RedBlacks @ Lions -- Post Game Stats and Comments

[DanoT]

I guess we shouldn't be surprised that it took until around 6 minutes left in the game for the Lions to finally throw a screen pass to Harris. And the TSN crew said they were surprised that the Lions waited until there was less than 3 minutes left to move the pocket a bit.

This team is a train wreck disaster.

[Toppy Vann]

I was wondering what the Ottawa Sun Tim Baines had to say about this game and found out that the Lions FINALLY acted on one guy's trashing other teams. Just how freaking long does it take for them to figure this out and act!!!???

I'm not in a rage at Manny but I note this as more indicative of no leader at the helm. How can Tedford have waited until Saturday with the game Sunday to shut this guy up and stop handing other teams bulletin board material?????!!!!!!

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Lio ... story.html

Notes:.… Lions receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux said on Twitter he won't post anything football-related for the balance of this season. The move came after Tedford said he would address critical tweets that Arceneaux made regarding Ottawa's Jovon Johnson. Arceneaux's tweet Friday was accompanied by a Twitter logo indicating his account was "shut down."

Lions tell Arceneaux to quiet down

Tim Baines
By Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun

"It's the way of the world so I don't know if you can fight against it," said Lions coach Jeff Tedford on Saturday. "It's the way people communicate, young people especially. But we don't condone any ill will or negative comments toward our opponent or anyone else. We don't need to put anything out there about our football club, about what our intentions are or about our opinions of players or teams. It's not acceptable, we don't condone it and it's been addressed."

http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/09/12/lio ... quiet-down

http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/09/13/red ... -arceneaux

RedBlacks hammer Lions, end Ottawa's west-coast drought

After getting the ball in RedBlacks territory, with just 16 seconds left, Lions QB John Beck took 12 seconds to get a play off. Then with time running out, he threw a pass into the flat, well short of the end zone. That, folks, is poor clock management, followed by a poor decision.

[maxlion]

RedBlacks hammer Lions, end Ottawa's west-coast drought

After getting the ball in RedBlacks territory, with just 16 seconds left, Lions QB John Beck took 12 seconds to get a play off. Then with time running out, he threw a pass into the flat, well short of the end zone. That, folks, is poor clock management, followed by a poor decision.

That bugged me at the time, and points to Beck's inability, but really at that point the game was done. They might as well have just taken a knee.

[WestCoastJoe]

From Steve Ewen ...

"We couldn't get anything going with the run game and we put a lot of pressure on the passing game. It was a rough night offensively, for sure."

Tedford's take on Beck was: "He did some good and some not so good things. He was 20-of-29. We were just in too many long yardage situations. You can't live on that against a team like Ottawa, that leads the league in sacks."

JT re Beck: "He did some good and some not so good things. He was 20-of-29. We were just in too many long yardage situations. You can't live on that against a team like Ottawa, that leads the league in sacks."

Pressure defence. What a concept. But, at the end of the day, it is just gambling. Better to play it safe. Rush 3 or 4. Play guys back in a zone. Make them make excellent plays all the way down the field. (Pressure defence? Not our philosophy. We play a superior style of clever defence. Play back. Way back. We figured we could start a new trend of smaller, faster DTs, as with Roh and Ese M-A. Well that did not work out so well.)

Who needs sacks? Who needs pressure? Who needs to attack the LOS? Nah ... Play it conservatively.

How to fix our offence? Take it out and shoot it. Beyond hope.

It is 2015. And we continue to manage and coach like it is 1999. Some of the decisions we are making might not have been good in any era. They might have been good in the days of three yards and a cloud of dust, in the days of Red Grange. But even then, even more then, you had to be able to stop the run. Oooops ... How does a team stop the old Single Wing running game? Load up the LOS and penetrate. Nah, that aggressive stuff is just gambling. Play back. Play it safe.

At half time, Burris said they knew what the Lions were doing on defence. They would adjust a bit, and they would be OK. Ummm ... Yeah.

Yup. 4 guys at the LOS. Doing pretty much the same thing all the time. So we can plan to do "this" against them. And "that." Not much pressure up front. Not much blitzing. And they tend to telegraph the blitzes, as seldom as they are. One thing, though, Fraser moved around quite a lot. He was a bit of a nuisance. He hits. He reads the play. He reacts well to the ball.

[InUrFace]

Well special teams looked good this week 1 because Jeff worked with them all week and Mcmann watched. This made a difference 2 Rainy did what he came here to do. 3 blocking was made for him to do what he needed to do.

As for this Offense. Lacks imagination and talent. I see the same if not worse play book and schemes. Lets see the players that looked productive and show hear and those that dont look productive. Besides Hawkins, Collie fighting for the ball. Dang guys thats it..lol Now for the other half.. EA and yes should be gone. Gore to many chances .. Harris no holes and no run game in plan. Take EA out put Taylor in. He has mad chemistry with Beck. Use Harris with Rainy two set. Cortez is so bad as a OC ...just with Harris leaving the building says it all. Jeff needs to step it up have balls and take the truth to Wallys face ....let me run my team or you come back down on the field. I still feel theres interference.

D got tired yes this is true but the schems still suck. Maybe its a good thing we keep losing games so we can have a house cleaning ... cus it stinks like Wally and Febreeze cant even Help until he has left for good.

[B.C.FAN]

I'm glad this awful summer schedule is over. Nothing but Fridays and Saturdays for the final four home games. By the time the next game rolls around, it will have been 10 weeks since I'll have had a chance to use my tickets. At least I picked some good games to miss.

The negatives have been pretty well covered so after reading everyone's comments and watching the PVR, here are some positives that I took from the game.

Special teams: As InUrFace mentioned, Jeff Tedford took charge of special teams this week from Chuck McMann and the difference in game-planning showed. Blocking and coverage were excellent, and Chris Rainey set up 15 of the Lions' 18 points with two great returns and 172 total return yards. Shaquille Murray-Lawrence also quietly had 169 yards on kick returns, for a solid 24.1 yard average. Richie Leone averaged 66.5 yards on four kickoffs, 48.7 yards on six punts, was 1 for 1 on field goals and kicked a CFL record 48-yard convert. Special teams were special for the first time all year.

Defence: They didn't get the sacks and QB pressure that they got last week against Montreal, but the defence was flying to the ball and kept the Redblacks out of the end zone until the final three minutes of the third quarter despite some terrible starting field position. I love the aggressive play of Eric Fraser. He had eight tackles, broke up several passes over the middle and was always around the ball. I think he'll become my new favourite Lion. Adam Bighill and Josh Johnson also made several big plays to stop Ottawa drives and T.J. Lee had two sacks on halfback blitzes. This is not the passive zone defence that we saw for the first half of the season. The players were on the field far too long but they played hard and attacked the ball.

[Blitz]

What a horrible performance....this is a ship that is badly listing, is taking on more and more water, and the deck chairs are sliding into the deep blue sea. Wally, alias Captain Queeg (old Yellowstain) seems oblivious to the error of his ways.

Here are few thoughts.

Offence:Jeff Tedford took over special teams last week and the results were very positive. Tedford really needs to take over our offence from George Cortez pronto or Tedford could be gone. This is George Cortez's offence that he ran last season in Riderville. He has learned nothing from his dismissal. This is a bland, predictable, dismal offensive system.

We were supposed to run an H Back Tight End system and Cortez took our tight ends and turned them into slotbacks. If that was crazy, even crazier was our game against Ottawa, where we ran more tight end sets than we have all season -of course after we got rid of our tight end.

This offence is worse than ChapBall or Khari Ball by spades. Its badly designed, the play calling is awful, and the passing attack is something out of Pop Warner.

Quarterback: The quarterback position has taken heat for our dismal offence this season but Lulay, Beck, or even Ricky Ray if we traded for him would not make a big difference. The solution is not at quarterback - its in the scheme and coaching.

John Beck: Fans knew, coming into this season, that we were making a number of changes and we were a young team. If they saw some excitement in our schemes and passion from our players they would be supportive. If we had a young quarterback that we were developing, they would be more supportive. Its ridiculous to have a 34 year old taking starting reps with two young promising quarterbacks on the roster.

Andrew Harris: Defenses are keying on Harris. If we could pass the football off play action on first down it would open up things for Harris to run but we can't. So we ignore Harris. Andrew Harris did not shower or meet the media after the game. Andrew Harris gets upset when he doesn't get the football. Its not about winning or losing as much as its about his reps. But at the same time, its crazy to ignore him as much as we did against Ottawa or use him primarily as a blocker against Montreal. Harris *beeotch* publically when Chap kept him in to block less than 50% of the time in a game. Harris was very upset a couple games ago when he was primarily used as a blocker. He was told we would become more aggressive after the bye week. Hasn't happened. He's probably love to have Chap back the way Cortez is using him.

Defense: Our defense has looked so much better with Minter inside. Fraser has been a very good decision as well. Both should have been playing much sooner. Bo Lpkombo is being used more and more. Washington has begun to use a few more blitzes and the results have been more positive. Jerome Westerman continues to labour at defensive end. But personell alone will not get our defence changed. They were on the field too long but our defensive system is too simple and its too easy to exploit.

Anyone here rather have Stubler and Chap back now? I sure would and never wanted either gone. This is a badly coached football team. Yes, its missing a rush end and a dynamic go to receiver but it shouldn't be this bad. Its also a team without passion and enthusiasm, even though its young. This is not new...this was happening in the Benevedes era. It lacks coaching leadership and player leadership. The Korey Banks type of leaders are gone and no one has been able to step in and assume those roles. Andrew Harris, Adam Bighill, etc. are very talented players but they are not able to lead in the same way as the Angus Reid's, Dante Marsh type of players who preceded them.

Manny Arsenault: I'm not surprised that Arsenault has not looked good at slot back. He's mainly a deep threat receiver who doesn't run good patterns or now how to beat zone defenses. He is not the type of player who should be playing the Ranger position. He's also a mouth piece. He's a player we should say good bye to.

But dropping a vet or two will not get this team changed around. The problems are deeper and coaching on both sides of the football is mediocre. This is a young team that should have still been excited that they had a chance to win in the 4th quarter and they were quiet and looked like they mostly gave up after losing the lead. They don't have confidence in our schemes and who can blame them. But they are young pros playing a game they supposedly love. It didn't look like that yesterday.

Its not the losing that is getting to me. Its how we are losing - with bland offensive and defensive systems and with little team spirit. It's very sad to watch.

[DanoT]

I would like to see new OC and DC, if not immediately then for next year. The problem is that there are slim pickings when it comes to replacement coaches and other teams are or will be in need of new coaches as well and these days BC is a less then desirable place to coach or play.

[Solar Max]

I think it goes deeper than OC and DC.

Wally still calls the shots on the field imo, and it cost Benevides. Now it's Tedford's turn, and unless Wally lets Tedford's bring in his own people (goodbye Chuck McMann) then nothing changes with Wally calling the shots.

Wally has been surpassed by modern coaches like Jones, Milanovitch, Austin. Campbell. There is no room for " playing not to lose " 1995 coaching imo. Either be the GM only or step aside completely. It's time.

[Dusty]

What a horrible performance....this is a ship that is badly listing, is taking on more and more water, and the deck chairs are sliding into the deep blue sea.
Its not the losing that is getting to me. Its how we are losing - with bland offensive and defensive systems and with little team spirit. It's very sad to watch.

Well said Blitz. All your points are well taken, but to me, it is the "how" we are losing that is the most upsetting. I was prepared for a poor season, but I thought that there would be some gradual improved play as new systems or schemes were introduced and the younger players got some experience under their feet. What is upsetting is that we are getting worse.... I am not sure that there is any team that we can beat, and if I have that feeling, then the players likely have the same feeling which is showing up in their attitude on the sidelines.... VERY disturbing......

I understand the thinking in bringing an OC with recent CFL experience when the HC is new to the CFL. What I do not get is sticking to an outdated system that IS NOT WORKING. A short week is hardly the time to make drastic changes, but nonetheless, as a long time STH, I can live with change..... even if the losing continues... I do have faith in Tedford, but not Cortez and Washington to make the changes needed. Change now, or after the season, but change needs to happen... The "HOW" we are playing is not acceptable.

[SammyGreene]

An absolute mess.
Dated and ineffective schemes, inferior talent, suspect drafting, veterans cut with no legit replacements, inability to land key free agents in clear areas of need (Westerman, Lorenz) and questionable recruiting.

Then there's the business side of the Lions operations. Don't think it was even 19,000 yesterday. Skulsky's business plan now has attendance 7,000 to 8,000 below 3 or 4 years ago never mind the resurgent under Bob Ackles from 2004-2008.

There use to always be the valid point the Lions/CFL at least played a more wide open entertaining brand of football compared to so many snore fest NFL games. Now that arguement doesn't even fly anymore.

[Blitz]

I think it goes deeper than OC and DC.

Wally still calls the shots on the field imo, and it cost Benevides. Now it's Tedford's turn, and unless Wally lets Tedford's bring in his own people (goodbye Chuck McMann) then nothing changes with Wally calling the shots.

Wally has been surpassed by modern coaches like Jones, Milanovitch, Austin. Campbell. There is no room for " playing not to lose " 1995 coaching imo. Either be the GM only or step aside completely. It's time.

I couldn't agree more Solar Max.

Our Leos team had continued to slide from our Grey Cup victory in 2006 and got off to another terrible start in 2011. But desperate, Wally allowed Chap to do more of his own thing rather than force him to stick with the old Calgary playbook and allowed Benevedes to go with a rotation on the defensive line - those changes plus the trade for Arland Bruce and the insertion of Harris, who had languished on the bench under Wally but got a chance due to an injury, got things changed around. Of course we had a lot of talent too but it was being misused. But Wally was viewed as genius again as he retired from the sidelines.

But Buono valued control over wisdom. He hired Benevedes, who had been 'mentored' by Buono for years for the top job. It was obviously a terrible job of mentoring. But with two experienced coordinators in Stubler and Chap, good player leadership, and good talent, our Leos played very well in 2012. But Benevedes was losing the team and should have been jettisoned at the end of 2013. Instead Wally chose to make Stubler and Chap the scapegoats. Instead we got Mark Washington and Khari Jones.

During this off-season, Buono thought he had gotten lucky by hiring Tedford. Tedford had experience in running a big program, had developed many future NFL stars, had a rep as a quarterback coaching geru, and he had also been hired as an offensive coordinator for an NFL team - and NFL teams do a lot of due diligence before hiring an offensive coordinator - they have a wide array of candidates.

But Buono saddled Tedford with a roster devoid of player leadership and had weaknesses in a number of positions that were not addressed in the off-season.

I#m guessing that Tedford assumed the CFL would be a less stressful and less challenging gig. Kown for working horrendous hours, Tedford thought he could hand over the reins of the offence to experienced coordinator George Cortez and continue letting Mark Washington ('a brilliant guy according to Buono) run the defense while super special teams coordinator Chuck McMann ran special teams. Tedford's role would be to guide the team with his experience, do some quarterback whispering, and lean on Wally's sage advice from time to time.

Well, it hasn't worked out that way. Cortez has been stuck in his boring spread offence for a long time and has never adapted, Washington is a Wally clone who thinks you can play defense like it was played in the 1990's, and Chuck McMann has always been mediocre.

Tedford has had an awakening. The CFL is not the CFL that Tedford coached in the 1990's. The spread offence in Calgary in those days was very innovative and defenses were slow to adjust. Today's CFL, as WCJ and others point out, has a lot of very good coaches and its sophisticated. Defenses know how to stop a simple spread offence. Defenses don't sit back and play passive zone defense like they did in the 90's.

We have an antiquated GM who can't sign free agents or bring in talent to key positions and whose fingerprints are still all over this team from assistant coaches to players. We have an antiquated offensive coordinator running an antiquated offensive scheme and a young defensive coordinator who runs an antiquated defensive scheme. We have a special teams coach who constantly looks confused.

We don't have an impact rush end or an impact offensive receiver. We have a starting quarterback with a history of shoulder problerms and a 34 year old backup. We are not developing quarterbacks anymore, as we did in the days of Chapdelaine. We don't have player leaders who can help set a winning attitude and help create team chemistry.

We are losing fans in droves. Buono is past his due date. Complacency has set in and he is living off his rep while still wanting to command and control the ship. But the ship is hitting icebergs and he won't change course - too set in his ways. He has let vet coaches go and let vet players go without considering the ramifications. Its like he thinks he can do anything and all will be fine because he is Wally Buono. That kind of thinking only leads to disaster.

[Blitz]

Blitz wrote:
What a horrible performance....this is a ship that is badly listing, is taking on more and more water, and the deck chairs are sliding into the deep blue sea.
Its not the losing that is getting to me. Its how we are losing - with bland offensive and defensive systems and with little team spirit. It's very sad to watch.

Well said Blitz. All your points are well taken, but to me, it is the "how" we are losing that is the most upsetting. I was prepared for a poor season, but I thought that there would be some gradual improved play as new systems or schemes were introduced and the younger players got some experience under their feet. What is upsetting is that we are getting worse.... I am not sure that there is any team that we can beat, and if I have that feeling, then the players likely have the same feeling which is showing up in their attitude on the sidelines.... VERY disturbing......

I understand the thinking in bringing an OC with recent CFL experience when the HC is new to the CFL. What I do not get is sticking to an outdated system that IS NOT WORKING. A short week is hardly the time to make drastic changes, but nonetheless, as a long time STH, I can live with change..... even if the losing continues... I do have faith in Tedford, but not Cortez and Washington to make the changes needed. Change now, or after the season, but change needs to happen... The "HOW" we are playing is not acceptable.

The big question is "Would Tedford be allowed to jettison Cortez (an old Wally offensive coordinator who runs the old Calgary spread offence), Mark Washington, and Chuck McMann?

I'm not happy with Tedford but until he can actually run what he wants to run (eg: a pro style offensive scheme and an aggressive defence) we will never know what he can and cannot do as a Head Coach. I believe he deserves that opportunity first but it wouldn't surprise me to see Wally return to the sidelines.

[Arny]

An absolute mess.
Dated and ineffective schemes, inferior talent, suspect drafting, veterans cut with no legit replacements, inability to land key free agents in clear areas of need (Westerman, Lorenz) and questionable recruiting.

Then there's the business side of the Lions operations. Don't think it was even 19,000 yesterday. Skulsky's business plan now has attendance 7,000 to 8,000 below 3 or 4 years ago never mind the resurgent under Bob Ackles from 2004-2008.

There use to always be the valid point the Lions/CFL at least played a more wide open entertaining brand of football compared to so many snore fest NFL games. Now that arguement doesn't even fly anymore.

It starts at the top. Perhaps the faithful can get a "Fire Wally" chant going at the next home game. It sure worked for the Canucks faithful with Gillis.

[CardiacKid]

The incident described by Farhan involving Harris after the game has me fearful that he will be the one targeted as the team "cancer" and unceremoniously cut..... I don't see Wally identifying Harris as such but who knows what Tedford's and Cortez's actual estimation of Harris is?