What A Game-Leos/Als Post Game Thoughts!

[Blitz]

What a game! It just about had everything in it…great plays, bad plays, interceptions, sacks, and last second drama. In the end our Leos prevailed in a game that was so typically CFL!!

Jarious Jackson was the TSN Warrior of the Game. He threw for over 320 yards but it was his runs in the fourth quarter that were huge. However, II would have given this award to Joe Smith for his second half performance that was so critical for the win. Let’s have a closer look:

OFFENCE

Our offence got off to a poor start in the first quarter and there was enough blame to share around. Jarious threw poorly, our receivers dropped footballs, and even Rob Murphy got his butt kicked on a play to give up a sack. Our offensive line wasn’t opening any holes and Joe Smith looked as if he hadn’t played in a year and not been out for just two games.

There were three things that stood out about our offence in the first half. They were 1) we were running our predictable ace back set and Montreal had us well scouted 2) Jarious Jackson was throwing off his back foot or not stepping into his throws on shorter patterns and overthrowing receivers and 3) Jarious went deep too often. I love challenging a defense vertically but that doesn’t mean going long almost every play.

We had 181 yards of offence and some big plays in the first half but we had to settle for field goals when we had opportunites to put 7’s on the board.

Our offence has changed, in terms of the passing game. I don’t remember seeing a single crossing pattern completed or even thrown in this game. There were a few times when I wished we had mixed a few in (bet you can't believe that) Jarious throws the tightest spiral I’ve ever seen. It’s tight on a 50 yard pass and he throws a very accurate deep ball. However, with all the coaches we have, we should be able to correct his mechanics on the underneath stuff over the middle. He thows the out pattern very well because he has to step into it. This is correctable and our coaches should be correcting Jarious’s intermediate passes over the middle. It’s a simple correction and it should have been done long ago.

However, the second half was a completely different story. Jarious had fought back in the second quarter, and had over 120 yards of passing to Cavillo’s 60 yards or so…and you just had the feeling that he was going to pull this one out, no matter what the odds.

However, what allowed us to win this game offensively were the second half changes we made. We went double tights and began to use Lyle Green as a tight end. We also went two back set on shorter second down yardage. Our offensive line began to dominate. Joe Smith got the tough yards, every time we needed them and began to roll by the fourth quarter.

We adjusted offensively better than I have ever seen us adjust for a second half. We even ran the wide bunch. It was the first time the commentators said they had every seen it. I’ve been pushing it for two years. On the play, Jarious kept it. We ran option out of the two back set with Greeen and Smith in the Power “I” and Jarious kept it again for a big gain. We were innovative on offence.

That innovation was critical. However, the key plays of the game came down to Jarious and Joe Smith. It was almost inexcusable that we had no end on first down as we prepared for our field goal attempt. Then we got the play in late on second down and took a time count violation. There was confusion and almost disagreement between Wally and his offensive coaches towards the end of the game.

The biggest play of the game, offensively, was the 12 yard pass and run play to Joe Smith, Had we not completed that play, the pressure on McCallum would have been huge for a long attempt.

There were lots of mistakes on offence, including an ill advised throw by Jarious for an interception in the fourth quarter. However, I saw some exciting things from our offence that showed that we may not be completely stuck in the past overall. It was very encouraging!!!!

However, one has to ask this question again? What did Coleman and Skillern give us this game over Logan? Nothing! Coleman dropped a pass and Skillern dropped two..one at a key time that could have been a touchdown. Lyle Green was in there, even as a wide receiver, on one play in the second half, and created a stronger sense of confidence in there both blocking and receiving. Anderson, when he was in there, could at least catch a football.

Joe Smith rolled, Jarious came through in the fourth quarter as he usually does, even with Geroy hurt on the sidelines, and our offensive line looked like the old days of last season blocking for Joe Smith in the second half.

DEFENSE

We were simply outcoached in the first half, both on offence and on defense. Montreal has an innovative offensive attack and they were ready for us. They know that we have the best defensive line in the CFL. (Brian Chui said it’s the best he’s every seen). They know we have a great pass defense. So they attacked us where we are weak…. up the middle with the running game. Get past our defensive line and you have a huge gain.

Who doesn’t love Javy Glatt? Great guy, a Canadian linebacker who plays with passion, excellent linebacker against the pass, very good blitzer, but he got his butt kicked up the middle with the Montreal running attack. He was easily blocked and easily outrun. Why our Leos use him in the middle on first down is beyond me! Jamal Johnson is twice as fast and better against the run and we sit him. It’s time we utilized the fastest linebacker we have and he hits a ton too!! We should be using Glatt on second down and sure passing downs and using Johnson on first down.

Cavillo only passed for 60 yards in the first half and Montreal had 17 points on the board. They have outscored their opposition 55-5 in the first quarter of games. That’s when coaches outsmart other coaches before talent begins to work it’s way through the game.

Benevedes used some excellent defensive packages in this game, used lots of zone blitzes, used most of his personel, and used a lot of rotation, excluding Jamal Johnson. Foley was utilized well in this game. Barrin Miles had a great game with two excellent interceptions.

This was a well coached Montreal offence that runs formations and plays that defenses have never seen before. Montreal’s offensive line has given up 10 less sacks in their first five games than last season with the same offensive line. Their second half 77 yard touchdown march to open the second half was an example of excellent half time adjustments. Sacks were almost impossible to get due to their improved running attack and play design. However, our defense dug down and played great when it counted most. It was great to see Brent Johnson get his sack near the end of the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Ian Smart’s huge kick off return gave us tremendous momentum for a while and was a key turnaround play in the game. He turned on the jets in the open field. McCallum stroked his winning field goal with confidence, under pressure.

However, we’re still taking too many penalties on special teams and we have to get this corrected. It hurt us big time. One call was missed by the refs that cost us a touchdown but there were too many other times, when we just made errors we shouldn’t be making.

WRAP

This was a huge come from behind victory. On offence, our players want Jarious to be their leader and while he is only in the fifth inning of a 20 inning game we can win with him. He’s a clutch player. Geroy is having a great season and I hope his injury isn’t serious. He dropped a couple but he is so dangerous this season. Clermont still has those great hands and Paris Jackson has really emerged.

We either need to find a fourth and fifth import receiver who is dangerous or we need to insert Logan into the lineup.

On defense, outside of being weak against the run up the middle, in our second layer, our defense looks great. Our defensive line is outstanding and our defensive backfield is stronger than last season. Crawford, Myles, and Dennis give us great depth and lots of options.

Losing those first two games may have done us a lot of good. There was lots of character out there tonight and it came through the most when it counted.

[Solar Max]

I posted this in a separate thread, but here we go anyway.

While we saw a typically fantastic finish tonight, it was far from a complete performance on both sides of the ball, although of course Special Teams were a highlight.

Some things that I noticed:

Officiating wasn't a huge issue tonight, but that Roughing the Kicker call on Marsh in the first quarter was caused by Walter Spencer pushing Marsh into Duval. Brutally bad call.

Javy Glatt had one of his worst nights since early 2006, when Ritchie retooled the D to give him more help against the run. He made bad reads, bad calls, and was generally wherever the ball wasn't for the first half and afterward. He also missed two key tackles in the third quarter.

I counted 4 dropped passes tonight, 1 by Simon, one Coleman, one by Jackson, and one by Skillern. With a quarterback as excitable as Jarious Jackson, receivers have to squeeze the ball when it hits them in the numbers to make up for the qb's other shortcomings.

Smart dropped a punt with :40 to go in the second, but he more than made up for it later on. 8)

Barron Miles block of the Convert in the first half was a great effort, as was his pick in the second.

Looked like the O line did not have its best game tonight. The loss of Rasouli was huge, IMO, without the continuity that we all wold love to see but never do. Lots of injuries this season, as well as Murph being MIA ( for good reason), and it just doesn't seem like all the starters will get to start the same game sometimes.

Reggie Myles got schooled tonight, while Tad Crawford did some improving.

Smith ran off tackle seemed like 20 times. Does the playbook have nothing that doesn't go off tackle?

Late in the 4th, a procedure call followed by a time count violation. Gotta get the mental mistakes to a minimum. Jarious needs to get his head in the game, and while I'm at it, take a look at the second read sometimes. Locking on the primary who happens to be in double coverage most of the time SHOULD cost you more than it did, with Als dbs dropping a couple of sure picks.

Summary: Lions got lucky, very, very lucky. You have to be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good, but jeepers creepers...

[Soundy]

Here's one I'm confused on, maybe Blitz can clarify: the second roughing-the-kicker call, from what I saw on the field and on the replay, kicker went airborne; Lion player (forget who it was), diving for the block, went UNDER the kicker, and the kicker came down feet-first on top of the Lion... so how is this "roughing the kicker"???

[Blitz]

I posted this in a separate thread, but here we go anyway.

While we saw a typically fantastic finish tonight, it was far from a complete performance on both sides of the ball, although of course Special Teams were a highlight.

Some things that I noticed:

Javy Glatt had one of his worst nights since early 2006, when Ritchie retooled the D to give him more help against the run. He made bad reads, bad calls, and was generally wherever the ball wasn't for the first half and afterward. He also missed two key tackles in the third quarter.

I counted 4 dropped passes tonight, 1 by Simon, one Coleman, one by Jackson, and one by Skillern. With a quarterback as excitable as Jarious Jackson, receivers have to squeeze the ball when it hits them in the numbers to make up for the qb's other shortcomings. (Solar Max)

******************************************************

Our Leos tried two different things in the first half. We tried a wide pitchout in the first half with Smith and he was dropped for a loss and we also ran the tailback screen. It's hard to get outside, running the football in the ace back set only.

In the second half we went double tights a number of times with Green at tight end, used Green and Smith in the Power I, and even lined up Green as a wide receiver (and at least he caught the pass thrown to him). On one play, we lined up Green and Smith in the Power I and ran option with both Green and Smith breaking wide. Jarious kept it but, since we never run the dive with Green, you might as well not bother faking him with the option play and have him lead block.

To challenge a defense on the edges you need two backs to get outside or in the ace back you have to run swing screens or a counter with a receiver or a reverse to get outside. At least, in the second half we realized, in order to get Smith going, we had to get out of the spread offence, with the ace back and go to the double tight end set, or the Power I. I still can't believe we ran a wide bunch set to both sides. Man...we're breaking down some big walls that we put up ourselves and it's encouraging!

I wouldn't be too hard on our defense. Trestman's offence has put up big numbers in the first quarter on everyone. The reason is simple...he's innovative offensively. He made an excellent defense look ordinary at times. That was smart coaching on his part. His players say they have never had to learn so much but they are enjoying it! We needed a Trestman in the league..defenses say he's introduced formations and plays they've never seen before. Angus Reid said the same thing about their defense. However, our talent won in the end. I also thought it was a character win to drive the ball for the winning field goal. That was a huge pass from Jarious to Joe for 12 key yards before McCallum came in to kick the field goal!!






Late in the 4th, a procedure call followed by a time count violation. Gotta get the mental mistakes to a minimum. Jarious needs to get his head in the game, and while I'm at it, take a look at the second read sometimes. Locking on the primary who happens to be in double coverage most of the time SHOULD cost you more than it did, with Als dbs dropping a couple of sure picks.

Summary: Lions got lucky, very, very lucky. You have to be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good, but jeepers creepers...

I'm not so sure we got lucky...in the end we deserved to win the game in the end. We drove the football for the winning field goal. I don't blame Jarious for the no end procedure call or the delay of game call. The formations and plays were called in at the sideline and there was a lot of discussion going on down there with Wally jumping in at the end and involved in the play calls..something he doesn't usually do!

The ball is sailing on Jarious on his intermediate passes over the middle. He has an outstanding arm. He shows that on his deep patterns and his out patterns. The ball is sailing because when he throws over the middle he isn't stepping into his throws. There could be two reasons for that. The first is that he is trying to take something off the football but I doubt it. I think it just has to do with the fact that he's just 'arming' the football because he doesn't need the volocity. However, he would be better to step into the throw and just take a little something off the arm, in terms of power, while keeping the same motion as he does on his deep throws and out throws.

You count four dropped passes but there were also at least another five catchable footballs, although they would have been more diffiicult catches. Our fourth and fifth receivers gave us nothing tonite and in fact were a detriment. We really should have Logan and Smith out there and utilize Green. I'd rather have Nicholson and Anderson than our present fourth and fifth receivers. Coleman is not going to be the answer....that's obvious riight now.

I've always considered Javy Glatt to be playing out of position. He's a natural outside linebacker or an interior linebacker in a 3-4. He's not a middle linebacker and he gets exposed when he's in that position against the run. Jamal is the fastest linebacker on the team and the hardest hitting linebacker. All we use him for is special teams. Heck, we play Pottinger more..crazy!! I don't blame Glatt...he's excellent as a pass defending linebacker..really smart. He's a smart blitzer. We've placed him in a position on first down, as a middle linebacker, that we shouldn't be doing. In the past, we sometimes used Floyd in the middle, but that was on second down to spy a mobile quarterback while Glatt dropped into pass defense. This situation is different because they are mostly exploiting us with the run on first down.

[Shaggy]

The replay I saw looked like he caught his one leg while he was following through.
I thought that penalty was deserved. Wasn't it #8 ( Anderson ) who went for the block?
Thought he had it for a minute, but he was a second late.

The first penalty, where Duval hit the upright for a dead ball, well that was just a brutal call.
Marsh was held and blocked/pushed into Duval....should've been a non-call.

[Blitz]

Here's one I'm confused on, maybe Blitz can clarify: the second roughing-the-kicker call, from what I saw on the field and on the replay, kicker went airborne; Lion player (forget who it was), diving for the block, went UNDER the kicker, and the kicker came down feet-first on top of the Lion... so how is this "roughing the kicker"???

Anderson got his leg while it was up in the air Shaggy!! Even if Anderson had gone underneath him, you have to allow the kicker to get his foot on the ground (not the defenders back) for it not to be 'roughing the kicker'. The only exception is if you get a piece of the football first.

The call on Marsh was horrible as he was definitely pushed into the kicker. However, it was also a very close call on the fumble replay that went in our favor and I don't believe it was proven conclusively....I think the earlier blown call had to be in the back of the refs head but who knows for sure!!

[Soundy]

The replay I saw looked like he caught his one leg while he was following through.

Ahhh, didn't notice that. Okay, fair enough then.

[B.C.FAN]

It was a fantastic game. I won't repeat what others have said quite well, but I'll add two points.

The Als picked on Reggie Myles all night, on the ground and in the air, including the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth-quarter. Myles had one fumble recovery but he'll have to play better.

The boneheaded coaching move of the game, if not the season, was the Als' decision to kick off with only 11 men on the field in the third quarter after kicking a field goal to stretch the lead to 27-16. The players were signalling to the bench, but as the play clock wound down to the final four seconds the coaches gave the signal to kick anyway. They did and the Lions took advantage of the opportunity by returning the kick for a touchdown. I realize the Als might not have had time to get a 12th player on the field once they realized the situation, but why on earth would they not just take a time count penalty and move back five yards? The play was the key momentum changer and set the stage for a fantastic fourth quarter.

[B.C.FAN]

Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette suggests in his blog that Montreal special teams coach Scott Squires could take the fall for the Als' second straight game-changing blunder.

We see a trend developing here

Against Saskatchewan, the Alouettes sent their "hand" kickoff return team onto the field prematurely. Jason Armstead took a knee and was released two days later.

On Friday night at B.C., another special teams play hurt the Alouettes. On Ian Smart's 91-yard kickoff return for a score late in the third quarter, Montreal had only 11 men on the field – one player too few.

The Als had been leading by 11 points, but the touchdown made the score 27-23 for Montreal heading into the fourth quarter.

No one play, in general, ever wins or loses a game. And head coach Marc Trestman did the noble thing later, taking responsibility for the blunder.

But somebody's going to pay the price here. It will either be a special teams player or special teams coach Scott Squires. Both the players and Squires are to blame and should be held responsible.

We're beginning to understand why Squires didn't last more than one year at Edmonton. He could be on a very short leash in Montreal.

Link

I think it should all fall on Marc Trestman. Coming in as a head coach with no CFL experience is an almost impossible task. He has brought some creativity to the offence and could be an asset to the league in the long term, but the team is paying a heavy price for his inexperience, especially in CFL special-teams play and clock management. The head coach has to take charge in those situations.

[Blitz]

It was a fantastic game. I won't repeat what others have said quite well, but I'll add two points.

The Als picked on Reggie Myles all night, on the ground and in the air, including the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth-quarter. Myles had one fumble recovery but he'll have to play better.

The boneheaded coaching move of the game, if not the season, was the Als' decision to kick off with only 11 men on the field in the third quarter after kicking a field goal to stretch the lead to 27-16. The players were signalling to the bench, but as the play clock wound down to the final four seconds the coaches gave the signal to kick anyway. They did and the Lions took advantage of the opportunity by returning the kick for a touchdown. I realize the Als might not have had time to get a 12th player on the field once they realized the situation, but why on earth would they not just take a time count penalty and move back five yards? The play was the key momentum changer and set the stage for a fantastic fourth quarter.

I loved the game too B.C. Fan. It had more ups and downs than a yo yo!! Jarious is 3-1 as a starter but we gotta get those first quarter starts fixed. Your're a very smart football guy? Do you see what I see...that Jarious is arming throws over the middle?Favre had the same problem. It's often a problem for strong armed quarterbacks because they don't need to step into thiose kind of throws so they don't and the football sails??

They picked on Javy with the run and Myles with the passing game. I think Trestman is going to be an outstanding CFL Head Coach and his players are impressed. With regard to the kickoff his special teams captain should have called a timeout..that is standard operating practice. His special teams coach should have come up to him and asked Trestman to call a timeout. Trestman is ultimately responsible and should have called a time out as well. There was also defensive confusion on Montreal's part on Paris Jackson's long touchdown catch and Jarious picked it up right away and made the throw because the halfback was still stuck inside the defensive huddle, looking confused.

Let me know your thoughts on the question I asked you about Jarious. Also did you notice we were more successful when we went double tights or power I. I think It breaks up our offensive tendancies and allows us to do more things than just hand off to Smith inside or play pass and catch.

[Soundy]

I think Trestman is going to be an outstanding CFL Head Coach and his players are impressed.

They should be. Most HCs have to work their way up the ranks, and while Trestman isn't coming in as just some guy picked off the street and does at least have football coaching experience, it's all from a very different type of football, which in some ways make it even more impressive that he's been able to adjust so quickly - there's no doubt a lot of stuff that he's had to UN-learn in the process. I think that despite now being 2-3, he's really surprised... well, just about everyone, with how well he's done.

[B.C.FAN]

I loved the game too B.C. Fan. It had more ups and downs than a yo yo!! Jarious is 3-1 as a starter but we gotta get those first quarter starts fixed. Your're a very smart football guy? Do you see what I see...that Jarious is arming throws over the middle?Favre had the same problem. It's often a problem for strong armed quarterbacks because they don't need to step into thiose kind of throws so they don't and the football sails??

They picked on Javy with the run and Myles with the passing game. I think Trestman is going to be an outstanding CFL Head Coach and his players are impressed. With regard to the kickoff his special teams captain should have called a timeout..that is standard operating practice. His special teams coach should have come up to him and asked Trestman to call a timeout. Trestman is ultimately responsible and should have called a time out as well. There was also defensive confusion on Montreal's part on Paris Jackson's long touchdown catch and Jarious picked it up right away and made the throw because the halfback was still stuck inside the defensive huddle, looking confused.

Let me know your thoughts on the question I asked you about Jarious. Also did you notice we were more successful when we went double tights or power I. I think It breaks up our offensive tendancies and allows us to do more things than just hand off to Smith inside or play pass and catch.

I loved the use of double tights, which the Lions have employed successfully against Montreal's undersized front 7 for several years. I also saw more creativity in the offence tonight. I didn't like the pitch out to Smith because he's not likely to turn the corner on any CFL defences, especially speedy ones such as Montreal's or Saskatchewan's, but the swing pass was a great weapon that worked every time and set up the game-winning field goal.

As for Jarious's mechanics, I hadn't figured out why he was often errant on short throws and so accurate on long ones, but your observations are as good as any I've seen. I had just attributed his problems, which mainly occur in the first half, to nerves. But nervous quarterbacks usually throw high, not high and low.

[ThreeTimesOneMinusOne]

Here it is, the winning kick:

[Toppy Vann]

I think Trestman is going to be an outstanding CFL Head Coach and his players are impressed.

They should be. Most HCs have to work their way up the ranks, and while Trestman isn't coming in as just some guy picked off the street and does at least have football coaching experience, it's all from a very different type of football, which in some ways make it even more impressive that he's been able to adjust so quickly - there's no doubt a lot of stuff that he's had to UN-learn in the process. I think that despite now being 2-3, he's really surprised... well, just about everyone, with how well he's done.

http://www.coachmarctrestman.com/

Trestman has an interesting website and some nice comments from Bomber and Vikings HC Bud Grant:

"He (Marc) understands the game well. I mean he knows it all. He's been under all the systems and understands the game of football probably as well as anybody in football today, probably more so, because a lot of guys grow up with a system and that is all they know."
--
Yes, he has been able to make the adjustment unlike Forrest Gregg who struggled big time here. Players adjust to the game and if the coach is not stuck in a mindset like bring the NFL offense to the wider CFL field they can make it.

Blitz's comment is what commentators are saying the Als players are saying about the new HC and how it is improving them on and off the field. A lot of these guys are used to Don Matthews and latterly Popp himself as HC. Matthews is liked by the players he likes but this guy must be bringing something new to the table.

New coaches are not always afraid to bring new things in the way of variations on the themes the team was using. This approach is better than starting over again as we have seen in many teams where the QB has a new offence year in and year out while they miss the playoffs - NFL mostly.

What it looks like the new HC in Sask has done has stay with Austin's stuff and bring his own personality and manner to the party. That often is best for the players.

I am a huge Buck Pierce fan but the last thing I'd do is nit pick the performance of JJ. What he can do is awesome in the way of the long deep ball that the Lions are now somewhat effectively setting up nicely as Jim Young said apparently - today's offences are stretching the D's from sideline to sideline - thus enabling them to be broken easier as they have to defend every foot of the field. What concerns me is that as defences adjust to that you will need to be effective in short and mid range passing. Few teams are successful over a season relying on the long, deep bombs that in winter if you are on the road for a WDF or GC might be hard to accomplish or a wind whipped Taylor Field or McMahon Stadium.

As Vic Rapp was fond of saying and one that I stole for soccer teams I coached is something like this - When you throw the long bomb, 3 things can happen and 2 of them are bad. Rapp was volcanic but produced some of the memorable quotes.

I hope the two best plays aren't the bomb and JJ running.

What was with the lateral to Geroy to the short side of the field? I guess if he fumbles he is out of bounds possibly but that makes little sense. From there he could toss a ball but not in that position as he had no turf and no time.

Barron Miles pulled ahead of Glen Suitor in CFL interceptions with his pick off of his friend Cavillo with BM moving to no. 9 IIRC.

[PigSkin_53]

I thought we came within a cat’s whisker of defeat last night…

Yes every team gets beat in the CFL, but for us it is especially important to stay one step ahead of the most prolific team in the east, the Montreal Alouettes, as it is equally important as staying one step ahead of the Edmonton Eskimos in the west.

I for myself last night as always in my passion for our team over reacted as to why they were suckling on the hind teat in the 1st half, instead of illustrating why we are a team like no other, a team to be reckoned with, but in the end both concourses were met.

It took every once of our collective will to win last night, and in the end, the only important fact is we did. It is and will remain a testimony why we are the most talented and most deserved of football teams to win it all this season.

Anyway from my stand point, it is ours to loose.

Let us not lay low our potential bare, so as some lesser light might prevail!

Lions Gods Hear!