JuranBoldenRules

Starting off on a good foot with a new teammate 101. "Sup, coach killer"

Isn't that pretty close to what we were running last year? It's basically the opposite. Burke relies on a 4 man rush and man or match coverage...very predictable, but if you have guys who execute and win the 1 on 1 battles, it can be spectacular. Etcheverry is more like Chris Jones, anyone can and will blitz and there will be a lot of zone defence behind that, sometimes with guys dropping into coverages that their position wouldn't in a more basic defence like Burke's.

Even if Ferri was signed we wouldn't have had an established starter at MLB, he's a WIL LB and spare DB.

Very different. First off, the QB-centre exchange is the most important skill in football. You can't do anything without it. You can't just plug anyone in at centre and expect them to be able to get the ball to the QB at a CFL level, which is the problem with guys like Kowalczuk and Parenteau etc. That is a huge skill in and of itself. The centre makes some calls to protections, but this is way overrated in Canadian football, most plays have the protections built in and basically what both the centre and QB both do is count how many guys are inside the tackles and which gap the defence is centered on, basically what they are playing as the strong side, which 99% of the time mirrors the offence or the width of the field anyways. This is different than American football, mostly the strong side of the field down south depends on the strong hand of the QB since the field is not nearly as wide. This is most of what the calls are, and the protection adjusts based on it, but every guy can see that when they look up, and if you're playing somewhere noisy, there's not a lot you can change at the line. Everyone is watching for potential blitzers, that mostly falls on the QB to make a call to react to that. adjust a route. OL have to block from their inside gaps out and do their best to take whoever comes...that's why you'll often see guys coming off the edge free when a defence sends more than 5. When you see guys come free through the 4 middle gaps, that means someone really screwed up, either took the wrong block or got completely dominated physically. Zone run blocking, it doesn't matter where the defence lines up or how many, they are blocking gaps and chipping upfield. Zone plays head to a side of the field, not a specific gap, you're basically creating a 3 on 2 situation for your blockers all along the LOS on the play side, allowing at least one of those guys to chip and get to the next level to take a LB or HB. The RB reacts and finds the opening. So really a centre doesn't call anything there, every OL needs to read their initial block and come out of their stance properly to get that done. The first 3 steps are key, can't waste any if you need to get upfield, or get a bit wider. I guess it depends what you think a sub-par lineman is. IMO, most of the centres in the league lately have all been subpar, meaning they'd really suck if you moved them to another spot where they actually ended up blocking someone 1 on 1 on the majority of snaps. But that's where the snapping part comes in, a guy who can snap very well and consistently can make a career, even if he struggles to make a block. Just look at a guy like Dominic Picard. If I had a dime for everytime he's literally been carried through the pocket by a DT, I could pay for my season tickets this year. Mostly you're just hoping they can be a good speed bump. Guards need to be more mobile, presumably you want them to be able to get to the 2nd level (LB's, HB's) in run blocking, although there are enough guys around the league lately that don't really have that ability (Kabongo for one). They both need to be smart enough to know where their block is and guards need to be patient enough in pass protection to not give up their inside gaps. Patience in OL is a sign of intelligence and football smarts IMO. This is really what the blitz is all about, challenging the OL to give up their inside gaps and a more direct route to the QB, the QB can read the outside rush, when it's coming right at him there's not much he can do.

I agree re: inside o-line. It's scary. Sadly, the only way it's going to get better in the forseeable future is a prospect stepping up. Guys who can anchor an o-line just don't make it to free agency frequently enough to bank on that route. They could go for a trade, but the price is going to be high. It'll be a great day when we can stop fretting over the o-line. I think Greaves has developed into a VERY solid Guard Now he needs to learn how to play that way consistently.

There wasn't much to pick from. Reality is a guy like Butler was going to BC (where he lives) or Hamilton (closest to where he grew up) as long as they put reasonable offers on the table. Bourke has spent his career in Montreal, as long as they are willing to pay him, he's not leaving. Given that we added a solid starting DB while moving away from Jovon and Stewart, added one of the top 2 available QB's, retained our #2 NI receiver and added a good young NI with upside in the secondary, Walters did pretty well. For all the people that feel the need to win a bidding war, we signed Nick Moore too, who I'm not a huge fan of but a guy that will make some plays, some mind-boggling drops and hopefully develop into a top receiver in the league with us. We lost Muamba, which was unavoidable, but didn't lose anyone else important, and I think it could be argued that some of the guys we let leave are addition by subtraction at this point. A

Meh...there's no one on the market who's going to even be a solid role player at that spot. Foster and Parker are both very limited players. Parker adds some value on special teams as he's an incredible athlete, but still hasn't figured out the position of receiver. Personally, given that this season is a write-off, I hope we give lots of time to guys like Feoli-Gudino and Brescacin who might be something.

No. Neufeld is a major question mark with his health anyways, and not very good, if we're starting him at tackle just for the ratio, we're in real bad shape. When Pencer played last year he looked like he belonged physically but very raw against pass rush moves when he did get engaged, IMO in that Edmonton game he looked more comfortable when he played RT after whoever left due to injury. I think if he plays more and gets to see where he needs to improve and has a decent coach, he'll be a decent player. I think they'll keep developing him at guard. Neufeld is a classic just try to get in the way for as long you can type of OL at this level IMO. Not a fan. One of the big improvements the Riders made from 2012 to 2013 was getting him off the field. I can't see them starting with less than 2 imports.

What an odd start to that franchises history. First they insist on being called the REDBLACKS. Then they hire a knob for a GM and screw over the best QB in Ottawa since Damon Allen to spend half a million on a worse 39 year old QB. Now they start their first season with a bye week. I have to think that's to buy (no pun intended) more time to get the stadium ready. I get that...but they couldn't take a bye in week 2 and play week 1 in their first season on the road? The team in Ottawa starting with a bye week sounds like a punchline...but the CFL wrote it themselves.

What an odd start to that franchises history. First they insist on being called the REDBLACKS. Then they hire a knob for a GM and screw over the best QB in Ottawa since Damon Allen to spend half a million on a worse 39 year old QB. Now they start their first season with a bye week.

True North might not like being the second half of the double header due to the "day long party drinkers". Going first shouldnt be a big deal unless they find people are choosing the Bombers over the Jets which I dont recall being an issue. I think the Bombers would prefer to avoid the situation of having a Jets game on the same day unless the Bomber game was at noon and the Jets at 7 or something. It would be an absolute nightmare to get across the city if the games were at 2 and 6 or something like that, basically people would have to choose, and I think people spending hundreds per game on the Jets are more likely to do that, meaning they wouldn't go to the Bomber game at all or leave very early. It worked out great going from the old stadium after that Als game and heading to Jets/Canes, that was a great day.

He'd have to be pretty unrealistic to think that. There are 500 Will Ford's looking for a tryout in the US right now.

Has been tagged for a bigger role a few times, but has been downright terrible at any spot other than field corner, where he can take a 10 yard cushion and have several seconds to react to any play headed his way. Last seen chasing a receiver after a double move. Don't really see a spot for him in Hamilton, thought they were pretty happy with the secondary that finished the season and everyone is back.

Pierce is about as good of a backup QB as you're going to get. He's just unreliable for long periods of time.

That's what happens when your mediocre. Fifty thousand yards of mediocrity?? Just a few average qbs ahead of him. Thrown for 4000 yards 3 times in his career. Passing yards are a measure of longevity, not greatness.

well said, and I'm not saying I condone it, but how the hell is a tweet by some random dude about wearing a robe in a change room interfering with anyone else's freedoms? I just hate to see the random actions by some boneheads expressing poor judgement be used as an excuse for the state to become even more involved in our day to day lives, stating that they are protecting "freedoms". Anyway, it's 2:00 pm here in Maui, happy hour just started, so aloha. Is Mark Cohon "the state?"

They downgraded their 3rd round pick in the upcoming draft and traded their 3rd next year to Calgary for a guy who might crack the DL rotation on half the teams in the league and specifically asked for a trade to Ottawa. They'll have the best tight ends in the league though, we're all jealous of that. They swapped? Thought they just outright dealt that pick Yep...19th for 23rd this year, which is BC's original pick. 3rd round picks in 2014 have now been dealt 8 times.

Has he checked his voicemail lately?

They downgraded their 3rd round pick in the upcoming draft and traded their 3rd next year to Calgary for a guy who might crack the DL rotation on half the teams in the league and specifically asked for a trade to Ottawa. They'll have the best tight ends in the league though, we're all jealous of that.

If you honestly think Goltz is as good as Marsh, well then good for you. They are in the same strata, roughly the same QB rating, Marsh is 4 points higher but with about a game's worth fewer passing attempts. Both would have to wake-up on top of a horseshoe to end up being starting QB's in the CFL.

Is there something about Tanner Marsh's QB play we should be excited about? All I saw was Goltz 2.0. Marsh's prayers were answered...by Eric Deslauriers.

What do you prefer, decent offence and no defense, or no offence and decent defense?

Can't wait to see Daley storming around manically while Burke stares out at the field like he just took a bottle of Ambien.

Who says it isn't? Free Agency is 5 hours old. Contrary to popular belief, the Bombers don't have a list of names that they go through one by one from the top down. And NIs know their worth. Any desirable FA NI with an agent worth his salt who is truly testing the market doesn't sign in 5 hours. They only have one phone line though.

Since Glenn left our organization unceramoniously during the start of Kelly's tenure, I've never been THAT upset that he left even though Kelly took a risk and lost. He obviously would help upgrade our QB options but I do feel his presence and demeanor on and off the field (his tweet the most recent one) has it's drawbacks that don't fit well with the type of culture, the type the approach, the type of attitude Miller, Walters and company are appearing to want to create for this team. I'm probably in the minority as a BB fan but I really don't want him back if I had the choice. I don't think you're in the minority. Glenn isn't the best leader. He seems a lot more relaxed now than he was as our starting QB in terms of dealing with the obligations that come with that position, possibly a result of both age and being humbled by being told twice that he wasn't wanted, now possibly a 3rd time.