Stampeders 42 - Lions 15, WDF Post Game Comments

[WestCoastJoe]

'' ... they had a good game plan,'' said Jonathon Jennings. Yup. Absolutely right.

How about us?

A player can hardly blame his own team's game plan. That is left to a few fans. And maybe to some media guys like Schultz and Climie, who made suggestions. No, I won't go and find the quotes. Let's just say it is WestCoastJoe assigning some blame to a generic game plan and poor game preparation, which did not give detailed attacks on tendencies. It was conservative, predictable, vanilla and pablum all the way. Soft zone D. No pressure on BLM. We put it out there, and it got chopped up. We got our a**es whupped. An embarrassment, actually.

"Hats off to Dave for the game plan today." -- Bo Levi Mitchell.

Wally has earned lots of loyalty and Teflon. Plus we had a good regular season. But we were outcoached for this game. And it seems to me that we were outcoached versus the Bombers.

Just IMO ...

[CardiacKid]

Well, anyone know who the upcoming free agents are on the team? There is a very nice core here and I hope we won't see too many departures. Of course there will be some but hopefully nothing too devastating.

I would expect the secondary would benefit immensely from Lee and Yell returning but keep Fenner and Gaitor; I expect Stewart will not be back and Purifoy I believe is to pursue a return to the NFL. Sinkfield I expect will be gone but he didn't impact very much while he was here.

I hope a defensive end with impact is on Wally's shopping list, the kind that demands double-team attention from opponents. And a place kicker is a must; let Leone concentrate on punting.

Well, the wife and I are off to Grey Cup in a couple of days. I wouldn't have been able to describe how ecstatic we would have been if the Lions prevailed today. As it is we have loved following the guys this year and I will pull out my RedBlacks \ Renegades \ Rough Riders gear out of storage and cheer on Ottawa.

Love the 2016 edition of the Leo's and hope like hell the RedBlacks get a measure of revenge.

Stewart and Phillips are signed through 2017 but they can still be released or retire in the offseason. If the injured young DBs come back healthy, I'd rather play them than the two vets. Parker is also the best national DB. If he plays field corner, the Lions can start an international safety.

Yes, I think Parker should be getting serious consideration as a starter; I would hate for him to leave the fold but if he gets that kind of chance elsewhere, so be it.
I was checking out Looniecap for some info regarding the Lions upcoming free agents but the site is not easily navigated on an iPad. Any online sources that list upcoming free agents once the season is completely done and dusted?

[B.C.FAN]

Any online sources that list upcoming free agents once the season is completely done and dusted?

A few newspapers have recently published lists of potential free agents in other CFL markets but I haven't seen one for the Lions. Last year TSN published a list around this time of year and cfl.ca launched its free-agent tracker, based on official sources, in December.

[B.C.FAN]

Wally alluded to the Lions not showing energy at the start of the game, according to Ed Willes:

“Did I feel the energy we wanted (before the game)?” he asked rhetorically. “No. I didn’t feel the energy. That’s not necessarily who our team is.”

Bo Levi Mitchell and Bakari Grant commented that they had fresh legs. Mitchell told the Calgary Herald:

“We felt throughout the year B.C. was probably the second-best team in the league. We knew it was going to be a tough game but we had the legs and they didn’t.”

Stampeders dominate Lions in 42-15 West Division Final win

Jerome Messam was more blunt.

“We didn’t look like a team that was out there that didn’t want to play,” Messam said. “I don’t think B.C. came to play today.

“I think they were just happy to get another cheque.”

Stampeders notes: No rust to shake off … non-superstitious lot … this 'n' that

[DanoT]

I didn't really expect the Lions to win but I did expect a better showing.

I didn't expect Jennings to be benched to start the 2nd half because being behind by 32 was as much on the D as anyone. But I guess when down by 32 you got to try something to shake things up.

Bo Mitchell dissects Ds like he is an extension of Dave Dickenson, except Bo is a better long ball thrower with a stronger arm.

The long layoff really gave Dickenson, who is the best X and O guy in the CFL, the time to really detail their game plan.

At least the Redblacks came through with a win today, so we get an east-west GC.

[David]

* The TSN turning point came at the 1:00 mark of the opening quarter. Down by only 8-0, Leone hemmed the Stamps deep with a booming punt. On the ensuing play, a handoff to Messam, he gets stuffed at the LOS, causing 2nd down from the 2 yard line. From there Bow Legged Mitchell, the new sheriff in town, threw a strike on a dig route to get them out of trouble, and then surgically marched his team down field for a TD. We never recovered.

* They confused us on D, we couldn't get out of our own way with penalties and dumb mistakes, and failed to convert our 2nd and short opportunities. Game. Set. Match.

* 3rd year in a row our season ends in a pasting. This one stings more as more was expected from this team. We knew who we were last year in Calgary - and the year before in Montreal.

* If that's not the best CFL O-line I've ever seen over there in Calgary, it's awfully close. Kudos to Pat Delmonico.

* I wonder if Wally would have left Travis in the game has he thrown a TD instead of a pic? He'd been moving the team nicely. Speaking of which, what on earth did Travis see in the end zone when he served up that gift INT? There was nothing but Stamps down there.

* I like the look of our secondary next year if Lee, Clarke, and Yell return 100%. Would not be surprised to see Phillips and Stewart retire, although I wouldn't be opposed to RP playing safety some of the time while we groom Anthony Thompson. We need more ball hawks back there. Our D didn't create nearly enough turnovers this year.

* On Santa's shopping list: a stud defensive end, Brett Boyko so we can play Steward and Boyko at right tackle, and a non-import kicker.



DH

[SammyGreene]

The winning culture Hufnagel has created in Calgary is impressive. Doesn't seem to matter who they lose to free agency, the NFL, retirement or injuries, they don't miss a beat. So structured and so well-prepared. Dickenson has continued that level of excellence. Maybe we will get lucky and he will land a head coaching job at Montana or as an assistant in the NFL at some point. Stamps are in a class all by themselves and the next best team is not even close.

After watching Matt Nichols carve up the Lions for nearly 400 yards last week, I figured our defence was in a heap of trouble. How many guys have looked ordinary or downright awful in Mark Washington's system over the last half of the season? Front 4 generates little pressure and our blitzing seems telegraphed.

The only chance the Lions had was the offence to stay on the field for extended drives and it failed miserably. We had a couple of 2nd and short situations in the 1st quarter that were stuffed, including one that ended a promising drive after a nice run by Johnson who at least showed up today. Those swing passes to Rainey are so obvious it's like he is wearing one of those neon bibs.
Jennings didn't look comfortable throwing the ball all afternoon. That one early deep ball to Iannuzzi that was about 5-yards out of bounds was a sign of things to come.

7-11 a year ago and 12-6 rebound season only to get pasted in Calgary for the second straight season in the playoffs. Where does Wally go from here? Content being the best light heavyweight in the league but seemingly far away from the class of the Stampeders?

Players such as Leone and Purifoy are expected to head south for NFL tryouts. Burnham is poised for a significant pay raise and Elliminian is a pending free agent at the age of 30 who agreed to have his $230,000 deal re-structured coming off a serious injury only to have likely MOP winning season. Some interesting decisions ahead.

[KnowItAll]

I think wpg would have played much better against the stamps today.

[David]

I think wpg would have played much better against the stamps today.

I had the same sinking feeling tonight. I believe both Winnipeg and Edmonton would have ultimately lost to this Calgary juggernaut, but they would have given them a much better game today.



DH

[Belize City Lion]

Well this season ended the way I had expected it would, with a loss to Calgary in the WDF. But I did not expect such a blowout. This game showed that there is Calgary and then there is everyone else in the CFL this season. The Lions may have been the best of "everyone else" but deep down I knew that unless Calgary crapped the bed there was little chance the Lions were going to the Grey Cup this season.

Some positives:
-Jennings is as good as we all hoped he might be.

-For the first time since 2011 the Lions took a step forward instead of backwards. We are going in the right direction for the first time in 5 years.

-This was a very unified team that had great leadership in the locker room. Lulay especially. Hopefully WB is aware of what is happening and doesn't make the same mistake he did letting Dickenson leave the organisation.

-Most of the pieces are there to field a championship contender in 2017. For the first time in a few years there is not going to be any talk about blowing up the team (and/or coaching staff) and rebuilding from scratch.

I'm not going to get down on the Lions for losing this WDF. This is a team that blew back to back games against Winnipeg vs. a team that won 16 in a row. On paper it should not have been close, and on the field is wasn't. Hopefully the Lions learned something from the Stamps about what they need to do take that next step. A close loss might have created a false sense of the Lions thinking they are better than they really are.

So now my heart will be cheering for Ottawa, but my head knows the best thing for the the 2017 Lions would be a Calgary championship next Sunday. As Mike Benevides said prior to the EDF, it's hard to make it to the top of the mountain but it's even harder to stay on top once you get there.

[Sir Purrcival]

They do certainly have some work to do on the Defensive side of the ball. That lack of front 4 pressure continues to be a problem and it seems far to easy to pass against us. I guess the refrain this time is the same as it was last time. "There is always next year".

[VictoriaFan]

I heard Suiter mention that Solly was a free agent at the end of the year, whether that's fact or fiction.

[B.C.FAN]

I heard Suiter mention that Solly was a free agent at the end of the year, whether that's fact or fiction.

Yes, Elimimian's contract was restructured after his Achilles injury last year. He took a lower base salary and shorter term. Now that he has proved he can play at his previous level, I suspect he will earn back his previous salary, if not more.
Ed Willes column on Elimimian

Purifoy and Leone are two pending free agents with NFL interest, according to Mike Beamish.
MIke Beamish on Leone, Purifoy

[Lionsfan65]

I heard Suiter mention that Solly was a free agent at the end of the year, whether that's fact or fiction.

Yes, Elimimian's contract was restructured after his Achilles injury last year. He took a lower base salary and shorter term. Now that he has proved he can play at his previous level, I suspect he will earn back his previous salary, if not more.
Ed Willes column on Elimimian

Purifoy and Leone are two pending free agents with NFL interest, according to Mike Beamish.
MIke Beamish on Leone, Purifoy

Elimimian would be my top priority this off season. If I'm not mistaken Hunter Steward's contract is up this year too, I would love to see him back.

[SammyGreene]

LU was just on TSN 1040. Lions have a whopping 24 free agents, including the entire defensive line except for Menard.