JuranBoldenRules

If you watch that game last night and think Lankford didn’t make a difference I don’t know what to tell you. His terrible kickoff returns made a huge difference on field position. 2 terrible drops. Big difference. Football isn’t hockey. Everyone has to do their job and if someone is playing almost every snap it’s nothing like a defenseman sitting on the bench for 45 minutes and taking matchups against the opponents worst players.

Lapo gets in a funk when he doesn’t have confidence in his players and he runs a passing game that’s all 5 yard hitched and screens to Harris. His playcalling this season demonstrates no confidence in Nichols. Lapo gave an interesting interview after practice to Bob Irving that they played on the pre-game where he basically said if he doesn’t call the deep shots Nichols won’t take them, and that’s why they are forcing them lately because they are becoming too easy to defend. Just be thankful we have Harris because if we didn’t this team wouldn’t be able to score.

Somehow he’s missed every lesson on ball security. I don’t know how they stand having that guy on the roster and I don’t know why it takes 2 years to figure out he’s useless. Do O’Shea and Lapo really get hard watching the guy run? What else can he do? Can’t catch passes or kicks.

I worry about the young Canadian talent being wasted here. 82 gets the ball he makes plays. 81 has only made plays when given the chance. 13 too in a very brief look. We put Lankford on instead and watch him drop passes and kickoffs repeatedly, leave a kickoff on the turf and then remember it’s live. Man oh man.

He’s not wrong if that’s the best answer they have to handle a basic edge blitz.

He’s not wrong if that’s the best answer they have to handle a basic edge blitz.

Keep in mind we’ve basically taken 4 of 5 wins off backup QB’s (whatever you call Montreal, Franklin x2, Jennings). Not trending well!

Without that defense and Harris going off in several games you’re probably looking at a team that beats Montreal and maybe splits with Toronto. This offense ain’t winning ****.

Lapo’s playcalling lacks confidence. He said in his interview with CJOB this week that he’s basically forcing the deep routes in an attempt to make the offense diverse so it does not stagnate. I think we’re getting past that in terms of the passing game. It’s Harris or bust.

That’s something he really has to think about. If your opponent scores multiple 2 point converted touchdowns and you keep kicking 1’s, how do you get those points back? You’re shorting yourself a possession once that gap is 3-4 points just from converts.

Our quarterback couldn’t counter it. Either not prepared by Lapo and Co or doesn’t pick it up and hit the hot route.

And it happens fast. Ottawa gets two first downs but our D stop them. Our O comes out, two dropbacks and then punt. Ottawa puts together a drive and they are rolling. O gets the big play to Adams. Then D turns it over on plus 40. O doesn’t score. Game turns in a big way there. O doesn’t do anything for the rest of the half and Ottawa puts up two TD drives. Game pretty much done there.

Only two games vs the East left, and one of those vs Ottawa. Need to step up big time to even make the playoffs. Probably have to win at least 4 if not 5.

Plus fumble for Ottawa TD which basically ended the game halfway through the 3rd. I’m surprised Nichols didn’t put up 450 staring into prevent for almost a whole half.

Find it hard to be critical of the DB’s with the amount we blitz Bighill/JSK/Leggett/Loffler on passing downs and play cover zero. Any decent pro QB is going to rip that apart and there’s not much the DB’s can do. Middle of the field is wide open because 6-7 are rushing most passing downs. Can’t expect 5-6 guys to defend the whole field. You’re gambling the blitz gets there, but most often it doesn’t affect the throw.

So he could lose 15 in a row before you’d look at his play?

Either can’t read the blitz or can’t get the ball out fast enough to counter it (by Nichols or play design). Teams are going to throw the same WIL/Half/Safety blitz at this offence until they can counter it. Same thing repeatedly in the last two games.

Coates has a non-football injury. Bagg was injured playing football for the Riders in training camp this year. That's the difference. If Coates was injured in training camp he'd be on the 6 game. You can cut injured players with benefits if they are not veterans. Can't cut injured veterans. That's why teams are often hesitant to bring vets in for a look. They roll an ankle and they are on your team.

Lapo must have something ready for Lankford. There's some hope. The darkness in my heart tells me though that Lapo is always nuts for a guy who can "take the top off the defense" even if the guy can't run a route to save his life. Lankford also has fumbleitis of late. I hope to hell he doesn't return kicks.

Yep, it's quite simple. A 5 minute assessment is not enough. There's a ton of Adrenalin, often other substances on board. The protocols are basically legal ass covering, but even as that they aren't effective if they are not followed. The trigger to be in protocol should be any sign of symptoms or the hit itself, whatever reveals itself first. You shouldn't have to flunk an extremely basic assessment to end up in protocol. IMO the CFL Protocol sucks and if they can't follow it for a simple open field hit on the QB with 500 cameras on him that's a pretty good sign they just aren't trying to protect the players.

Chris Jones basically comes out and announces that the Riders violated the CBA today with releasing Bagg. Can't release an injured veteran. Should have kept him on 1 game IR. Gonna be a lot deeper doo doo than a $25,000 fine if the CFLPA decides to grieve this. What a maroon, why even say this?

But now we know Medlock would have to break both legs to leave the game.

I wouldn't. He's not much better than Lankford at this point. Straight line speed and nothing else.

Ya, and the unbuckled chinstrap is what take him down.

He looked pretty bad for Montreal too. Got lucky that the crown of his helmet hit the paint otherwise he would have had a fumble that would have been on the top 10 stupid plays for the rest of our lives.