The Stretch Drive

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Blitz
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Our Leos have 6 games remaining as we enter the 'stretch' drive period of our 18 game regular season schedule.

At the present time, we are tied, with Winnipeg for second place in the West, with a game in hand on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Eskimos. Over the next six games, we play Ottawa, Edmonton, and Winnipeg and Saskatchewan twice.

The Bombers are a very improved footall club, having won 7 of their last 8 games and demonstrated so by overcoming a 24-0 and 31-7 lead to almost beat Calgary at home. Winnipeg went ahead by one point in that game, with 20 seconds remaining but lost on a 52 yard, last play field goal to Calgary.

Edmonton has an improved running attack to compliment their passing game. While still a longer shot to secure a playoff spot in the West, they are not out of the West race and also have a good chance of securing a cross-over playoff game in the East. We play the Esks once more at home. Presently our Leos are 2-3 in our Division and we play five of our next six games against Western opponents. The Bombers and Eskimos will be tough, the Riders are improving, and Ottawa has a lot of weapons.

As our Leos enter the final stage of this regular season, its a good opportunity to assess where we are at this stage of the season and what the prognosis looks like. Here are a few thoughts.

1. PERSONNEL

The first question that needs to be asked is whether we have the personnel to secure a playoff game at home and also whether we have the talent to go to the Big Dance and win a Grey Cup.

Offence

Offence starts with the quarterback position. Jonathan Jennings now has one year of experience, in terms of starting football games. He can make all the throws and has an outstanding arm. He has poise in the pocket. He is also mobile and is second in the CFL in quarterback rushing. Can we win a Grey Cup with him? Absolutely! He is 3rd in CFL passing, has completed 64.7% of his passes, has a decent interception ratio, and a very solid quarterback efficiency rating. He's smart, has incredible accuracy, can make difficult throws when under pressure, and his offensive players and coaches believe in him.

The next question is the offensive line. Its a difficult area to assess talent wise. Right now, though the only questionable position is right guard, where Fabian has struggled at times. But this offensive line has proven that they can run block and pass block effectively enough for us to win.

At receiver, we have three receivers in Arseneaux, Burnham, and Gore, who are in the Top 20 in CFL receiving. Each brings a unique skill set to the receving position. Boldewijn was developing at receiver but Sinkfiekd brings speed to the receiving core, as well as CFL experience. If we can take advantage of his skill set, our receiving group could match up with the CFL's best. Marco Iannuzzi is the only Leo receiver who has not taken his game to the next level, even though he has mostly been our starter since 2011. In watching highlights of Paris Jackson stepping in for Iannuzzi in the latter part of that season and the 2011 Grey Cup game, we can get better results out of the wide side outside receiver position.

At tailback, both Johnson and Allen can get the job done, but as we saw this past game, they need holes to run into, no matter how good they can play.

Defence

Our defense is very close to having the ability to be a championship defence. We are 2nd in the CFL, in terms of net yardage against and we've given up the least first downs and touchdowns.

Our defensive line is a mixed bag. We are second in quarterback sacks with a game in hand. But there are both strengths and weaknesses on our defensive line. While Alex Bazzie and Jamal Westerman have enjoyed very successful seasons and Menard has had good pressure when rotated into the lineup, we've failed to get a consistent inside pass rush from Mic'heal Brooks and Craig Roh.

Rotational defensive ends Darius Allen and Andrew Hudson have not made an impact. In order for us to go all the way, we need improved play from Brooks and Roh. Bryant Turner Jr. has been our most effective rotational international defensive lineman but he has only been spotted into the lineup. A good NFL cut who could come in and help our pass rush would be a bonus and is needed.

Our linebacker play has been excellent but they have had to make too many tackles and been needed to blitz in order for us to get a better pass rush. You couldn't ask for more out of Sol E., Bighill, and Purifoy.

In the defensive backfield, we've had to replace our boundary halfback three times and make a fourth change. We've used three different players at boundary corner and two different players at wideside corner. We made a great change by moving Gaitor to boundary corner for Yell and activated Chandler Fenner at boundary halfback. That gives us two rookies at these two difficult defensive backfield positions to play. But should Yell return, the transition will be easier. However, we really need improved play from Stewart and Edem. Stewart has been beat more than any of our defensive backs. I would love to see newcomer Jeremy Harris get a shot in that postion but it likely won't happen. Edem has been inconsistent and needs to get better at deep ball anticipation and help.

If Ronnie Yell returned before the end of the season, I would love to see us play Gaitor or Jermemy Harris at wideside corner but we will likely stick with Stewart but he is a weak link.

Special Teams

Richie Leone's punting is excellent to win the field position game but his field goal kicking is not good enough and playoff games often come down to field goal kicking.

Rainey is an excellent punt and kick returner. Iannuzzi is effective as a short punt return man. We really should substitute Sinkfield for Shaq Murray Lawrence on kick off returns. Giving Sinkfield a few opportunities on kick returns, where big returns are more difficult to achieve, would allow us to give Rainey more offensive touches.

Do we have the talent on this Leos team to win it all. Yes, but we are missing a National fifth receiver on offence who can take us to the next step and our right guard play right now is questionable. On defense, we really need more pressure from our boundary defensive end and a better pass rush threat from our rotational International defensive end. We need better play against the run from our defensive line, so that our linebackers are not forced to make so many run tackles and we need better play from our wide side corner and safety. We'll need our two rookie defensive backs to play very well.

In short, we could use a couple of changes to our lineup, but overall, our talent is good enough and we have excellent depth.

2. COACHING

Wally Buono has returned to the sidelines and provided the expectations and standards to instill a winning attitude and a 'team' approach. Our players play hard and hustle every game and give their all.

On defense, Mark Washington has mixed four and three man lines with occasional blitzing to give us solid strategies. We can be too vanilla at times but we are sound, strategy wise. When we've given up big plays, most of the time, its been due to a lackour of execution rather than confusion. When we do blitz, we probably need to blitz more often on the boundary side of the field, since that is where we mostly lack in the area of a pass rush. Washington has had to insert a lot of defensive backs this season Clarke, Parker, Gaitor, Fenner) and still done a very good job of pass defense overall.

Our special teams coaching has not been the mess that we had in the past, with Chuck McMann. Marcello Simmons has brought much more preparation and discipline to our special team play.

But on offence, there are still a lot of changes to be made, scheme wise, if we want to go on to win it all. We're a one dimensional running and passing team, with one running play (inside zone read) and a vertical passing attack that is not designed for man defense with zone coverage behind it nor do we utilize our tailback enough in the passing game. We also lack a short passing attack, when needed nor do we give Jennings high percentage options when he experiences pressure. We rarely move the pocket.

Khari Jones coaches our offence like the way he played quarterback. But that was a different time. Defenses now employ three man lines and drop 9 or they play man/cover 2 zone or they blitz like hell or they do all of them and mix things up. Defenses are not as simple as the ones Jones faced as a quarterback.

Our run and pass blocking, under Dorazio is very inconsistent, from game to game and we still struggle with stunt and blitz pickup assignments, something that has always been the case with Dorazio as our offensive line coach. We need better variety in our running and passing attack, rather than just relying on Jennings and our receivers to make difficult plays.

We need better in game adjustments on offence and better play calling. If those changes are not made, our percentage chances of winning are greatly reduced. Defenses are afraid of Jennings deep ball and our deep intermediate attack. Calgary and Edmonton have both played us with a four man line and man defense now, very successfully.

We need to introduce more of a horizontal passing attack to go with our vertical game. We need to semi-roll out more often and create a double threat when they play us that way. We need to attack the edge more often with our running attack (stretch play, fly sweep or reverse, quick pitch, etc) to not allow defenses to overplay our running attack inside.

We also need to find ways to take advantage of Sinkfield's speed, rather than just using him as a plug and play possession receiver at outside slot.

WRAP

Calgary and Edmonton knows how to play our offence. Winnipeg will probably play us the same way. If we can make some scheme changes to our offence, we have the talent to go all the way. The offensive game against Montreal was a one off against a blitzing team that we exploited run wise and pass wise. But that is not the way to play our offence because Montreal's defensive line is not that good against the run (worst in the CFL) and Jennings has big play ability against the blitz.

Defenses will play our offence more conservatively, taking away Jennings deep ball threat and his ability to make accurate throws 15-20 yards downfield.

You can't keep running the same simple spread offence against good defenses. They scout well and can take away strengths.

Adjust or lose is the mantra needs to become our offensive thinking. Eat or get eaten. The strongest don't survive. The smart survive. Evolution shows that you adapt or others take your place.

The stretch drive over the next six games is going to be very interesting.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
Blitz
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Its articles like the one copied below by Mike Beamish that drive me crazy. There is absolutely no focus on the scheme or play calling. It just basically pins the loss on Jennings 'dam the torpedoes' approach, along with his "inexperience".

Where Beamish comes up with "Still, while there may be murmurings about turning to a steady, veteran hand in Travis Lulay" is beyond me. I doubt there are any 'murmerings" and if they are any, Travis Lulay's miserable 67.1 quarterback efficiency average this season, as a backup should dispel them.

In the first quarter, against Edmonton, after a procedure call against Fabian, Jennings hit Burnham for a 19 yard reception.

In the second quarter, Lumbala and Burnham both dropped passes that led to a two and out. Also, in the second quarter, after a Gore holding penalty and a procedure call on Olifioye, Jennings faced a second and 25. He hit Iannuzzi for 15 yards to give us much better field position to punt. On the next drive, Jennings threw the only crossing pattern we attempted in the game and Gore dropped it.

In the third quarter, Lumbala dropped another pass that was reviewed. Odell Wlliis then sacked Jennings but was called for roughing the passer, so we got a first down. The next call by Khari Jones was a hitch to Burnham that went for a 7 yard loss. Now its second and 17. Then we run the football on 2nd and 17 and Gore is called for holding, setting up 2nd and 27 yards, killing that drive.

In the 4th quarter, with the football on our own 26 yard line, Jennings drives us to the Edmonton 36 yard line. Then Jennings is sacked by Sewell and its second and 18. Jennings hits Gore for 18 yards to continue the drive. We march it down to the Edmonton 5 yard line and then Jennings is sacked by Willis, so we have to kick the field goal.

Take a look at all those negative situations that Jennings tried to overcome before his interception, which was partially caused by Arseneaux getting tangles with the linebacker and Jennings getting hit, when he threw. And then on our final drive of the game, with the hope of a Hail Mary, Jennings has to deal with an Olifioye procedure call.

All that is asking a lot out of any quarterback. Not only restricted by our passing scheme against man, with no horizontal patterns or quick hitters, no running game, terrible pass blocking, sacked four times but two don't count due to penalty, dropped passes, holding and procedure penalties, and throwing difficult passes, on second and long, and Beamish's article comes down to Jennings 'gunslinger mentality' and inexperience.

Guess I was watching a different game.

B.C. Lions Live by Jennings, and Lose by Jennings

EDMONTON

When Jonathon Jennings arched a last-play pass into the heavens — giving the B.C. Lions a chance for a miracle win — consider what hung in the balance as the football floated seductively into the end zone.

It could have been a morale-sapping defeat for the Edmonton Eskimos, who would have dropped to 5-8 and seen their playoff prospects compromised — if not crushed.

it could have confirmed Jennings status as a Flutiesque, anything-can-happen quarterback, and silenced any lingering Doubting Thomases who wonder if the Lions are for real. Had Manny Arceneaux come down with the ball, instead of Eskimos defensive back Brandyn Thompson, Lions fans might be celebrating a 9-3 team and the acumen of head coach Wally Buono in sticking with a heroic young quarterback whose development is ahead of the curve.

Instead, following the Lions 27-23 defeat to the Eskimos Friday, B.C. fans will question why the team needed the most imprecise of passes the Hail Mary, Praise Allah, Everybody Go Long after the team stormed out to a 14-0 lead, and then had to resort to the ultimate wing-and-a-prayer option.

For all his proficient play, which has been breathtaking at times, Jennings is still, technically, a rookie. Friday was his 18th start as a professional, which amounts to only one full season. And he is prone to what young gunslingers do: Tossing questionable passes at critical times, such as the fourth-quarter interception he threw to the Esk's Deon Lacey. It allowed kicker Sean Whyte to put up what would ultimately be the winning points on a field goal with 59 seconds left.

"Manny got wrapped around a linebacker, and I got bumped while I was throwing", Jennings said. "The guy (Lacey) was sitting there inside. That was that".

It brought to mind an ill-advised pass, in the fourth quarter, against the Calgary Stampeders on July 29, which was intercepted as the Lions nursed an eight-point lead. The Stamps tied the game after the turnover and won, 44-41 in overtime, when Jennings was picked off a second time.

Still, while there may be murmurings about turning to a steady, veteran hand in Travis Lulay, that's not likely to happen. The Lions have hitched their wagon to Jennings, and the ride figures to be wild and bumpy on occasion, but thrilling and hopeful more often than not.

The last three wins prior to Montreal (a 38-27 Lions win on Sept. 9) were all last-minute drives that showed Jonathon's characteristics, Buono said before Fridays game. "When you look at his maturity, his confidence, his demeanour, his composure, those are the things that stood out. The thing that I have been very, very impressed with is, Jonathon gets better every week".

But make no mistake. The damn-the-torpedos, full-speed ahead approach does come with misfires. While Jennings might be a match for Mike Reilly, deadly cool under duress, his trials by fire are well short of Reilly's experience (105 games, including a Grey Cup victory).

The Esks 31-year-old quarterback carried the Eskimos on his back Friday, throwing for 300 yards and a touchdown and surviving a hellacious hit by Lions nickelback Loucheiz Purifo to gut out a win his team had to have.

For Esks fans, the gratifying arrival of playoff intensity allowed them to forget, if only for a week, the reality that their tired team was in dire straits, and playing its fourth game in 19 days.

They played out of desperation. They played tough, Jennings said. It felt like a playoff atmosphere out there, the way they were playing and how physical they were playing. And they did a job on us.

“It was more a case of us not playing like we practised, said running back Jeremiah Johnson.It bit us in the butt. Its on us as professionals.

Johnson, who had a CFL season- best 159 rushing yards two weeks earlier against Montreal, had half as many carries (eight) against the Eskimos. The Lions inexplicably veered away from a ground game that produced an astounding 252 yards against the Alouettes and rushed the ball just 14 times for a net total of 69 yards against Edmonton.

We wanted to use Jeremiah more, Jennings said. It just didn't happen. We had a good feel for the passing game early on. We just tried to keep that going.

But after an early show-stopping performance by Jennings and Arceneaux, the latter had six catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns, on brilliant throws by the quarterback, in the first half, the well went dry. The Manny Show had just one registered catch for 24 yards over the final 30 minutes.

One half of football, and a half measure of inspiration, wasn't going to get it done.

They (Eskimos) had a playoff mindset, said Ryan Phillips.It showed in their urgency, their physicality. We didn't come out like it was a playoff game. That's probably what haunted us. It showed up on the scoreboard.

Yet, having produced only two field goals and safety in the final 30 minutes, the Lions still had a shot at victory on Jennings prayer heave.

Somebody up there wasn't listening.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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Belize City Lion
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The Lions are not a championship calibre team yet, but I am very excited about next year. They are close. Could they win this year? Of course, in the CFL any team with a 3 game winning streak can be Grey Cup champions.

If this is not going to be our year, I think I would just as soon see Calgary win it all. History shows it will be difficult for them to repeat.
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Sir Purrcival
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I would agree. They have some warts still. Anyone who makes the playoffs has a shot but I think that Calgary is going to be tough to beat barring injury.
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Blitz
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Sir Purrcival wrote:I would agree. They have some warts still. Anyone who makes the playoffs has a shot but I think that Calgary is going to be tough to beat barring injury.
In watching Winnipeg come back from a 25-0 and 31-7 deficit in Calgary to take the lead with 20 seconds left, the Stamps are beatable. The Eskimos took them to overtime at home and our Leos took them to overtime in their own house.

However, beating them in a playoff game will be very difficult. Their offensive line is so good and they run block and pass block so well. They have Bo Levi and Messam and an excellent receiving group. They also have an excellent offensive scheme.

On defence, they can get away with rushing four and rarely blitz, so they don't give up a lot of big plays. They can play zone or man/cover 2. Their man/cover 2 defence, which they used against us last game caused all kinds of problems for our vertical passing game. However, while they had scored the most points for and given up the least points against, going into this past weekend, their defense is very sound and very good, but not great.

I really believe,if we could make some changes to our offensive scheme and integrate Sinkfield into our offence well as well as begin to use our tailback a bit more in the passing game, we could be good enough offensively to beat them.

However, on defense, if Brooks and Stewart could pick up their games, we are only one defensive end away from being able to compete with them defensively. Calgary is difficult to blitz and their offence can really hurt you if you blitz them. But giving Bo Levi time to throw is also a huge problem. So you need to get pressure on him with your front four or front three and we don't have a boundary defensive end who can do that. If we could find one, it could be a difference maker.

Allen and Hudson are also not the answer at rotational International defensive end. I wish we were looking for an NFL cut at that position.

Jeremy Harris is a big, physical corner that is now on our practice roster. He was drafted by Jacksonville. While he may not see the field this season, he is a player who could step in and play if needed.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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