Leos at Home to the Eskimos

[B.C. bound]

I know one thing and that is EE certainly has had a lot of time to prepare for us. Maybe that will backfire and they will come out flat. Regardless, if I were a Lions player, I would be some p.o.'d after the two losses to the Bombers and would be highly motivated....here's hoping! Go Lions!

[Blitz]

I

think Lancaster may have ascended to become one of them. Bobby Ackles also.

Is Galat still alive. IF not, I could see him being the foodball devil KnowItAll

Ackles may be one of them. I couldn't make out their faces in my dream. He certainly would be deserving. He certainly was the voice of wisdom in advising Buono.

I don't know if Joe is still alive but you reminded me of something.

At a Lions training camp, there was a big social on a Saturday evening. Desperation Jazz Band was playing on a deck over hanging the waterfront. It was mostly coaches, media, local dignitaries at the event. It was an outdoor barbecue and buffett. As I got my plate and sat down, Joe Galat ended up sitting beside me.

I have never, ever seen a plate so full in my life. It was heaped up like a mountain. I thought to myself, why didn't he put a little less on his plate and go back for more if he was still hungry. I've been to some buffets where I've seen some cheap people gorge themselves to either get their money's worth or so they could save money by not eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next day...... but I have never seen anything like it and its still etched in my mind. He also ate the entire thing in like about 2 minutes.

Maybe he was just hungry.

[Blitz]

Looks like Jason Maas will likely be in a grumpy mood, when he plays our Leos. He's been heavily fined, reprimanded, and informed of the consequences if he acts deliberately defiantly again for not wearing a live mic for a game, as every other CFL team has done this year.

The surprising thing is that it seems as if Maas, a first year HC, defied his own GM and President. Interesting stuff.

Don’t you wish Jason Maas was wearing a live mic when he heard that the Canadian Football League will be dipping into his pocket for $15,000?

Just imagine the terminology.

After defying a directive from the league’s board of governors; after thrusting a gigantic middle finger at the TV rights holder whose fee payments essentially cover most player salaries; after acting with a selfishness and arrogance that has not been evident in the igloo for years; and after misleading opponents, the public and the media, Maas and the Eskimos got their just deserts Wednesday.

The rookie head coach forfeits something like 10 per cent of his take-home pay for refusing to wear a live mic on Monday in Montreal. Ouch. The Eskimos have to cough up $20,000, which is far less significant economically, but symbolic of the league’s repudiation of the franchise’s abhorrent disregard for the greater good.

Quarterback Mike Reilly was not fined by the league. That’s appropriate, since he would have taken his cue from Maas.
General manager Ed Hervey was left unnamed in the fallout from this fiasco, and that’s a bit curious. Commissioner Jeffrey Orridge called Maas’s actions “a unilateral and planned act of defiance,” suggesting the head coach had gone rogue on the GM. If so, that’s another problem, one the Eskimos will have to nip in the bud.

I know that Maas was totally uncomfortable with the idea of being mic’d up. He said exactly that a few days before he was due to go live. But he left everyone with the impression he was going to play along, because he had no other choice.

“I’m not comfortable with it,” he said then. “But every team is mandated to do it. They will look after the coaches and the quarterbacks to make sure we’re taken in a good light because the language probably isn’t going to be what people are expecting, particularly with myself. And more to it, a lot of the stuff we say is game-plan stuff and you don’t want that leaked out or talked about or seen by other teams.

That’s more the reason I’m not particularly excited to do it. But every team is agreeing to do it and it will be something that’s new and exciting for our fans. How much they get out of it, I don’t know. But we’re mandated to do it.”

When it came time to live up to an agreement, he thumbed his nose at the whole idea, as if the rules only apply in certain circumstances or when he approves, or to other people and franchises in the league.

“It was unfair to our fans, who had been promised a live mic game, to our broadcast partner, who had advertised a live mic game, and to the other clubs in the league who had abided by the board’s directive to participate in live mic games,” Orridge said. “It was totally unacceptable. The Eskimos organization acknowledges this and has apologized. Still, it has a responsibility to ensure its employees do not see themselves as above the league and what its governors deem to be in the best long-term interests of the league.

“It is also important that coach Maas be held personally accountable. … The fact that coach Maas has expressed no remorse whatsoever for what appears to be a unilateral and planned act of defiance is particularly disappointing. I want to send a clear signal that this cannot happen again.

“Should coach Maas be directed to wear a live microphone again this season or in subsequent seasons, and he again refuses, he will be immediately subjected to the maximum fine allowable and he will be suspended for his team’s next game, even if that next game is a playoff or championship game.”

Maas should be forced to wear a mic in one of the Eskimos’ remaining three games, preferably their next one, since its outcome is important to the team’s playoff position. Maas’s refusal to participate in the exercise was directly related to his fear of exposing Eskimo terminology and methodology. In other words, he did not want to cede any competitive advantage to any future opponent. Instead, he stole that advantage from every team that has already followed through on their commitment to participate.

That’s bush league.

Maas, who has shown zero remorse, had best apologize to the league and TSN at his earliest convenience. For now, we have only heard from team president Len Rhodes.

“By failing to act on our commitment, we let our peers down across the league. For this, we are sorry and we sincerely apologize to our league, our broadcast partner TSN and to CFL fans from coast-to-coast. Today, the commissioner has levied significant fines against our football club and our head coach. We respect and fully support this decision. The long-term interests of our league as a whole must always supersede the interests of any individual or any one team.”

On Monday, a defiant Maas said he would deal with the repercussions for his actions. The $15,000 fine, though significant and punitive, is only part of it. His reputation as an honourable guy has a mark on it now. And that’s not likely to disappear as quickly as his debt to the league office.

dbarnes@postmedia.com

[Blitz]

The Eskimos are a purrfect three-for-three so far in the final third of the regular-season schedule, posting wins over our Leos, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Alouettes.

This game against the Eskimos represents a four point swing in the standings. An Eskimo win would put our Leos in 4th place, having lost the two games against them.

The Eskimos defensive line has really been coming on lately. Marcus Howard, Almondo Sewell, Phillip Hunt, and Odell Willis are all playing well.

On offence, the Eskimos have the big four of Reilly, Bowman, Walker, and White. But Corey Watson, Chris Getzlaf, and Nathan Coohorn are all capable of chipping in. Washington has got to get double coverage on Bowman and Walker but he also needs to cover White out of the backfield, which he probably won't. We should just single cover Watson, Getzlaf and Coohorn and hope to get it done. But our defense will probably play the Eskimos offence straight up.

Justin Sorenson anchors the Eskimos ,offensive line and will likely be the West All-Star center - not bad for a guy who Dorazio thought would never be good enough. But then again, Dorazio thought that Valli would be an all-star center and Levy Adcock would be an awesome addition. Besides benching Steward for O'Neil, amongst many other factors I won't bother to elaborate on, Dorazio really inspires my trust.

Offensively, the Eskimos also play it straight up - interesting that Washington and Benevedes are almost clones in their strategies. The Eskimos rarely blitz and play mostly straight up zone. The Eskimos pass rush mostly comes from the inside and they run a lot of defensive line stunts. Its a game in which moving Jennings in the pocket would get him away from Sewell and those inside stunts.

[Blitz]

In taking a look at our last game against the Eskimos, a loss in Edmonton, some interesting stats show up.

First of all, our offence struggled against Benny's four man rush defense. Instead of playing us with his usual zone, he went man defence and Cover 2, the defence of choice these days to play against us to shut down Arseneaux and Burnham deep or deep intermediate.

Our offensive line had a lot of problems with the Eskimos simple defensive line stunts, which were mostly end/tackle loops and and tackle/tackle stunts.

Jennings was a miserable 16/28 (57.1%) for 278 yards of passing. It was the Manny Show for us the last time we played Edmonton. He had an impressive 164 yds receiving but our next leading receiver was Shawn Gore, with 35 yds. The Eskimos will likely focus on Manny again and we'll need to be looking more for our other receiving threats.

Jeremiah Johnson only had 8 rushes for 41 yards but Rainey had two carries for 21 yards as he got outside and had room to run, with the Eskimos defensive backs occupied in man and not able to come up, on him, as they would be able to in zone.

If they play us the same way again, rushing more to the edge, rather than repeatedly trying to pound it up inside against Sewell would be wiser.

Washington should note that Bowman had 121 yds. receving against us and Walker had 80 yds. as Reilly looked for the two repeatedly. Washington should study how the Bombers shut down Arseneauz and Burnham last game and use the same strategy. Obviously what Washington did to scheme last game didnt' work.

And no, don't drop Bighiill deep. Shakari Bell rushed for over 108 yds. against us last time we played the Eskimos and White will do more of the same, if we don't get better play from our defensive line against the run that we did last game. Hopefully we'll dress Bryant Turner Jr. in place of Darius Allen.

No question on offence for this upcoming contest, we'll need to run the football more against the Eskimos than we did last time and also pass block better. Running more to the edge, rather than up the gut into Sewell's arms would make sense.

If the Eskimos play man again, we need to be better prepared with more man style pass patterns such as high-low crosses, same side rub routes, isolating Rainey against a linebacker on pass patterns ( crosses, quick outs, play action flat passes,and wheel pattern would be nice) a couple of screen passes, etc. This is a game that Sinkfield should be able to thrive in, if we use him right.

There it is....we know what they like to do. Now hopefully our brain trust has a better game plan than last time to get it done.

[KnowItAll]

I for one fully support Maas on this issue, although I am not a fan of his. I hate the live mic and it was refreshing not to be subjected to it by the eskimoes. It went well when the lions did it, but not so much with the others

[TheLionKing]

I would be interested whether TSN has any plans to mic'ed up Maas this Saturday.

[DanoT]

I would be interested whether TSN has any plans to mic'ed up Maas this Saturday.

The Argos as the 9th team have yet to get mic'd up and Esks have a game against the Argos before the season ends so it makes sense to have both teams mic'd up in that game.

[Blitz]

I for one fully support Maas on this issue, although I am not a fan of his. I hate the live mic and it was refreshing not to be subjected to it by the eskimoes. It went well when the lions did it, but not so much with the others

I don't! To me, its not a question of whether the concept is a good one or not. It was designed for the fans and fans are the ones who watch the games on television and the league (players and coaches) get a significant amount of their salary from television revenue. Fans can provide feedback regarding the concept to see if it should continue or not. It was an experiment.

For anyone who doesn't like it, they can watch the game, turn the sound down, and listen to the play by play on radio.

To be fair, every team needed to have one game in which to be mic'd up. If not, one team (the Eskimos in this case) would be advantaged.

For Maas to agree to it and then pull out, as well as defy his GM/President as a first year HC seems arrogant to me.

Now back to the main focus - getting ready to kick Maas' butt!

[KnowItAll]

For anyone who doesn't like it, they can watch the game, turn the sound down, and listen to the play by play on radio.

but but but..then one would miss out on the joy of listening to rod black

as for the game. really looking forward to it. cant see the lions losing 3 in a row.

[Blitz]

As we practice and game plan this week, I've previouslly posted that our Leos offence had a miserable time againat the Eskimos defense in our last game against them.

Jennings had an awful 16/28 (57%) completion average. Arseneaux was our only threat in the passing attack, with Shawn Gore, our next leading receiver in that game netting only 35 yards. Burnham only had one catch (19 yds). Jeremiah Johnson only had 41 yds. rushing.

Why the misery against a Benevedes coached Edmonton defence that was ranked 7th in the CFL at that point in time?

The answer is simple. Because what we did against them was simple. It also wasn't very wise at all.

The Edmonton defense was not that good. We made them look great. It was what we attempted to do against Edmonton's defensive scheme that was the big problem. Edmonton is a tough defense to run inside against. Sewell is a stud at their tackle position. So what did we do most of the game? We ran the inside zone read right at him. It was the only running play that we used Jeremiah Johnson on.

The Eskimos also used a lot of tackle and defensive end loops which are usually designed to free up the defensive end looping inside. The Edmonton defense tackle stunts from his inside position to take the gap of the defensive end. Therefore running to the edge makes a hell of a lot more sense than pounding it inside.

Its challenging to run inside against the Eskimos for two reasons: personell and scheme. Therefore, quick pitches, stretch runs, jet sweeps, power sweeps, and counters are the best way to attack the Bombers defence.

Why did we have so many difficulties with our passing attack against the Eskimos last game? Two reasons. The first is that our offensive line struggled against Edmonton's defensive line's simple stunts. The result was Jennings was under a lot of pressure, was sacked twice, and really was sacked five times - but three were negated due to penalty.

Secondly, Benevedes decided to play us man/Cover 2 or man/Cover 3 and he also used a lot of press coverage in man (bump and run or tight coverage) That meant that each one of our receivers was covered by a defender and if he ran deep, one of the Edmonton safeties would also pick up that receiver and provide double coverage. That defence allowed the Edmonton defenders playing man defence to take some chances, knowing that they had deep help.

Everyone knows that our receivers can make plays. This game was no exception. Arseneax had a 68 yard reception but unfortunately we gave up two interceptions and had a lot of incompletions. Why?

Because defenses know that Jennings has an incredible arm. He can make the deep throw with mind blowing accuracy and consistency. He can bullet a 20-25 yard pass downfield right on target with tremendous velocity. Arseneaux and Burnham are Jennings two favorite targets for good reason. The Bombers wanted to minimize Arseneax and Burnham.

Its the recipe to stop us. Shut down our vertical passing game. Take away our two best targets. So, we did what we usually do -threw downfield anyway, using vertical patterns into double coverage. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't because Jennings, Arseneaux, and Burnham (and Gore) are not easy to stop, even with double coverage. The first Winnipeg game was a good example of that. But its not only dangerous -its unnecessary. There is more than one way to skin a cat (my apologies to animal rights activists ...just an old saying).

Have a look at Jennings interceptions lately, as defenses adjust to take away our strengths.

Jennings was intercepted twice against Edmonton, twice against Winnipeg in the first contest and three times last game. Of course, unknowledgeable sports writers and fans put the blame solely on Jennings, without seeing the bigger picture.

There are better ways to defeat this style of defence.

The CFL field is very wide and its very difficult to cover a receiver in man coverage for any length of time. The receivers are faster and bigger than most defensive backs and they know when and where they are cutting off their stem in their pass pattern. To avoid double coverage, and when playing against man defence, horizontal style patterns are an important part of the answer.

Those types of patterns are sideline, dig (square in) slants, crossing patterns, comeback patterns, curl patterns (old hook pattern) etc.

So, lets have a look at one type of pass play that would work really effectively against this defence. We'll use the traditional five receiver spread formation that Jones uses most. On the boundary side (short side) of the field, we have Gore wide and Manny in the slot. On the wide side, we have Burnham in the near slot, Sinkfield in the wide slot, and Iannuzzi on the outside.

We'll run Iannuzzi deep on a fly pattern or a very deep post pattern to draw either one or both of the deep safeties. He's the decoy. We'll give Burnham a deep crossing pattern across the field (about 20-25 yards deep. Gore will run also run a deep crossing pattern from his boundary side across the field at approximately the same depth. Hopefully we'll get one of the defenders covering them caught up in the traffic with his other defender as our receivers cross each other on their patterns.

Gore is the deep cross primary target, because Iannuzzi has taken the deep defender out of the area with his deep pattern. At the same time as Gore and Burnham are running their deep crossing routes, Sinkfield and Manny will run a quick shallow cross (6-8 yds). Both are fast and difficult to cover. Jennings takes his choice of the one he sees more open. Once they've run their routes past the linebacker, there is no defensive help. If they catch the football at full speed, if their defender is in enough of a trail position, the shallow cross receiver can turn it upfield, with a lot of space to run.

The next time we call a crossing pattern pass play, we switch up. and we use Gore and Burnham on the shallow crossing patterns and Manny and Sinkfield on the deep crosses. We can mix things up more by sending Sinkield as a deep decoy and use Iannuzzi for the deep cross or the shallow cross.

Of course it would really help if we also moved our receivers around, such as 1) using Manny as the inside slot on the wide side and Burnham on the short side 2) lining up Manny wide on the boundary side and Gore inside as well as Sinkfield wide and Iannuzzi in the wide slot 3) switching Burnham and Sinkfield on the wide side etc.

A second series of pass plays could come from a wide bunch formation on the wide side. On the boundary side, Gore could run a dig route while Manny runs a sideline route. Depending on which receiver you want to be primary, the first receiver runs his route so that other receiver's defender is screened off. ( they switched positions on some plays, it would add more variety to the routes they run). On the next pass play, Manny could run a stem route that goes straight at Gore's defender while Gore runs a slant route. A third option is to have Gore run a stem route at Manny's defender while Manny runs a 12-15 yard flattened corner route. All of these plays avoid double coverage.

On the wide side of the field, our three receivers line up in a wide bunch, away from the linebackers hook coverage zones. A bunch is hell for defensive backs in man coverage because so much confusion is created by three receivers stemming their routes so close together. There are so many routes to run from the wider bunch formation. One can run a dig, the second a sideline, and the third a curl route. The list of combinations is almost endless but all of them should be the type of patterns that just waste the deep safety by not running any of the patterns deep.

Of course, we can also come out of the bunch on the wide side, and use a lot of rub routes on that side of the field also.

Another series of pass plays that could be mixed into the passing attack would be the use of the tailback in the passing attack. Why? We don't need him for blitz pickup because Edmonton rarely blitzes. Secondly, with Edmonton playing man/Cover 2 or man/Cover 3, they have to cover the talback with a linebacker.

If Edmonton's scheme for this game is dum, their linebackers will be playing zone underneath, like we do on defence against a tailback who is a weapon in the passingg game. Flat passes to the tailback are a good choice but the best way to execute that, is to have one receiver run deep on the boundary side while the other runs a dig or shallow cross that screens the linebacker off. If the pass is thrown quickly the receiver can even block the linebacker. The tailback will have tons of open space with the only defender that can tackle him is the deep safety. This is heaven for Rainey.

Lets add one more for the tailback. Jennings fakes an inside zone read run, freezing the defensive line and only linebacker and then boots it outside. The receivers on the bootleg side - the outside receiver runs a fly pattern and the other two run layered routes to the outside at different depths. The outside receiver running the fly route is a decoy to occupy the deep safety. That gives the two slot backs single man coverage. Johnson or Rainey, once past the line of scrimmage after the play fake, breaks to the bootleg side, running away from the slower linebacker into space. Jennings hits the tailback with the pass but also has two other options,

To add to Edmonton's woes, using Rainey for a crossing route is even better. No linebacker can cover Rainey across the field in man coverage.

I could add a lot more but I'll finish off with a screen and draw play. With all five receivers covered man to man, along with two deep safeties, that only leaves Edmonton's defence with five players left. Benevedes loves to rush four, so that leaves only one linebacker.

The tailback screen is a wonderful play to use. All five receivers run deep patterns. You clear the boundary side of the field by ensuring one runs a fly and the other one runs a post. Once the four defenders rush, the tailback just slides to the boundary side about five yards and creates a clear passing lane for Jennings. The screen pass creates three offensive linemen blocking for either Rainey or Johnson, against one linebacker. Nice scenario.

Finally, if we have used our tailback in the passing game for swing pass and shallow crosses the only linebacker will be paranoid. Therefore, sending Rainey out quickly on a swing pass forces the linebacker to race to cover him. All five receivers will run deep and short routes to the sidelines or deep. Jennings looks to pass to Rainey or Johnson, and then runs the quarterback draw. If he can get past the pass rush, there is no one there to stop him and sets up a huge gain.

Ok, one more. The zone read option. With Edmonton in press man, with only one linebacker, we set up the zone read option. Everone knows we are in love with the inside zone read. Our slot receivers waggle to force the man defenders off. Jennings fakes the zone read. The only linebacker has to play him for the inside zone read run. Jennings fakes it and takes off outside. Now Edmonton's only linebacker is schizophrenic and uses his smart phone on the sidelines to call the team psychologist.

The key to all of this is that we can get receivers and our tailback open and often wide open,while avoiding double coverage and interceptions, If Edmonton comes out of their man/Cover 2 and goes to zone Cover 1, then we go back to throwing deep or deep intermediate vertical type pass plays again.

Its not rocket science if I can do it.....so there is no excuse for Khari Jones to not have a game plan that ensures that we don't get shut down by Edmonton's man/Cover 2 this game.,

[Blitz]

A play that an offence should never run against press man coverage/Cover 2 is a wide side hitch screen. Why? Because it takes a bit of time for the quarterback to turn and make the throw and the defensive backs are playing tight to the receiver.

So, knowing that the Eskimos were playing that defense, the last time we played them, what does Khari Jones do? He dials up the hitch screen. When does he dial it up? Inside the red zone of all places. Jennings looks to throw it, the Eskimos defensive back is jumping the route, Jennings pulls it down and is hit, taking a one yard loss.

We all know that people learn at different rates. Experience is not always a good teacher for some. Experience is most often viewed as a posititive. But its actually a neutral word. For example, 10 years of experience, in which someone doesn't learn, is worse than 5 years of experience, when someone doesn't learn. Duron Carter is a good example.

So what does Jones dial up in the second half of the last Edmonton game, after seeing the Edmonton defence almost pick off the first half hitch screen and the play hurt us in the red zone?

Khari Jones calls the play again in the second half against the same press man defence. Stupid is doing the same thing again and expecting a different result. Well, ok, he did get a different result. The play was almost picked off again and Burnham took a 7 yard loss, setting up second and 17.

Professional offensive coordinators should have a higher level of play calling than this. High school coaches know better.

On to defence ...our biggest problem lately.

Our Leos defence is having a terrible season, in terms of interceptions, dispte the fact that we are 3rd in the CFL in sacks and for most of the season led the CFL in that department.

Why so few interceptions? For example, the Bombers have 28 interceptions and we have 9, after Edem got two last game. Are the Bombers defensive backs 3 times better than ours? Nope! Well, maybe its our defensive scheme? Not always. Why is it that the Bombers get so many interceptions playing man/Cover 2 or zone cover/2 and when we play that style of defense, which we have lately, we don't get any.

Its simple. The Bombers defensive backs, when they know they have two safeties playing deep, can take chances...and they do. Our defensive backs don't take chances to intercept the football. Instead they play passive. It doesn't help, when we are playing that style of defence, that Wally is yelling "Get Back, Get Back". No male has ever been able to accomplish much while hiding under his mother's skirt.

Washington has repeatedly said in the off season he wants to play an 'aggressive' defensive style and then has us playing passive.

Its all well and fine for Wally to say he wants more defensive interceptions while Washington and himself have pushed our defensive backs to play off receivers, give them space, and then come up and make a tackl, rather than playing tighter coverage. What is the point of having Bighill playing a Cover 2 deep safety or a Cover 3 middle safety, and then having our defensive backs play so much off their receiver?

Right now, we have the lowest number of interceptions in our entire B.C. Lions history. Even the 1954 team had more.

Why did Mike Edem finally get some interceptions for us last game (2). Because Washington or Buono gave him some good coaching advicee?

Nope, Jonathan Jennings and Travis Lulay worked with Edem after practice last week, working on his angles.

“I came up to Mike and told him to work with us after practice,” Jennings explained Tuesday, after the Lions returned to the practice field. “I told him, ‘You’re not going to catch interceptions by not working at it.’ We thought it would be something to do, just so he could get better at it. He busted his tail. And, it’s funny, it paid off.”

It shouldn't require our quarterback and our back up quarterback to coach our safety, after practice, in order to make necessary changes. Our coaches should have done that much earlier this season.

But then again, its always just a matter of going out there and 'executing'.

Mike Beamish: Despite Edem's two picks, Lions trending toward franchise-low in interceptions
Mike Beamish

Catch Mike Edem’s new act.

Known for his fierce attitude and haymaker hits, the starting safety of the B.C. Lions had been frustrated by his ball-hawking skills through the first 14 games of the Canadian Football League season.

Fourth on the Lions with 33 defensive tackles, second on the team with six pass knockdowns, Edem nonetheless hadn’t registered a single turnover.

So, last week, in practice, quarterbacks Jonathon Jennings and Travis Lulay decided to pitch in and give Edem some remedial work in tracking the football. It worked. Edem had more chances to make big plays, and he made two of them — his first and second interceptions of the season — in last Friday’s 35-32 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I came up to Mike and told him to work with us after practice,” Jennings explained Tuesday, after the Lions returned to the practice field. “I told him, ‘You’re not going to catch interceptions by not working at it.’ We thought it would be something to do, just so he could get better at it. He busted his tail. And, it’s funny, it paid off.”

Known for roaming the deep middle of the field, like centre fielders in baseball, the two safeties in last week’s game — Edem and Winnipeg’s Taylor Loffler — combined for four picks between them, a rarity for two homegrown defensive backs in the CFL.

John Wydareny, a defensive back from Western Ontario, had two interceptions in a game 10 times during his career with the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos in the 1960s and 70s. The late Peter Ribbins, who played junior football for the Burlington Braves, held the Winnipeg single-game record when he picked off four passes in a game with the Blue Bombers in 1972.

But two Canadian safeties with multiple picks in the same game?

“Now you have me,” admitted league statistician Steve Daniel. “It is possible (it’s happened before). That would take some digging.”
Loffler, a rookie who starred with the UBC Thunderbirds’ Vanier Cup champion team last season, also forced a fumble as part of a three-takeaway performance that contributed mightily to the Winnipeg victory, the Blue Bombers’ second straight over the Lions. The 24-year-old Kelowna native was named Tuesday as one of three top performers in Week 17 by a panel of judges.

That citation might have gone to Edem’s way had Friday’s result turned out differently.

As it is, his two picks instantly vaulted the former Calgary Dino into a tie for the Lions team lead in interceptions with rookie cornerback Anthony Gaitor.

“When you’re positioned to make plays, and you’re not making them, you realize it’s not the defensive play-calling,” Edem says. “It’s on you. My coaches put me in position. I wasn’t capitalizing. I had to catch the ball better. That’s why I was out there with Jennings and Lulay every day last week.”

Of the five current starters in the Lions secondary, only Edem and Gaitor have multiple picks this season. Rookie halfback Chandler Fenner and veteran cornerback Brandon Stewart are stuck at zero. Halfback Ryan Phillips, who approached the 2016 season with the likelihood of breaking the Lions career record of 51 interceptions, held by Larry Crawford (1981-89), is sitting on 47 and has just a single pick.

The Lions indeed have just nine interceptions as a team. With three games left in the regular season, they are flirting with the all-time franchise-low of 12. That happened 62 years ago, in B.C.’s inaugural year in the Western Intercollegiate Football Union, when the club finished 1-15.

Oddly enough, the 14-1-1 Calgary Stampeders, vying to become the first CFL team to lose but a single game in the regular season, also have the same total of interceptions as the Lions — nine. The 5-10 Saskatchewan Roughriders have the fewest picks among all teams at eight.

Not only are the Lions trending toward a franchise low, the CFL interception rate is headed in the same direction. With only one interception for every 42.5 pass attempts in 2016, the pickoff rate is an “unbelievable” (statistician Daniel’s word) 2.35 per cent heading into Week 18.

The outlier is Winnipeg. The Blue Bombers have a remarkable 28 interceptions. Their overall turnover ratio, plus-31, is even better than Calgary’s (plus-17). All of the remaining seven teams, including the Lions at minus-eight, are in negative territory.

“We know we need more turnovers,” Edem says. “So we’ve got to do extra work to get them, so we can make a play when the ball comes our way.”

He did. But other Lions need to pick it up.

[Blitz]

Some interesting line up changes for Edmonton as they play our Leos this weekend.

At the very important left tackle position, Tony Washington (6'3", 318 lbs.) is unable to play. Its a change we should take advantage of.

Also, in the Riders defensive backfield, Brandyn Thompson is doubtful. If he can't play, Gary Peters will take his place. Targeting a new defensive back is always a good idea to test out his abilities. Part of our game plan should be at least looking at the possibility of Thompson not being able to start. If that happens, targeting Eskimos defensive backfield on the side that Peters and Cord Parks plays on would be wise.

When Edmonton's wide out Cory Watson injured, Brandon Zylstra stepped up in the Esks last game, with six receptions for 104 yards and his first CFL touchdown. He's a big receiver at 6'3" and 220 pounds

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A focus this week by Mike Beamish was the interceptions thrown by Jennings in the Bombers game, the number of interceptions he has thrown this season and their cost.

The article, with its title "Jennings Retains Full Backing of Lions Coach Despite Interceptions" made me almost want to scream in frustration.

Of course, the entire spotlight is on Jennings. No mention of Lulay's mentorship now, as I posted recently. No focus on the coaching staff's responsibility. No analysis of scheme or how defences have recently changed in how they are defencing us. Just pin the entire blame on Jenniings, while Wally plays magnaminous, giving Jennings a 'vote of confidence' while also commenting that he considered pulling Jenning a couple of times. Its all played out as 'living with a young quarterbacks mistakes' while endorsing Jennings as a young talent who has also won games for us this season with game winning drives.

Jonathan Jennings bears some responsibility for the interceptions he has thrown. But there is much more to this equation than just a young talented quarterback making mistakes.

First the focus puts the spotlight on Jennings interceptions and their cost. The Calgary overtime loss in reviewed. Jenning commits a 'faux pas' on the late game interception against Winnipeg, even though he was not the one who called a pass play, he's not the one who was running for his life, with terrible pass blocking on the play, and he is not the one who had a play call with no check down on the play either.

An example.

For a certain segment of B.C. Lions fans, it was one more opportunity to toss a log on Jonathon Jennings’ small campfire of screw-ups.Less than three minutes remained in last Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Lions ahead 32-25, when Jennings rolled out on a first-down play, looking for receiver Shawn Gore.This time, disaster came in the form of Blue Bombers halfback Kevin Fogg. He returned the Jennings faux pas 50 yards before Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols threw a 10-yard touchdown to Clarence Denmark to tie the game following the turnover. The Bombers went on to win 35-32.

Jennings wears the whole thing and takes full responsibility as expected.

It was a stupid mistake. When the other team earns it, that’s one thing. But you just can’t give them opportunities like that. It says a lot about the way I play. I’ve won games by being aggressive. And I’ve lost games by being aggressive. You’ve just got to find that middle ground — of when to be aggressive and when to play smart. I’ve got to play smarter.”

Jennings talents are mentioned but then its as if he lost the series to the Bombers all by himself.

Strong-armed, agile, with tons of ability and star power, Jennings can pass teams silly: He had 749 yards through the air in back-to-back games against the Blue Bombers. But he also had five interceptions in those two games — 38.5 per cent of the 13 picks he has thrown this season

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Jennings doesn\t create a range of emotions for me. I think he is an incredible talent - the best pure passer we have ever seen in a Lions uniform. There is no one I would rather have quarterbacking this team.

Love him. Doubt him. Praise him. Criticize him. Jennings may elicit a range of emotions for Lions fans.

Wally would have been receiving a hell of a lot less praise this season and things would have been a hell of a lot tougher without Jennings at quarterback this season. Jenning has led us on five game winning drives. Buono does point that out in support of Jennings. But he also makes it Jennings fault, while he (Buono) is the patient, wise HC getting Jennings through his 'learning curve', living with Jennings 'mistakes' while allowing Jennings to 'grow'. Of course, poor Wally has to 'pay the price' sometimes.

“Have I thought about it once or twice (pulling Jennings)? Yes,” Buono admits. “But to get him through the learning curve, I’ve got to allow for some mistakes. If you pull him or replace him every time that happens, they never grow. With all the spectacular throws that he makes, you have to pay the price once in a while.”

Beamish then blows smoke up Wally's butt for having the courage to play Jennings instead of an 'experienced' quarterback (which of course means Lulay) because its 'not the call most coaches would make.

He could go with experience, and no one would criticize him, because that’s the call most coaches would make.But Buono is comfortable with himself, believing his faith in Jennings is not a gutsy call at all.He merely gives his team the best chance to win.

There is only one hint, earlier in the article, that perhaps there is more to this than just Jennings but Beamish doesn't even mention Khari Jones by name.

By consensus, the interception is the ultimate sin for a quarterback. Doesn’t matter how they happen — Jennings’ throwing motion was impeded on the killer pick by Fogg last Saturday — or whether he simply is following the coordinator’s call for a risky, high-stakes bet when caution might be a more appropriate wager

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Here is the reality.

Not only have 38% of Jonathan Jennings interceptions happened in the two Bombers games. More than 50% of Jonathan Jennings interceptions have taken place against two teams - the Eskimos one game and the two Bomber games. Jennings has thrown 7 of his 13 interceptions in those three games.

Its also important to note that more than 50% of Jennings interceptions have occurred recently, in our last four games. Jennings didn't throw an interception in the Ottawa game, in which he completed 80% of his passes and threw for 340 yards. But Ottawa played our offence differently than Edmonton and Winnipeg, who used the same defensive game plan against us.

Did Jennings suddenly get stupid in his last four games? This was a quarterback who had thrown few interceptions in his first 9 games of the season. One would think that Jennings would be gaining experience, throwing even fewer interceptions as the season progressed, with Lulay's mentorship, with former quarterback Khari Jones at the helm of our offence, and with Wally Buono's experience as a Head Coach.

The issue of interceptions that ailed us in the Edmonton loss and the two Bomber losses really began earlier when we lost and lost badly to Calgary. Calgary's defence played our offence differently than they had in the previous two contests. Calgary played us Man/Cover 2 and really shut down our offence by doing so.

Edmonton and Winnipeg used the same defence against us. Why Ottawa didn't do the same is beyond me.

We struggled against Edmonton. Manny made a couple of big catches in that game, but the rest of our receivers were shut down, just like they were the last time they were when we played Calgary and their Man/Cover 2 defence. In the first Winnipeg game, Jennings threw deep against double coverage all game. He made purrfect throws and our receivers made great plays, often in double coverage. But playing our vertical offence style, against that defence also cost us a couple of interceptions,

When we played the Bombers at home, the Bombers used the same Man/Cover 2 but with a wrinkle. Loffler cheated on a number yoof plays, overplaying either Arseneaux or Burnham. The Bombers had obviously scouted some of our pass routes on certain plays. They gave extra attention to Burnham and Arseneneux and basically said, if we are going to lose, we're not going to get burned for 350 yards by Burnham and Arseneaux.

Burnham had 48 yds. receiving against the Bombers in our last game. Arseneaux had 16 yds. in receiving. Jennings threw 3 interceptions. No 350 yds. in receiing last game.

There is a pattern. Defenses are playing us differently, playing us Man/Cover 2 now, trying to shut down our vertical passing game, which features Jennings incredible accurate arm on deep and deep intermediate throws and the pass catching talents of Arseneaux and Burhham.

Instead of focusing on the interceptions, a bigger focus should be on our offensive scheme, offensive game planning, scheme, and in game adjustments.

Jonathan Jennings has been more than encouraged to be a gun slinger. Without Jennings abiltites to to make the incredibly accurate deep throw that he makes consistently and the deep intermediate throws that he bullets in there with amazing accuracy, with good coverage on our receivers, we don't have much of an offence.

Look back at our offence last season, with Lulay at quarterback, with this same scheme. Look back at the 2014 season, with Glenn at quarterback with this same offensive scheme and Khari Jones coaching it. The results were less than stellar. Then look at what happened once Jennings, a raw rookie took over the controls at the end of last season.

I love aggressive offence. I love the vertical passing game. But no offence, even with Jennings at quarterback, can beat double coverage time and again. The defenders playing man defence can take greater risks to pick off passes and the two deep defenders playing safety can play deeper and go for pick offs with more comfort.

When Calgary (the last time we played them), Edmonton and Winnipeg went Man/Cover 2, they used 7 defenders in pass coverage. When they rushed four, which they often did, that only left one linebacker to cover the tailback in the passing game, while also needing to stop the quarterback if he ran the football. When defenses went Man/Cover 3 against us, they had to rush 3, because they needed their one linebacker to cove the tailback as well as the quarterback running the football.

Both Man/Cover 2 and Man/Cover 3, by playing that style to shut down our vertical passing game, give up a lot to try to do so. So a smart mentor, smart offensive coordinator, and smart HC would attack the weakness of that style of defence. As I've posted before, you beat it with crossing patterns and rub routes and bunch formations. You pass attack it by getting a favorable matchup with a linebacker and no other help on the tailback. You attack it with the quarterback draw, after the tailback opens it up by going on a swing pattern. You attack it with screen plays against that one linebacker. You attack it with quarterback runs off bootleg action because the linebacker can't cover both the quarterback and the tailback.

You don't need to keep attacking double coverage when defenses are playing Man/Cover 2. You can get big plays in other ways. If the defense adjusts, then go back to the vertical game. We are just too one dimensional in both our passing game and our running game (except there was variety in our running game attack last game, for the first time this season or last season or the season before

Instead of focusing on Jennings recent interceptions the bigger question should by why recently? The answer can be found, not by focusing on Jennings but focusing on the causes and the cause is not Jennings.

Jonathan Jennings has put this team on his back this season. Five game winning drives. His quarterback efficiency is 100.0 even with the interceptions that badly pull down that efficiency. He's completed 67% of his pases. Bo Levi Mitchell has completed 68% of his passes this season with a low risk offence. Jennnings has almost the same passing percentage with a high risk offence, with more difficult throws to make, and with a terrible scheme, in comparison to Calary's scheme.

The answers to our recent problem with inteceptions can be found. But not by dumping the problem on Jonathan Jennings and 'his campfire of screw ups' as was written. The 'campfire' of screw ups is the lack of ability of our coaching staff to adjust our offensive scheme and play calling, when confronted by a different style of defence.

I would love to see anyone else take responsibility, rather than Jennings. But its not going to happen.

Hopefully, a ray of light will have penetrated our Leos brain trust this week and we'll have made some offensive adjustments. But I'm not holding my breath, as long as Jennings toes are held to the fire and their toes are not.

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An excellent article in the Vancouver Sun this morning titled Lions' Chris Rainey a Ray of Sunshine in a Stormy October, with two major themes.

The first theme is that our Leos players may be experiencing some doldrums. Not good as we prepare for Edmonton. Its a long season plus we've lost 3 out of our last 4. We were in solid second place for most of the season and now we're fighting to hold onto third place. Always better to be going after something than just trying to hold onto something, while things are slipping away.

I'm not surprised that our Leos team began to struggle. A simple scheme on both sides of the football, which leads to predictability, plus an arrogant, inflexible approach that our scheme is the "only and one best way to win ("the players just need to execute it"), which leads to inflexibility has often been our nemesis.

I find it a real shame. Under Buono, we've had more than a fair amount of regular season success but the above too often comes back to haunt us.

“I haven’t sensed there’s as much fun out there as there should be,” he said. “We’re at a point of the season where it becomes a little more routine. The players are aware of it. It’s like being locked up with your wife. You still love each other, but you need a little bit of space. There’s not the same joy. When you talk to them now, they’re a little more defensive. They’re tired of hearing the message. It’s the drudgery of the season. We have to put at stop to it. A good win Saturday afternoon (against Edmonton) will pick up everybody’s spirits.”

No matter how this season turns out, this year has been one of my most enjoyable seasons as a Leos supporter. Ten of our 15 games have been decided in the last three minutes of the game. We've had five game winning drives. We've had heart break with an overtime loss to Calgary and two last minute losses to the Bombers. But its been exciting football and I'm sad more fans have not come out to watch.

As per usual, I've been frustrated with our scheme as well as our coaching at times. I sometimes wonder if my Lionbacker colleagues think I'm too tough on both. I don't think I am. I really liked Steve Burratto's scheme and offensive coaching, when he was our offensive coordinator in 2003 and most of 2004. He adapted when he needed to. I really liked Chap's scheme for most of 2011 and 20012. I loved Dave Ritchie's defensive philosophy and innovation when he was our defensive coordinator.

I thought Stubler was a very good defensive coordinator when he was here in 2012 and 2013 - his 2012 defence was our best Leos defence ever. Randy Melvin was an excellent defensive line coach and Johnny Holland did an outstanding job with our linebackers. Barrin Miles was an excellent and highly regarded assistant coach by his players. Kelly Bates did an excellent job working with both our offensive line and as our running back coach. He was the one who taught Andrew Harris to be patient and wait for his blocks.
Marcello Simmons has done a solid job this season outside of our field goal cover team.

I just find it frustrating, when its more than obvious, when something isn't working or when an opposition defence has changed strategy and we do the same old thing and don't adjust or we don't take away an opposition's strengths or attack a defences weakness, when they overcompensate to stop something we're good at. Its frustrating when an opposition defense obviously weakens themselves to shut down aspects of our offence and we don't take advantage.

But its been a pure joy to watch some of our Leo players play football this season.

Jonathan Jennings is the best pure passer of any Leo quarterback I've ever seen. No Leo quarterback from Kappy to Dewalt to Dickenson, Printers, Lulay has ever had an arm like Jennings to make all the throws. Watching Jennings throw the long ball with some consistent accuracy has been amazing.

Being able to watch receivers like Arseneaux and Burnham make so many incredible catches has been a treat. I also don't think the play of Chris Rainey has received the notoriety that it deserves. I've seen some excellent returners in my days of watching our Leos from Darnell Clash to Leon Bright, but Rainey is by far the most talented. Those prevous Leo return men did not encounter the emphasis on special teams coverage that the present game does. Chris Rainey is the most spectacular player in the open field that I've seen play since the days of Willie Fleming, who was special.

Rainey is always lobbying Buono to play more on offence. In fact, we would not have been seeing Rainey at tailback as much as we have as the season has progressed, without Rainey's lobbying of Buono.

Chris Rainey:

“ I love football. I love playing this game. I’m definitely getting joy from it. The only part I don’t like is losing.”He has one other quibble: Rainey wants to be used more.I believe, because I know every position and take it to heart” — Rainey says he emerges from games with fuel still in the tank.“I’d like more touches. More,” he says. “I keep telling ’em I played in the SEC (Southeastern Conference, at Florida). I was an every-down back — and a returner. Yes sir. I want to be tired after games. And I’m not. I might be small (5-8,170 pounds), but I’m tough.”

Buono's answer:

“That’s fine,” Buono says in response. “Get more yardage. And he’ll be more tired.”

Chris Rainey, the Rain Man has a league-leading 2,530 all-purpose yards and is on pace for more than 3,000, which would be a Lions’ single-season record.

He averages 168.7 yards per game. In three of his past five starts, he’s breached the 200-plus range.

Rainey had 298 net yards Oct. 8 against Winnipeg, including a 71-yard kickoff return that could have gone all the way for a touchdown. “My feet were still frozen,” he explains. “I warmed up later, though.”

“I think I can beat anybody in this league, when I get in the open field, at least nine times out of 10. I can’t say purrfect, because I’m not purrfect.”

Rainey is cool, slight, slippery and moves in a blur. (Mike Beamish)

Buono, who has seen a lot of returners in his day, hits it dead on about Chris Rainey.

“They’re always scheming against him,” Buono says. “But Chris is special. He really is special.”

So win or lose, this has been a special season. Watching Rainey, Jennings, Arseneaux, and Burnham has really been special. Even during Leo winning seasons you most often don't get this kind of exciting individual play. The Joe Kapp to Willie Fleming, the Dewalt to Fernandez, The Cardiac Kid type of seasons don't happen that often.