Champions have to overcome and we're proving that we can handle all kinds of adversity this season and win when other teams can't meet those same challenges!! Another big win that gives us some big breathing room, at the top of the pack, with five games to go until the playoffs!!
OFFENCE
What a brilliant opening drive, called by Kruck and Dorazio, and executed to perfection by Jarious Jackson!!!! Our Leos started in the I formation with Green and Smith, as I hoped they would. They went play action right away and Jarious threw a bullet to Paris Jackson. Smith then picked up a first down on a zone stretch run and then Jackson found Geroy downfield on a beautifully run route. We then went I formation again with Smith and Smart this time and Jarious ran the option play brilliantly, stepping forward, before pitching it to Smart. Then, with Calgary expected a run on first and goal in comes Green with Smith and we go play action, hitting Green in the flat in the end zone. I just very impressed!!! I’ve advocated for the use of Lyle Green the past two seasons and it’s such a good feeling to see us using the most versatile fullback in the league as part of our offence this season.
On the second drive, Jarious called an audible and hit Paris in motion in the flat, then rolled out and hit Boden deep for a huge 48 yard gain and Joe Smith rambled into the end zone, on a great lead block from Lyle Green in the I formation. Before Calgary even had their blood flowing we were up 14-0 and Calgary was shell-shocked early. Anyone not like the dual coordinators role now or think we should have traded Jackson?. Relieved I stuck up all of them from the get go!! In the second quarter a 39 yard punt return by Ian Smart gave us good field position and Jarious Jackson used his legs to get us into field goal position and we went up 17-3.
Jarious Jackson hit Paris Jackson for a 27 yard pass, following Nealy’s fumble but failed to connect with Geroy Simon in the end zone, in double coverage and McCallum kicked his second field goal of the game. Jackson completed some nice throws, with time running out in the half but couldn’t punch it into the end zone but McCallum missed from 19 yards out, with 6 seconds left in the half ( in the same spot he missed in the 2004 Western Final and we went into the half with a 21-4 half time lead. Jarious Jackson needed to show that he could get off to a faster start in games and he did that going 13/17 in the first half for 189 passing yards. We also rushed for 89 yards on the ground with Smith, Smart, and Jackson himself all running effectively.
Jarious Jackson started the second half as hot as he started the first. He hit Josh Boden twice on excellent throws and also found Paris Jackson on the outside. Joe Smith rambled on a quick hitter and also ran a counter as our Leos opened up the running play book. Then, after throwing vertically all game up to this point, Jackson hit Clermont underneath on a delayed crossing pattern and Clermont scored easily to go ahead 28-4.
Jarious made a fantastic run to begin the fourth quarter but the play was called back on a holding call. However, it showed his speed and his strength.With time running out we proved how important a running game can be…we just gave Calgary a heavy dose of the Wrecking Crew and Joe Smith, as we dominated Calgary’s defense. With Jarious mixing in the occasional short pass we drove the football down Calgary’s throats. Jackson to Jackson into the end zone left a final exclamation mark!!
DEFENSE
We shut down Calgary on their opening series and while Akili Smith moved Calgary into our end of the field on their second series we held them again, holding Calgary’s offence down while we mounted that early two touchdown lead. We got Foley into the rotation early, on our second series and then used him again on our third series. Great to see Ritchie finally starting to start to keep our defensive line fresher! In the first quarter Ryan Phillips had a great knockdown as did Hunt and Brent Johnson stuffed Reynolds on a second down shovel play.
We rushed five defensive players a lot in the first and second quarters. Cameron Wake made a big tackle on Reynolds as our defense began to slant down from the defensive end postions and Korye Banks sacked Akili Smith on a blind side blitz. The hit put Akili Smith out and Calgary’s third string quarterback, Nealy, promptly came in and under pressure on a roll out was stripped by Ricky Foley and we touched the football last
before it went out of bounds.
With third string quarterback Nealy having to continue to replace Akili Smith our Leos stacked the line of scrimmage, lining up six players at the line of scrimmage often as Calgary focused on running Reynolds. Late in the third quarter Nealy was able to take off a couple of timesl for good yardage and then hit Ralph inside our ten. However, our defense got tough, dropping Reynolds for a loss and then Hunt picked up his sixth sack as our entire defensive line was in his face.
Ritchie pulled out a lot of the Leos blitzes out of his playbook to keep heat on Nealy, mixing in coverages, run blitzes, and pass blitzes. However, in the fourth quarter, our defense looked too relaxed out there and Nealy started to take advantage, driving to our 10 yard line again. However, on a third down gamble Nealy was stopped short by a yard on his scramble, as Cameron Wake made a great hustle play.. and we took over on downs.
On the drive Ty Williams was held and threw an uppercut that continued to reflect the increased passion he is playing with recently. Great to see the big guy really picking it up as we go down the stretch.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Ian Smart’s 39 yard punt return gave us great field position for our second quarter field goal. McCallum was good on two field goals in the first half but missed his third attempt, ending his 12 field goal streak. McCallum pulled a butt muscle in the third quarter, following a hit and Bret Anderson came in to relieve McCallum. Jerome Dennis blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown with 1:45 left as our special teams kept up their intensity up to the final moments.
GAME BALLS
Jarious Jackson had a great game, exploiting Calgary’s pass defense with some precision throws and running effectivlely as well. Last game, against Regina, in the second half he really took over the huddle, demonstrating his new confidence. He carried that confidence into the first half of this game. He was 23/28 for over 300 yards.
Kruck and Dorazio continue to prove that a balanced attack is a tough pill for opposition defenses to stop. They have also made some great calls. Their entire play calling is designed to set up future plays as well. They’re doing a great job. Those who criticized the dual role early in the season have gone quiet. Kruck still makes the calls with Baresi spotting and Dorazio calling down and distance. However, they are also proving that they are game planning together in a way that is really making our offence multi-dimensional. They added the option play this game and it added another weapon to the arsenal..
Joe Smith and the Wrecking Crew continue to prove that our new offensive emphasis this season was the direction we needed to take. Our offensive line and Joe Smith hammered the Calgary defense, wearing them down when we had the lead.
Cameron Wake had another excellent game, crashing down on running plays, chasing down Reynolds and getting strong pressure from his defensive end position. This guy is a player, period. He can pass rush with the best, he plays the run very well, he’s fast and he really, really hustles!!
WRAP
We went into this game as favorites, playing at home against a second string quarterback and played against Calgary’s third quarterback for the majority of the game. However, Calgary’s defense had all their starters in there and we kicked their butts early on offence, setting the tone for the game. No one gave us any sympathy when we had to start our third string quarterback in Jarious six games ago.
I commented last season that it would take Jarious Jackson about 10 starts before he settled down and was able to read a defense effectively. He’s way ahead of schedule and is starting to show tremendous poise for a quarterback who has only started six games in the last for seasons. It was a convincing 34-9 victory in a game that was really over after our first two offensive drives.
We da best in the West!!!! We da best in the CFL!! We’re the B.C. Lions!!
