Bombers @ Als: The Game Day Thread

[blue_gold_84]

29 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

You know who deserves a tip of the hat? Alexander for that knockdown on the Als last regulation drive.

His best defensive play of the night by a mile, IMO.

[Brandon]

5 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

Nik Lewis says they gave the game away. How do you give away a game that you never held the lead in?

In fairness to Nik... Durant's first int,   the botched 3rd down gamble,   the Durant fumble... they definitely made some boneheaded plays. 

[Bubba Zanetti]

Our D really does need to tighten up. I thought Knox was better and made a couple nice shoestring tackles. Im not concerned about Leggett or our DB's. Randle and Heath are as solid as they come and Alexander/Walker are really young but have played alright and have bright futures. Fogg is kinda meh but i think he's out when Walker comes back. I really think that Hurl and Loffler have been the biggest issue this year. Im sorry but Hurl is junk. He's slow as dirt and always 2 seconds late to the play. His brutal missed sack on Durant could have been a massive turning point. The guy is the worst MLB in the league. I cant remember the last time he made an impact play in a good way. IMO Loffler has been the biggest disappointment. I mean we all knew Hurl sucked but we all thought Loffler was going to be the white Ed Reed of the north. If he's not dropping gimme INT's he's got Hurl syndrome arriving 2 seconds late to the play or missing a tackle trying to destroy a guy. How many times last night Nik Lewis catch a 6 yard pass and turn it upfield with Loffler arriving just a bit late. They were clearly feeding him last night and he had like what? 10 catches? And we couldnt break a single 1 up?? Seems like he's just a bit slow reading the play unlike Randle who was in Durants head. If he's not blowing guys up he's not doing much out there. Really disappointed in him this year. There really is no solution due to the ratio seeing as both are Canadian. We just have to hope they improve.

Having said all that were are 7-2 baby! But we also give up the 2nd most points a game this year after Hamilton which is really starting to scare me. I really hope they can tighten up before the dam bursts at some point.

[17to85]

Funny how Hurl gets his missed sack brought up all the time yet Westerman and Jeffcoat both had the exact same thing happen and no one talks about it at all. 

Missing a sack on Durant isn`t the worst sin in the world, the guy has made a career of not going down in the backfield when you got him dead to rights. 

[MOBomberFan]

Like Joseph before him, Darian Durant always burns us for big runs, and is one of the most elusive QB's in the league. He can slip away from the best of them.

[Bubba Zanetti]

True enough but the guy is like 36 now and not the spring chicken he once was. Westerman and Jeffcoat get a pass because their good contributions outweigh their bad. Hurl had a pick in week 1 where Glenn hit him in the hands. Take out his week one stats and he has 32 tackles in 8 games.....and thats it. Not a sack, pick, forced fumble, nothing. Hell, the game against BC he DID NOT REGISTER A STAT. Not a single freakin' tackle. He is averaging 4 tackles a game. His numbers are down right embarrassing for a starting MLB. He just doesnt make plays. There is no defending him.

[MOBomberFan]

He did have that fumble return for a TD get called back, but I can't remember what the penalty was even for. Block to the back? Other than that he's been underwhelming, no doubt.

[17to85]

No judgement on whether or not Hurl is playing well or not, but there is a clear case where some people around these parts treat him like a whipping boy. His flaws are inflated to ridiculous extremes and his positives diminished or just flat out ignored. It makes it impossible to take what some people say about the guy seriously. 

[Bubba Zanetti]

Can you name me a positive other than his passport?

[17to85]

I rest my case.

[Bubba Zanetti]

Lol. As do i.

[Arnold_Palmer]

18 minutes ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

True enough but the guy is like 36 now and not the spring chicken he once was. Westerman and Jeffcoat get a pass because their good contributions outweigh their bad. Hurl had a pick in week 1 where Glenn hit him in the hands. Take out his week one stats and he has 32 tackles in 8 games.....and thats it. Not a sack, pick, forced fumble, nothing. Hell, the game against BC he DID NOT REGISTER A STAT. Not a single freakin' tackle. He is averaging 4 tackles a game. His numbers are down right embarrassing for a starting MLB. He just doesnt make plays. There is no defending him.

He's a MLB. I'm not making excuses for his play but if you expect INT's and sacks then you're going to be disappointed...

[MOBomberFan]

Not that he's my candidate for MODP or anything... but he did pick off Glenn in Week 1.

Edited August 25, 2017 by MOBomberFan
OUR week1 haha

[Bubba Zanetti]

I expect something, anything.

[Bubba Zanetti]

I wear blue tinted glasses just as much as the next guy but Hurl truly is a liability and has been terrible this year.

[Mr Dee]

I can't defend Hurl because I don't have all the facts. 

It's really hard to dissect a player's contribution to the overall scheme of things, so to make statements that can't be backed up are useless. Is he in position? Is he calling the right alignments? Does he flow to the ball? Does the effort he puts in inspire his teammates? Does that make him a leader?

Hurl is not the quintessential MLB that so many of the fans covet, but he is in there for a reason (other than to take heat off of Carmichael). I don't believe this makes him a liability. If he was, our record wouldn't be as it is. As long as we keep winning, and his name is easy to pronounce, then I'm in.

 

[Bubba Zanetti]

Im not asking him to be another Elimimian, Woods, Sherritt, etc. All i want from a MLB is to be in the right position and to stop the run/make tackles. Instead of the right position he spends the majority of the game in the trail position and, backed up by his stats, rarely makes the tackle.

[Pete Catan's Ghost]

11 minutes ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

Im not asking him to be another Elimimian, Woods, Sherritt, etc. All i want from a MLB is to be in the right position and to stop the run/make tackles. Instead of the right position he spends the majority of the game in the trail position and, backed up by his stats, rarely makes the tackle.

He calls a hell of a coin toss.

[JuranBoldenRules]

I'd like to see Jones get some reps at safety with Loffler playing more of a Wild-esque WIL spot.  Knox sucks in pass coverage and is often getting torched vs the run.  I don't want him covering receivers anymore, even covering backs might be too much.  The middle blitzes more in this scheme vs pass or run.  Loffler would have far less ground to cover in the box and would have a greater impact.  I have no doubt he can make the tackles, his coverage skills are not great either but hopefully he'd get to play more downhill.

If they really think Jones can contribute they need to let him because that triangle of WIL-MLB-Safety are struggling big time.  IMO each one of those guys is not being put in a reasonable spot to succeed.

[Mr Dee]

I'd like this idea also. Loffler is exactly what he is, not great, but fairly good at hitting. Loffler would definitely benefit from being closer to the play. His coverage would improve in that regard. Perhaps Jones would provide the speed that Loffler is lacking in reaching targets. All in all, an upgraded D provided Jones could step in.  I do think he's ready. Let's do it.

[BigBlueFanatic]

Seems to me Loffler is having a bit of a sophomore jinx... and yet I can't help but think many times he's the victim of looking bad on TV making up for other players mistakes or the zone scheme.

There was one play in the second half where he tackles Rutley on a pass and run.  Guess what happy duo are *standing* right there, passing a cigarette back and forth?! Surprise! It's Knox and Hurl.  Why in the name of all that's Blue is the frickin Safety having to bail out the MLB and WIL?!

[Arnold_Palmer]

Your safety will always look bad on tv because his primary job is reacting to where the play is going. I think he is having a little bit of a sophomore jinx. He has good reactions to plays, and obviously he can lay the shoulder down with the best of them. His presence in the middle of the field can't be underestimated. I do think he looks a little bigger this season and his speed might be just the tiniest bit compromised, obviously the problem with big hitters is that they don't always wrap up and sometimes the ball carrier gets away but overall I still think he's one of the best safeties in the league. 

[TBURGESS]

I suspect that Loffler's injury has something to do with his reduced level of play.

[17to85]

Loffler may not be quite the same as he was, but don't tell me receivers don't know he's there, I mean we see a lot of mid level drops by opposing teams and I for one choose to believe Loffler has put the fear of god into them. 

[Fatty Liver]

Not sure whether blaming Hurl or Knox helps but this D did not look good against the Als at all.  Sitting Poop was an immensely bad decision and I hope it never ever happens again.  Didn't matter the situation in the 4th Q and in O.T.  the Als accomplished whatever they needed to and the D had no answers until Randle finally stepped up and put an end to the nonsense.  Very concerned about the LD match and can see the Riders eviscerating this defence in the air and on the ground, hopefully Nichols, Harris and Dressler can provide an effective counterpoint  because Hall just doesn't have the balance of solid personnel to cover the holes, imo.

Edited August 27, 2017 by Throw Long Bannatyne