AKAChip

Mike Reilly runs for his life on basically every play. And that is a guy who deserves the benefit of the doubt. He’s had more than one great season two years ago.

No matter how good a defence plays, it’s fortunate to allow 7 field goals and no TDs. It’s also fortunate to have roughly 100 less penalty yards than your opponent, no matter how poorly coached they are.

He wasn’t awful in 2015 but he certainly wasn’t good. He started 7 games where he didn’t get injured and didn’t return and he threw for 1700 yards, 10 TDs and 7 INTs in those games. He went 2-5 and while some games were close he was really only great in a 24-23 loss to Edmonton where he went for 320 with a 1:0 TD to INT ratio. That was the infamous Hajrullahu meltdown game. He notably went 189 0-1 with a 47% completion percentage in a 35-14 loss to the Johnathan Crompton lead Als team and threw 5 INTs in two games against Ottawa where they lost by a combined 10 points. We were all eager to see a QB that wasn’t Willy, but let’s not overstate his impact that season.

Well you’d be wrong.

In 2015 he completed 60% of his passes and had an 18:17 interception ratio. That’s significantly below average. Granted some of those numbers came in Edmonton but it was a largely uninspired season. He was better than Willy for us, but again talk about a low bar. He was better in 2016 but put up significantly worse numbers than Mitchell, Reilly, Jon Jennings and half a season of Trevor Harris. Without his 2017 season, he probably wouldn’t be this team’s QB right now.

I think we disagree on the definition of average, but I’ll leave it at that. He was very good in 2017, but that’s basically the only sample of him playing well for an extended stretch. He was the same guy now as he was for most of his career in Edmonton. And mediocre or worse players have one career year scattered amongst an ordinary career constantly.

But again, the sample size of bad Nichols is as long as the sample size of good Nichols. What other QB would get away with a full season where he literally has two good games? Not to mention, he was hardly an All-Star to begin with.

I give him all the credit for the win against Edmonton in week 17 and the BC win last year. Those were literally his two good 2018 performances.

It’s fruitless arguing with someone who so unapologetically knows nothing about anything they speak about.

What QB doesn’t know how to pump fake??? You can’t be serious.

I have no problem with his sliding. But it’s abundantly clear that you don’t know what you’re talking about. He holds on to the ball FOREVER good QBs don’t wait for their man to become open, that’s how you end up standing in the pocket and getting drilled. You’re just using buzzwords that you clearly don’t know what they mean. It’s laughable.

And tell me what Goff’s numbers were in comparison? Brady also has 5 other championships he can hang his hat on.

Answer the question, pal. What are Nichols’ strengths as a passer?

Lol

You’ve yet to make a single point that suggests you know anything about football. Tell me again, what do you think are Nichol’s strengths as a passer? And is a 46% completion percentage with 157 yards in a losing effort in the playoffs an acceptable result for you?

And Harris still had 5.5 YPC that game. Not like he was bottled up.

Absolutely. Bad gameplan, without a doubt. And Lapo never strays from his plan which is his second worst quality behind the way he calls a game with a two touchdown lead. However, there were plays to be made in that game and Nichols completed 46% of his passes on 32 throws. That’s pathetic and not on Lapo. Guarantee you that having Nichols as his QB makes Lapo terrified to make a gameplan that doesn’t heavily feature Harris.

Look, I don’t like Lapo any more than you do but to lay it all on him is once again letting Nichols off the hook for playing extremely poorly.

Hamilton worries me because Masoli is capable of bad meltdowns and I don’t trust Steinauer but Edmonton has very little talent outside of the offensive and defensive lines. Their receivers were exposed last game and the secondary is poor. Plus Maas lead teams will always lack discipline.

Calgary and Hamilton right now.

The WSF last season was almost exclusively his fault. Lapo didn’t help but it was an all time poor playoff QB performance.

And they shouldn’t. But the point is that the wins won’t continue against good teams with a similar QB performance. Even against a mediocre team like the Esks, it took a ton of fortunate circumstances to win that game.

Ok. And my argument ultimately comes down to one simple point: we don’t know how Nichols will fare later in the season and it’s theoretically possible that he picks up his game significantly. It’s impossible to know until it happens. I’m just skeptical that it will happen given the available evidence from the previous two seasons.

I don’t know, he ran the offence fairly well in his starts last season. And the offence rarely bogs down for stretches when he’s in the game, something that happens with Nichols frequently. Small sample size, sure but a sample nonetheless. I think you’ll find I’ve never once anointed him the saviour. Just think he’s as good a prospect we’ve brought in at the position in some time. I don’t love how often he looks to run but I think he gets too much crap for that. He hasn’t shown a reluctance to throw downfield either.

The offence wasn’t any worse with Streveler at the helm. He’s not perfect, but if he’s no worse now and there’s tangible upside, something Nichols doesn’t have, what’s the harm early in the season? I recognize it won’t happen, but it’s very easy to say there’s no one better when you know that there’s no chance Nichols is getting replaced barring injury.