers, is that they also can't recruit enough quality import O-linemen. It seems like the position in general is in a state of disarray.   

Edited July 8, 20169 yr by Blueandgold

Even tho the stumps are our divison rival, I find it impossible to cheer for ottawa, good god what an easy team to dislike

Wow, Paredes really struggling this season.

So it seems when you play Ottawa you just gotta eliminate Chris Williams.  2 tds already this game 

20 minutes ago, Rich said:

Wow, Paredes really struggling this season.

Maver was drafted as a kicker wasn't he? He hasn't really gotten to do it since he got hurt and Paredes broke out, but it might be worth Calgary's while to take another look at that one.

From afar it seems like Ottawa's jerseys say "BLACKS." Not sure putting the red in RED was the best move. 

Chris Williams has been unreal to start the season.

 

According to Rod Black, Grigsby was loved. When was that?

6 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Chris Williams has been unreal to start the season.

 

According to Rod Black, Grigsby was loved. When was that?

TSN always loved to hype him up... didn't they name him the best athlete in the CFL or something when he played for us?

Watching Harris, how the hell could the Argos let him go? Crazy decision by Barker & Milanovich not to sign him. Even crazier will be Ottawa if they bring back Hank & bench Harris once his finger is healed.

36 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

Watching Harris, how the hell could the Argos let him go? Crazy decision by Barker & Milanovich not to sign him. Even crazier will be Ottawa if they bring back Hank & bench Harris once his finger is healed.

Agreed. I mean Ray is a HOF but he's 37. Harris is 30 and has played lights out the past season and a bit.