So What's The Problem?

[Captain Blue]

What impressed me about Dickenson was that they put Mitchell in easy situations, playing to his strengths.  To some extent Crowton did that with Goltz with the zone read, but I would have kept it going all game.

 

This is going to get worse next week before it gets better but I do not think we're as bad as we're making it out.  I trust Burke and Creehan to fix the defense, it's just a matter of how quickly and how much of an improvement it can make.  Pair it with the Goltz offense and we'll at least be competitive.

[voodoochylde]

Does anyone think a guy like Chapdelaine would leave BC?

[17to85]

Honestly all the talk about firing people is way too premature. GMs midseason is absolutely useless, firing head coaches midseason is just as bad. You want to clean house wait until the offseason that's the time to do it. 

[pigseye]

but the point is that this game was more circumstantial than the problems in the last 2 games which were largely a yeah they sucked situation. Not taking the field goal try and then running out of time in the quarter cause you're still on your drive is not the same as going 2 and out every time you get the ball in the 3rd. The problems last night weren't that the offense couldn't get anything going, it was the the defense couldn't get a stop and put the offense back on the field. 

 

That's the CFL though, the team that controls the ball and keeps the other teams offense on the bench usually wins. Your offense has to be as good as your opponent because offenses have the advantage over defenses on the large field. The defense was schat but this was still only a 10 point game (7 even if brain fart had taken the field goal) late in the 3rd quarter. The Bombers needed to string together two long drives themselves in the 3rd and 4th quarter, ending points, the game was theirs for the taking.

[Floyd]

1. Dave Ritchie's quote about rookies and losses comes to mind as the main problem this year and every year with Mack.  This team looked broken in the second half.

 

2. You cannot build a winning team without a premium Oline...  January is the only guy on our line who seems to be able to read a defence - everyone else just hopes for the best.

 

There is a long list of problems...  these two are at the core.

[voodoochylde]

1. Dave Ritchie's quote about rookies and losses comes to mind as the main problem this year and every year with Mack.  This team looked broken in the second half.

 

2. You cannot build a winning team without a premium Oline...  January is the only guy on our line who seems to be able to read a defence - everyone else just hopes for the best.

 

There is a long list of problems...  these two are at the core.

 

And the problem with that is that January has only ever been a journeyman at best .. he's no shut down tackle by any stretch of the imagination.

[17to85]

That's the CFL though, the team that controls the ball and keeps the other teams offense on the bench usually wins. Your offense has to be as good as your opponent because offenses have the advantage over defenses on the large field. The defense was schat but this was still only a 10 point game (7 even if brain fart had taken the field goal) late in the 3rd quarter. The Bombers needed to string together two long drives themselves in the 3rd and 4th quarter, ending points, the game was theirs for the taking.

but they DID string together some drives that could have ended in points! Yeah they weren't touchdown drives, but they moved the ball when they had it. You can't win with a defense that gives up massive time consuming drives like that every time they get onto the field, likewise you can't expect an offense to score touchdowns every time they get the ball either. The score in this game was closer than it should have been based on how the defense played and anyone who is focussing on the offense not doing it's job really doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. The offense scored some points and moved the ball despite the defense turning in a Daley-like performance. It's one thing to let RIcky Ray pick you apart, but this was a 23 year old qb making his first ever start!

[pigseye]

but they DID string together some drives that could have ended in points! Yeah they weren't touchdown drives, but they moved the ball when they had it. You can't win with a defense that gives up massive time consuming drives like that every time they get onto the field, likewise you can't expect an offense to score touchdowns every time they get the ball either. The score in this game was closer than it should have been based on how the defense played and anyone who is focussing on the offense not doing it's job really doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. The offense scored some points and moved the ball despite the defense turning in a Daley-like performance. It's one thing to let RIcky Ray pick you aparty, but this was a 23 year old qb making his first ever start!

 

Bend but don't break, and for the most part the defense was only giving up field goals, until they all but gave up when brain fart didn't take the points. You can't stop a short passing game when they have the run game going too. Your only hope is to match them, which the Bomber offense could have done if they had stuck to the same offensive plan as the Stamps, this is what Doug Brown was talking about, and I agree with him. Swap Dickinson for Crowton and their is no doubt in my mind that the Bombers win this game by a TD.

[rebusrankin]

How much of Burke's deal is guaranteed. I know it was a 3 year deal (13,14,15) but Lapo's was only 2 year's guaranteed so is Burke's the same? Would mean only paying Mack and Burke for 2014. Fire them and pay the money for quality people. We have a new stadium which gives us higher attendance on higher prices, I'll assume concessions are giving us more, more on parking, naming rights etc.

[DR. CFL]

The point is not scoring in the third quarter....the TOP in the third is indicative of an inept performance by the defence to even get the ball back for the offence.

[17to85]

Bend but don't break, and for the most part the defense was only giving up field goals, until they all but gave up when brain fart didn't take the points. You can't stop a short passing game when they have the run game going too. Your only hope is to match them, which the Bomber offense could have done if they had stuck to the same offensive plan as the Stamps, this is what Doug Brown was talking about, and I agree with him. Swap Dickinson for Crowton and their is no doubt in my mind that the Bombers win this game by a TD.

so stop the run game! the amount of tackles they missed on Cornish alone would have gone a long way to actually getting the offense back onto the field. You're either being deliberately argumentative here or you're an idiot, which is it?

[Floyd]

Bend but don't break, and for the most part the defense was only giving up field goals, until they all but gave up when brain fart didn't take the points. You can't stop a short passing game when they have the run game going too. Your only hope is to match them, which the Bomber offense could have done if they had stuck to the same offensive plan as the Stamps, this is what Doug Brown was talking about, and I agree with him. Swap Dickinson for Crowton and their is no doubt in my mind that the Bombers win this game by a TD.

 

Greg Marshall ran a 'bend but don't break' defence for years...  that constantly killed us with long-drawn out opposition drives that resulted in few points but still wore our own defence down.  We had good players and made good plays but 'bend but don't break' gives you 'compete but don't win' teams.  Creehan's D looks A LOT like Marshall's...  and that is not good.

 

I would take Mark Nelson right now in a heartbeat... or even just Burke as full-time DC again.

[pigseye]

so stop the run game! the amount of tackles they missed on Cornish alone would have gone a long way to actually getting the offense back onto the field. You're either being deliberately argumentative here or you're an idiot, which is it?

 

No, you're just changing the focus now. If both teams run up and down the field all night long on each other, odds are the game comes down to whoever has the ball last. Either you don't watch a lot of CFL or this point escapes you?

 

The problems with our defence are another matter entirely and have nothing to do with what our offence does when they get the ball. It's not hard to grasp.

[voodoochylde]

Guys ... there is good discussion going on here .. please don't let it devolve to bickering and name calling.

[iso_55]

Creehan refuses to blitz. Can't get any pressure from the DL. We have to blitz to create pressure on the qbs. What we're doing now just isn't working.

[Floyd]

Creehan was the worst DC in the league last year, we hired him and expected results to be different.  I guess we were wrong.

[Jpan85]

I could stomach a 4-14 season if Goltz is the starter the rest of the way and shows some progression from now till the end.

[road griller]

I watched the game with my pet sheep last night.  He said this team is Bahahahahahahd. 

 

He likes Goltz though, says he did well and will only improve. 

[blitzmore]

so stop the run game! the amount of tackles they missed on Cornish alone would have gone a long way to actually getting the offense back onto the field. You're either being deliberately argumentative here or you're an idiot, which is it?

There is absolutely no reason for you to be calling people idiots! 

[JuranBoldenRules]

How much of Burke's deal is guaranteed. I know it was a 3 year deal (13,14,15) but Lapo's was only 2 year's guaranteed so is Burke's the same? Would mean only paying Mack and Burke for 2014. Fire them and pay the money for quality people. We have a new stadium which gives us higher attendance on higher prices, I'll assume concessions are giving us more, more on parking, naming rights etc.

Bombers get zero from parking, university is reaping those profits.  Revenues will be higher, but they need to turn an operating profit of $4.5 million to service the debt.  They've only done that 2006 (Grey Cup).  They are paying more for transportation, policing etc than they budgeted.  The margins are razor thin, there isn't $500,000 to spend on a coach while paying two others.

[rebusrankin]

They sold parking passes at twice the rate, so they do make money from parking, JBR. LaPo's deal is only paid for this year, so you fire Burke in the off-season, you're only paying him. It was only $4 million they needed to pay off per year. I believe its doable (paying for a quality coach).

[SmokinBlue]

You would think by now a GM would be smart enough to put a clause into the contract that it only applies if you get a winning record this season.

[Adrenaline_x]

Yah but then coaches are going to be less inclined to sign when the GM that is hiring tends not to value cfl experience over youth and cheap.

[JuranBoldenRules]

They sold parking passes at twice the rate, so they do make money from parking, JBR. LaPo's deal is only paid for this year, so you fire Burke in the off-season, you're only paying him. It was only $4 million they needed to pay off per year. I believe its doable (paying for a quality coach).

The passes are sold through the Bombers/Ticketmaster.  Doesn't mean they are getting the money and they aren't.  Any parking revenue they are getting is offset by increased costs of transportation.  The university is getting the bulk of it.

 

The loan has increased by over $10 million over the life for some extras they added, and they haven't made a payment in the first two years of the loan. 

[iso_55]

Mack's got to go.... Lots of posters here don't want to hear that but I think he's done. This team is regressing. He fired LaPo for what??? A Crowton offense which is worse than it was a year under LaPo??? A young head coach who while he made some mistakes managing the game because of inexperience.... yet never, ever looked totally demoralized, flummoxed, like Tim Burke does having no answer as to how to get this team to win. Right from the very first game Burke coached as a HC in Regina last year, this team has never been ready to play. We are constantly being outcoached. And Mack gave this dude a long term deal. Begone, Mack!