Riders @ BC Sept 29, 2023

[squishy35]

In the 'good 'ol days of Buono or the not so good ol days of Buono (we tend to remember good times and forget bad times but not me ) I used to post a post game review broken down into a script of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly but a fellow Lionbacker has picked up that theme.

So as Tuco famously said in the movie "I'll tell you one thing, Blondie. In this world, there are two kinds of people. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig."

So I have dug and these are my post game thoughts with a new theme

FOR BETTER

Our Leos are 11-4 and will be playing the Bombers next week in a winner take all to see how wins the West in the CFL this season. When Nathan Rourke left us at the end of last season, no many CFL pundits would have predicted we would be playing for first place in the West while playing the final game of the season,

The fact is that Vernon Adams, who was 27/36 last night for 458 yards has had a terrific season overall and our receiving corps of Hollins, Hatcher, Rhymes, Cottoy, Whitehead, and McInnis is the most dangerous receiving corps in the league.

Keon Hatcher had an amazing game with 10 catches for 172 yards. Yet Rhymes had 92 yards in his first game back and looked like he hadn't missed a beat and Hollins was his always dependable self with 83 yards. Adams and the receiving corps enjoyed a feast.

On defense, Phillips crew looked solid for most of the contest, with Ben Hladk having another excellent game. Ben Hladk, a UBC product, is a Canadian defensive stud who has 'brought it' since the first time he ever entered into a game and plays football with 'attitude and controlled violence.

FOR WORSE

The Riders have a terrible run defense and yet Mizzell averaged only 3.8 yds in 10 carries. It was not good enough. Masydk will get the usual flak and our offensive line will receive its share of the blame but for me, the reality is that Mizzell is just not a good enough tailback to carry the load of the ace back position in our offence. He does not have a good enough ability to read holes consistently nor is he good at breaking a tackle. Mostly he is just an over-juking tailback who cannot make yards on his own nor does he bounce off a tackle or run through arm tackles.

Its an achilles heel of our offence that has not had the negative attention it deserves because Mizzell has had an occasional good game and also because our passing attack is so good.

But the weather is getting colder and the teams we will mostly face the rest of the way (e.g: Winnipeg, Toronto) will bring a better pass rush and better defense overall. That will make things tougher to just be a one dimensional offence, even though we are so very good at that one dimension.

There is also a lot of deserved criticism of our defensive play at the end of this game. Whether its just going into a 'protect' defence or there is a let down when a team has a big lead, this happens quite often, from time to time, to professional defenses. Its frustrating to watch and the cure seems easy - continue to play aggressive defense and play with continued intensity. However, while the cure may seem easy, this has happened too often and will likely happen too often in the future. But hey, at least its a better situation to be *beeotch* about a bit of let down defensively, after a win than other potential scenarios.

PURGATORY

A big question mark always seems to be the status of Ryan Phillips, our defensive coordinator. He has come up with some brilliant game plans that put him in a very high stature for his ability to coach. Then there have been other times when he has been suspect, like our last game against the Bombers, when his plan of blitzing and playing man defense backfired badly.

Ryan Phillips is only in his second year as our defensive coordinator and I think his third year as a pro coach, with no previous coaching experience. I think he is going to be a very good one and right now is one of the league's best defensive coordinators. However, he will need to come up with an exceptional game plan and our defense will need to play lights out against the Bombers.

Counting on our offence to shred the Bombers defense, without a strong running game, will be a mighty task, as the Bombers defensive line will pin their ears back and come at Adams hard next week, ignoring Mizzell as if he is a piece of dryer fluff.

If we want to get to football heaven and hang out with the football gods for a while, we had better anticipate we cannot just play pitch and catch against the Bombers "D".

WRAP

We play for all the marbles next weekend, first place in the West, a playoff bye, a home playoff date. Its huge and exciting. Go Leos!!

Nice to read your breakdown of the game Blitz. Mizell, with his speed would be much better utilized with short dump passes in the flat. Also, Mackie is a huge asset at fullback who is never utilized to his potential. I would love to see more Mackie in the offence on the ground.

[TheLionKing]

Mizell reminds me of Jim Harrison. Runs to the line of scrimmage and gets tackled for little yardage. For those youngsters out there, Harrison was one of the worst running back to don Lions colours in my opinion. He lasted one season. His longest carry was 10 yards.

[DanoT]

I'm a big fan of going with 4 receivers, a tailback, and a fullback. The thing is, how often does the QB have enough time to go to the 5th receiver? Almost never. Might as well replace that 5th receiver with a FB that can pass block, lead block, catch and most importantly, run between the tackles. Of course no one in the CFL does this.

So, if I was running the Lions offense I would convert Cottoy to a FB.

[almo89]

In the 'good 'ol days of Buono or the not so good ol days of Buono (we tend to remember good times and forget bad times but not me ) I used to post a post game review broken down into a script of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly but a fellow Lionbacker has picked up that theme.

So as Tuco famously said in the movie "I'll tell you one thing, Blondie. In this world, there are two kinds of people. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig."

So I have dug and these are my post game thoughts with a new theme

FOR BETTER

Our Leos are 11-4 and will be playing the Bombers next week in a winner take all to see how wins the West in the CFL this season. When Nathan Rourke left us at the end of last season, no many CFL pundits would have predicted we would be playing for first place in the West while playing the final game of the season,

The fact is that Vernon Adams, who was 27/36 last night for 458 yards has had a terrific season overall and our receiving corps of Hollins, Hatcher, Rhymes, Cottoy, Whitehead, and McInnis is the most dangerous receiving corps in the league.

Keon Hatcher had an amazing game with 10 catches for 172 yards. Yet Rhymes had 92 yards in his first game back and looked like he hadn't missed a beat and Hollins was his always dependable self with 83 yards. Adams and the receiving corps enjoyed a feast.

On defense, Phillips crew looked solid for most of the contest, with Ben Hladk having another excellent game. Ben Hladk, a UBC product, is a Canadian defensive stud who has 'brought it' since the first time he ever entered into a game and plays football with 'attitude and controlled violence.

FOR WORSE

The Riders have a terrible run defense and yet Mizzell averaged only 3.8 yds in 10 carries. It was not good enough. Masydk will get the usual flak and our offensive line will receive its share of the blame but for me, the reality is that Mizzell is just not a good enough tailback to carry the load of the ace back position in our offence. He does not have a good enough ability to read holes consistently nor is he good at breaking a tackle. Mostly he is just an over-juking tailback who cannot make yards on his own nor does he bounce off a tackle or run through arm tackles.

Its an achilles heel of our offence that has not had the negative attention it deserves because Mizzell has had an occasional good game and also because our passing attack is so good.

But the weather is getting colder and the teams we will mostly face the rest of the way (e.g: Winnipeg, Toronto) will bring a better pass rush and better defense overall. That will make things tougher to just be a one dimensional offence, even though we are so very good at that one dimension.

There is also a lot of deserved criticism of our defensive play at the end of this game. Whether its just going into a 'protect' defence or there is a let down when a team has a big lead, this happens quite often, from time to time, to professional defenses. Its frustrating to watch and the cure seems easy - continue to play aggressive defense and play with continued intensity. However, while the cure may seem easy, this has happened too often and will likely happen too often in the future. But hey, at least its a better situation to be *beeotch* about a bit of let down defensively, after a win than other potential scenarios.

PURGATORY

A big question mark always seems to be the status of Ryan Phillips, our defensive coordinator. He has come up with some brilliant game plans that put him in a very high stature for his ability to coach. Then there have been other times when he has been suspect, like our last game against the Bombers, when his plan of blitzing and playing man defense backfired badly.

Ryan Phillips is only in his second year as our defensive coordinator and I think his third year as a pro coach, with no previous coaching experience. I think he is going to be a very good one and right now is one of the league's best defensive coordinators. However, he will need to come up with an exceptional game plan and our defense will need to play lights out against the Bombers.

Counting on our offence to shred the Bombers defense, without a strong running game, will be a mighty task, as the Bombers defensive line will pin their ears back and come at Adams hard next week, ignoring Mizzell as if he is a piece of dryer fluff.

If we want to get to football heaven and hang out with the football gods for a while, we had better anticipate we cannot just play pitch and catch against the Bombers "D".

WRAP

We play for all the marbles next weekend, first place in the West, a playoff bye, a home playoff date. Its huge and exciting. Go Leos!!

Nice to read your breakdown of the game Blitz. Mizell, with his speed would be much better utilized with short dump passes in the flat. Also, Mackie is a huge asset at fullback who is never utilized to his potential. I would love to see more Mackie in the offence on the ground.

I totally agree with using Mizell for short dump passes out in the flats. We use to do that with Andrew Harris a lot. It's almost like a toss running play. It gives the offense another option as a well.

[David]

Mizell reminds me of Jim Harrison. Runs to the line of scrimmage and gets tackled for little yardage. For those youngsters out there, Harrison was one of the worst running back to don Lions colours in my opinion. He lasted one season. His longest carry was 10 yards.

Jim Harrison was more of a fullback as I recall (1977)? I thought Mike Strickland was the primary back and Harrison (who was a big guy - something like 230lbs) would come in in short-yardage situations, often with little/no success. I seem to recall he was from Missouri, so he was one of Vic Rapp's guys. Rapp seemed to favour guys from his home state as I remember it.

I won't say Mizzell is a bad back, just don't think he's right for this Oline and scheme. I have noticed he sometimes dekes when he doesn't have to, slowing his progress.


DH

[Sir Purrcival]

I thought the same of Pinball Clemons. He would be in open field, juking and deking for reasons I could never fathom.

[Larry Key]

Remember those years with Millington and Philpot? Thunder and lightening. Or the power back in Anthony Parker? Would be a nice change if the coaches tweet their philosophies and bring in a big north/south tailback.

[MacNews]

Good game against the Roughriders except the end where the D tried to prevent the game away.

If we can't get the run game going and eat up the clock then I don't see how we can beat Winnipeg and Toronto.

[DanoT]

Good game against the Roughriders except the end where the D tried to prevent the game away.

If we can't get the run game going and eat up the clock then I don't see how we can beat Winnipeg and Toronto.

A short passing game (to Mizzell and Cottoy) can eat up the clock but an O line thrives on run blocking. OTOH, they call him "big play VA" for a reason....just need to mix things up with running and short passes to control the clock.