Matt Nichols, Elite quarterback?

[Fatty Liver]

26 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Reilly throws a very good deep ball - always has. 

If you call Hail Mary's good throws, I suppose so.  He relies a lot on his receivers to come up with the ball on those 50/50 shots.

[Booch]

45 minutes ago, Mike said:

I have to wonder what happens when Dress is healthy.

Part of me thinks Denmark is going to sit. We can't bench Flanders.

And as far as what I see out there on the field, we have plenty of weapons among the tops in the CFL. Harris, Dressler, Adams ... Thorpe and Flanders are incredible complimentary pieces.

There's really no denying it. We have an elite offence. 

I'm thinking Lankford gets a seat first. Denmark brings too much to the offence even tho he doesn't have big flashy stats this year. But I think that a combination , or one of of Fogg, Flanders/Walker and Thorpe returning kick-offs wouldn't leave us hurting at all. Flanders can't come out now, and just the threat of him and Harris there together now has DC's I bet scrambling now to try and game plan on this and see if they can find keys now on who gets it and when

I could almost see a Santos-Knox /Lankford swap for a game maybe too to see how that affects things. 

[Mark H.]

5 minutes ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

If you call Hail Mary's good throws, I suppose so.  He relies a lot on his receivers to come up with the ball on those 50/50 shots.

Not always 

[Fatty Liver]

6 minutes ago, Booch said:

I'm thinking Lankford gets a seat first. Denmark brings too much to the offence even tho he doesn't have big flashy stats this year. But I think that a combination , or one of of Fogg, Flanders/Walker and Thorpe returning kick-offs wouldn't leave us hurting at all. Flanders can't come out now, and just the threat of him and Harris there together now has DC's I bet scrambling now to try and game plan on this and see if they can find keys now on who gets it and when

I could almost see a Santos-Knox /Lankford swap for a game maybe too to see how that affects things. 

Exactly, they have Briggs and a few other clones to cover LB.  They can keep Lankford in to cover kickoffs and backup the receivers, occasionally putting him in for Thorpe to stretch the field.  When Lankford is running posts the DB's are in high back pedal mode and it opens up a lot of space underneath.

[Booch]

yup...the bigger problem I think is when OKO comes back and where and how do you get him and Jeffcoat in the lineup? 

[LeBird]

No problem Booch,  we pull a Jonesie and  take Jeffcoat and make him an offensive lineman to replace Bond for no real reason.

[do or die]

Depth is nice also, on O and  DL......but still need two replacements on D

[Atomic]

34 minutes ago, Booch said:

yup...the bigger problem I think is when OKO comes back and where and how do you get him and Jeffcoat in the lineup? 

Honestly I think Oko's job is in jeopardy.  You're not taking Jeffcoat out and Oko makes too much to ride the bench.  But we'll see.

[Brandon]

Lankford would sit... he's playing in Dresslers spot.  

[Booch]

Nah, he stays...no questions asked.  People hardly got to see him play, but he is the better of the 2...such a nice ting to have 2 guys opposite Westerman who can really play.

Also, 1/3rd of his salary won't be on the books, so when you look at it he will be paid for at most 12 games this season, so really a pretty good bargain

[BigBlue]

15 minutes ago, Atomic said:

Honestly I think Oko's job is in jeopardy.  You're not taking Jeffcoat out and Oko makes too much to ride the bench.  But we'll see.

i am still wondering if we can move a defensive end to lb   .... i don't know if any of them have the speed for pass coverage but they would sure add to the blitz and run coverage

[JCon]

Just now, BigBlue said:

i am still wondering if we can move a defensive end to lb   .... i don't know if any of them have the speed for pass coverage but they would sure add to the blitz and run coverage

Moving from DL to LB would be a huge move. Just think of how different those positions are and the roles they play??

[SPuDS]

12 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

Despite?  LaPolice called a great game. The Eskimos were unsteady for most of the game with tempo and play calling.  It was no accident this offence got  38 first downs.

38...

yup, all despite Lapo. lolol. unreal.

[SPuDS]

11 hours ago, 17to85 said:

How many more points could they have had if Lapo doesn't get too cute on the opening drive and call that brain dead fake? How about if he kept it simple and kept pounding the running backs rather than trying to pass it in? Lapo did good and Lapo did bad when he tried to outsmart everyone. Story the guys entire career. Smart man, knows his ****, gets too in his own head and too conservative for his own good. Only reason we didn't curb stomp the Esks on the scoreboard. 

536 yards of offense.  come on man.

[Atomic]

Just now, Booch said:

Nah, he stays...no questions asked.  People hardly got to see him play, but he is the better of the 2...such a nice ting to have 2 guys opposite Westerman who can really play.

Also, 1/3rd of his salary won't be on the books, so when you look at it he will be paid for at most 12 games this season, so really a pretty good bargain

Depends on the cap I guess.  Of course I agree the depth would be great.  But without knowing the financial situation, it's hard to say.

[BigBlue]

Just now, JCon said:

Moving from DL to LB would be a huge move. Just think of how different those positions are and the roles they play??

Definitely but possible .... FBs can move to center  ..... the change is a matter of speed ... outside or mlb could turn into a decent surprise .... working for Roc isn't it,, sam to db to cb

[Booch]

we had budgeted for his whole salary for the year, so paying a portion of it only just puts us in a better position SMS wise

[SPuDS]

20 minutes ago, Atomic said:

Honestly I think Oko's job is in jeopardy.  You're not taking Jeffcoat out and Oko makes too much to ride the bench.  But we'll see.

I wouldn't be adverse to trading him for a better corner to replace Roc.

[Arnold_Palmer]

1 minute ago, SPuDS said:

I wouldn't be adverse to trading him for a better corner to replace Roc.

No one will trade for Oko unfortunately. I see his days numbered at his salary. Jeffcoat has been great. 

[SPuDS]

Just now, Arnold_Palmer said:

No one will trade for Oko unfortunately. I see his days numbered at his salary. Jeffcoat has been great. 

well ya never know,.  Walters is pretty crafty.. maybe Oko and a pick.. or we could go rotation with Jeffcoat if the SMS works..

 

I dunno, Id hate to have to use Jackson less... he just keeps getting better.

[bearpants]

I don't see Okpaulongo going anywhere, it's nice to have the depth.... worst case is he gets 1-gamed for a while... our secondary will hopefully tighten up when Alexander is back...

[17to85]

43 minutes ago, SPuDS said:

536 yards of offense.  come on man.

That many yards and only 33 points. Comeon man indeed. You get in the end zone you win that game running away rather that having to hope they don't make that one error late. Lapo needs to own that. Esks had no answer for Flanders or Harris all-night yet they didn't give them many chances to hit the end zone. What do you call that other than an OC over thinking things?

[SPuDS]

Just now, 17to85 said:

That many yards and only 33 points. Comeon man indeed. You get in the end zone you win that game running away rather that having to hope they don't make that one error late. Lapo needs to own that. Esks had no answer for Flanders or Harris all-night yet they didn't give them many chances to hit the end zone. What do you call that other than an OC over thinking things?

Oh I agree, we need 6's not 3's but gotta give respect and credit where credit is due.  he called a pretty damn good game.

[17to85]

56 minutes ago, SPuDS said:

Oh I agree, we need 6's not 3's but gotta give respect and credit where credit is due.  he called a pretty damn good game.

between the 30s. See part of giving credit where credit is due is also recognizing the faults, and this is a fault that Lapo has had for years, his entire career really. Remember how back in 2002 and 2003 we were all screaming for Khari to call his own plays for the exact same reasons? 

It's just a crime that when Harris and Flanders are dominating that you don't just keep using them until they get stopped. Lapo gonna Lapo and over think it though and do the defenses job for them. 

[Dragon37]

Never bothered with the whole thread. Nichols is a good QB and I couldn't care less if people class him elite or not. He has been a big part of this team winning since he was handed the job. Just as he did with Edmonton before his terrible injury.  That team was pedestrian without him. To me he has the patience and smarts of Mitchell and the drive of Reilly. Like Mitchell, Nichols has won more than he has lost (including the time with Edmonton).  Indeed winning is a team effort and Nichols has been a big part of this team's turnaround in the last year.