Leos vs Bombers, GDT
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 5:01 am
Our Leos take on the Bombers on Saturday afternoon. With our Leos in desperate situation to secure a playoff spot and with two of their last four games against the Bombers, winning this game is almost essential to keep our playoff hopes alive.
Jonathan Jennings has thrown for 720 yards In his last two games. Andrew Harris, leads the Bombers in receptions and is second in CFL rushing. Both players will play key roles in the outcome. ]
But these two teams are fairly evenly matched on offence, even though they use different offensive philosophies.
But if we hope to win this game, our defense will need to step up. Last week, Wally wanted our team to 'play angry', A better prepared team would have paid more dividends because right now Wally is doing a better job at getting B.C. Lions fans angry.
Global Sports looked at our Leos season to date this week. There is no question about our overall talent. Vet players say this team is one of our most talented.
One would not have thought that one player missing from last year's offensive line (Olifioye) and one key player missing from last season's defensive line (Bazzie) would have made such a difference.
Last season we finished first in rushing and third in sacks allowed. This season, we're 5th in rushing and 8th in sacks allowed. Those stats provide some reasoning why we lead the CFL in turnovers when last season we were 4th in that category.
If you don't run the football enough or well enough and if you don't protect your quarterback, then you can't expect a high level of success. This is basically the same offensive personnel as last season. The only additions are Chris Williams and Palmer. Last season we were able to win without Chris Williams, using Moore, Boldewijn, Adekolu, or Sinkfield in a starting position rather than Williams. Last season, we finished 3rd in scoring points, whereas this season, we are 7th in that category.
Our offence has played much better the last two games. We've passed for 720 yards. But we haven't run the football as we should have these past two games. Untimely quick pressures and inopportune penalties take their toll. Its a difference from last season.
On defense, last season we finished first in quarterback sacks. This season, we are 8th in that category and last in quarterback pressures. Its also been a difference maker, especially late in games. Alex Bazzie's return has not made a difference these past two games.
No matter how much talent a team has, any team that doesn't protect its quarterback well enough and doesn't get pressure on opposing quarterbacks often enough is going to have its struggles.
However, those issues can be reduced with smart game planning and play calling. That is done by running the football more and adjusting the offence to utilize passing plays that take less time to complete. Defensively, that is done with smart blitzing and by also mixing coverages.
The problem this season is not just that our offensive and defensive line play has not been the same as last season but also that we have just run the same stuff with the knowledge that our line play on both sides of the football is not playing as good as last season. The question of why there has been such a drop off, with only one starter missing on each side of the line (and one has returned) is another question.
The Bombers are 2nd in CFL scoring this season and 3rd in rushing, with Matt Nichols and Andrew Harris, leading their offence on the field and Paul LaPolice calling the plays. Defensively, the Bombers lead the CFL in interceptions, as they did last season.
The Bombers are presently the second best football team in the CFL, the position we achieved last season. The Bombers have less talent on their roster than our B.C. Lions but they are using that talent in much better ways than we do.
The Bombers, whom we finished ahead of last season is 10-4 this season while our Leos are 6-8 and will most likely miss the playoffs for the first time in 21 seasons if we don't beat Winnipeg on Saturday.
What a difference a season makes. Its the Bombers who have stepped up this season when most thought it would be our B.C. Lions making that step instead.
Wally Buono, as GM and Head Coach bears the responsibility for this disappointing season to date. But our Leos are more than capable of beating the Bombers twice and still keep their hopes alive for the playoffs.
But we can't leave Andrew Harris open in the flat. We have to be prepared for the Bombers 'ball hawk' style on defense. We have to be able to convert on second and two and second and one against the Bombers, something we struggled to do last season due to bad play calling and bad play design.
We can't fall asleep on special teams because the Bombers will exploit us if they see any vulnerabilities, as they did last season, and other teams have done to us this season. Just another example of poor coaching.
But if that is going to happen, Buono needs to get rid of the 'we gotta play angry' and 'we gotta execute' slogans and have our Leos prepared with a smart game plan. That would be the best answer to the challenges facing our Leos team.
Jonathan Jennings has thrown for 720 yards In his last two games. Andrew Harris, leads the Bombers in receptions and is second in CFL rushing. Both players will play key roles in the outcome. ]
But these two teams are fairly evenly matched on offence, even though they use different offensive philosophies.
But if we hope to win this game, our defense will need to step up. Last week, Wally wanted our team to 'play angry', A better prepared team would have paid more dividends because right now Wally is doing a better job at getting B.C. Lions fans angry.
Global Sports looked at our Leos season to date this week. There is no question about our overall talent. Vet players say this team is one of our most talented.
One would not have thought that one player missing from last year's offensive line (Olifioye) and one key player missing from last season's defensive line (Bazzie) would have made such a difference.
Last season we finished first in rushing and third in sacks allowed. This season, we're 5th in rushing and 8th in sacks allowed. Those stats provide some reasoning why we lead the CFL in turnovers when last season we were 4th in that category.
If you don't run the football enough or well enough and if you don't protect your quarterback, then you can't expect a high level of success. This is basically the same offensive personnel as last season. The only additions are Chris Williams and Palmer. Last season we were able to win without Chris Williams, using Moore, Boldewijn, Adekolu, or Sinkfield in a starting position rather than Williams. Last season, we finished 3rd in scoring points, whereas this season, we are 7th in that category.
Our offence has played much better the last two games. We've passed for 720 yards. But we haven't run the football as we should have these past two games. Untimely quick pressures and inopportune penalties take their toll. Its a difference from last season.
On defense, last season we finished first in quarterback sacks. This season, we are 8th in that category and last in quarterback pressures. Its also been a difference maker, especially late in games. Alex Bazzie's return has not made a difference these past two games.
No matter how much talent a team has, any team that doesn't protect its quarterback well enough and doesn't get pressure on opposing quarterbacks often enough is going to have its struggles.
However, those issues can be reduced with smart game planning and play calling. That is done by running the football more and adjusting the offence to utilize passing plays that take less time to complete. Defensively, that is done with smart blitzing and by also mixing coverages.
The problem this season is not just that our offensive and defensive line play has not been the same as last season but also that we have just run the same stuff with the knowledge that our line play on both sides of the football is not playing as good as last season. The question of why there has been such a drop off, with only one starter missing on each side of the line (and one has returned) is another question.
The Bombers are 2nd in CFL scoring this season and 3rd in rushing, with Matt Nichols and Andrew Harris, leading their offence on the field and Paul LaPolice calling the plays. Defensively, the Bombers lead the CFL in interceptions, as they did last season.
The Bombers are presently the second best football team in the CFL, the position we achieved last season. The Bombers have less talent on their roster than our B.C. Lions but they are using that talent in much better ways than we do.
The Bombers, whom we finished ahead of last season is 10-4 this season while our Leos are 6-8 and will most likely miss the playoffs for the first time in 21 seasons if we don't beat Winnipeg on Saturday.
What a difference a season makes. Its the Bombers who have stepped up this season when most thought it would be our B.C. Lions making that step instead.
Wally Buono, as GM and Head Coach bears the responsibility for this disappointing season to date. But our Leos are more than capable of beating the Bombers twice and still keep their hopes alive for the playoffs.
But we can't leave Andrew Harris open in the flat. We have to be prepared for the Bombers 'ball hawk' style on defense. We have to be able to convert on second and two and second and one against the Bombers, something we struggled to do last season due to bad play calling and bad play design.
We can't fall asleep on special teams because the Bombers will exploit us if they see any vulnerabilities, as they did last season, and other teams have done to us this season. Just another example of poor coaching.
But if that is going to happen, Buono needs to get rid of the 'we gotta play angry' and 'we gotta execute' slogans and have our Leos prepared with a smart game plan. That would be the best answer to the challenges facing our Leos team.