Please overhaul this defence

[lion24]

I really hope we don't see Wally stick with "his guys" again next season. As far as I am concerned Hunt can take his clown show somewhere else and we can get a few db's that want to hit. I would rather have a guy who is slower that wants to hit than ball hawks that want to show no physicality. There is no excuse for the way these guys played the past few seasons as they have been together 4-5 years and they looked like a bunch of rookies all season. Too many times I saw this team get pushed around on both O and D lines and the tackling is atrocious at best. I still believe the O has some good tools but the defence will not be good enough to go very far, plain and simple

[TheLionKing]

With the exception of Korey Banks our defensive backs are reluctant to stick their heads in their and make the tough tackle. Too many feeble attempts at making arm tackles.

[lion24]

With the exception of Korey Banks our defensive backs are reluctant to stick their heads in their and make the tough tackle. Too many feeble attempts at making arm tackles.

I agree, I would keep Banks and Hunt and the other db's can take their travelling clown show somewhere else. I would rather have someone that wants to bust someone in the mouth than to shy away from a tackle. I also wouldn't mind seeing Yurichuk and Arakgi get a chance to play more. Who made the decision that Jamal Johnson was not a starter......

[LionSuperFan]

Barron miles picked a bad game to not show up a complete non factor, Glover showed why he'll be the first cut. the D line has no intensity Brent Johnson virtually invisible all year i would take his $250,000 and use it elsewhere. We did not carry any depth on the line and it showed every time we played a team with a good o-line.But if Dante had not been hurt i dont think glover would have been so exposed I saw it as a major blow to start the game . Marsh had a poor year IMO but looked good late in the season and is a sure tackler. Off to the Grey Cup I go to be ridiculed by rider fans.

[lion24]

Barron miles picked a bad game to not show up a complete non factor, Glover showed why he'll be the first cut. the D line has no intensity Brent Johnson virtually invisible all year i would take his $250,000 and use it elsewhere. We did not carry any depth on the line and it showed every time we played a team with a good o-line.But if Dante had not been hurt i dont think glover would have been so exposed I saw it as a major blow to start the game . Marsh had a poor year IMO but looked good late in the season and is a sure tackler. Off to the Grey Cup I go to be ridiculed by rider fans.

Marsh a sure tackler?? oh sure and you think Hunt is a CFL all star..........ummm whoops

[korey&dante4ever]

Barron miles picked a bad game to not show up a complete non factor, Glover showed why he'll be the first cut. the D line has no intensity Brent Johnson virtually invisible all year i would take his $250,000 and use it elsewhere. We did not carry any depth on the line and it showed every time we played a team with a good o-line.But if Dante had not been hurt i dont think glover would have been so exposed I saw it as a major blow to start the game . Marsh had a poor year IMO but looked good late in the season and is a sure tackler. Off to the Grey Cup I go to be ridiculed by rider fans.

Marsh a sure tackler?? oh sure and you think Hunt is a CFL all star..........ummm whoops

Year in and year out, Marsh is one of the best open field tacklers in the league.. period.

[lion24]

Barron miles picked a bad game to not show up a complete non factor, Glover showed why he'll be the first cut. the D line has no intensity Brent Johnson virtually invisible all year i would take his $250,000 and use it elsewhere. We did not carry any depth on the line and it showed every time we played a team with a good o-line.But if Dante had not been hurt i dont think glover would have been so exposed I saw it as a major blow to start the game . Marsh had a poor year IMO but looked good late in the season and is a sure tackler. Off to the Grey Cup I go to be ridiculed by rider fans.

Marsh a sure tackler?? oh sure and you think Hunt is a CFL all star..........ummm whoops

Year in and year out, Marsh is one of the best open field tacklers in the league.. period.

I guess I must have missed it this year

[Blitz]

Our secondary has it's challenges but Phillips and Banks are outstanding. Miles played well for the last portion of the season but at 37, father time has caught up. I still like Glover as a wideside corner, although he struggled at the shortside corner today. Toney got torched too often and we need to find another Phillips. Toney played the toughest position in the defensive backfield and it's a tough place for a rookie but I don't know if he has the speed or aggressiveness to play there.

Marsh has been one of the best tacklers in the league. However, playing with a rookie beside him effected his game and Marsh may be sliding. However, I really didn't see our backfield as the biggest problem this season. It was up front that caused our headaches. Our defensive backs had to concentrate on run support too much as well.

Brent Johnson picked up his game in the playoffs but he's not an every down starter anymore. Hunt had a poor year and looks complacent. McKenzie is too slow. Armour makes two bad plays for every good one he makes. I'd like to see us move Brent Johnson inside to Hunt's tackle spot next year and bring in a new import defensive end. Props to Foley for an outstanding season, not only rushing the passer...he was all over the field and should have been the bookend defensive end last season to compliment Wake.

It's crazy that I could argue for Jamal Johnson to start for two seasons here in B.C. and the coaches couldn't see it and now Jamal is an Eastern and CFL all-star. We need to find a Jamal type linebacker..quick, explosive...who can blitz, shut down the run, and cover.

[lion24]

Blitz, overall our db's are the worst tacklers in the league and Phillips is as soft as they come...........am I the only one that agrees???!!

[TheLionKing]

Blitz, overall our db's are the worst tacklers in the league and Phillips is as soft as they come...........am I the only one that agrees???!!

We concur

Signed,

D'Andra Cobb, Fred Reid

[Blitz]

Blitz, overall our db's are the worst tacklers in the league and Phillips is as soft as they come...........am I the only one that agrees???!!

I agree overall, but don't agree with you regarding Phillips, who is one of our best tacklers. Marsh did not tackle well this season and he's been our best in the past. Miles is awful, Toney and George are not aggressive or good tacklers at all. Banks is an awesome tackler.

One problem is that our defensive backfield is being coaached right now by an ex-teammate in Mark Washington. Ritchie coached the defensive backfield when he was here and he could make life miserable if they slacked off.

However, tacking is being a lost skill in both the CFL and NL. The problem is that teams don't practice it anymore, even at the college level, wanting to avoid injury. Ritchie was old school and would at least force them to do tackling drills on occasion. We need more hitters in the defensive backfield. I agree with you that we're soft there right now.

[lion24]

Blitz, overall our db's are the worst tacklers in the league and Phillips is as soft as they come...........am I the only one that agrees???!!

I agree overall, but don't agree with you regarding Phillips, who is one of our best tacklers. Marsh did not tackle well this season and he's been our best in the past. Miles is awful, Toney and George are not aggressive or good tacklers at all. Banks is an awesome tackler.

One problem is that our defensive backfield is being coaached right now by an ex-teammate in Mark Washington. Ritchie coached the defensive backfield when he was here and he could make life miserable if they slacked off.

However, tacking is being a lost skill in both the CFL and NL. The problem is that teams don't practice it anymore, even at the college level, wanting to avoid injury. Ritchie was old school and would at least force them to do tackling drills on occasion. We need more hitters in the defensive backfield. I agree with you that we're soft there right now.

Blitz I always respect your posts and knowledge but Phillips was straight armed like crazy all year and so many times tried to throw himself at guys rather than wrapping up.

[Rammer]

Going to disagree on George, he was a sure tackler during his time in the wide side corner position. Glover lost that job to him due to his cheating on reading the QB, leaving his man to help out, only to find the scrambling QB find his receiver wide open on the backside of the play. He was much better upon his return, but he had at least 4 meltdowns in the first 3 games of the season. The demotion seems to have cured that up a tad.

When I look down our list of DB's, I have to say to a man I doubt that there aren't 6 teams with inferior talent in the CFL, it really comes down to our schemes. How many times were the DB's confused upon which man to cover when the opposition were doing quick out patterns with a rub or two? Given the amount of sacks the Lions were able to provide, you have to think that the DB's should have had more picks, but doesn't happen as often when you are playing a zone D.

[WestCoastJoe]

Blitz, overall our db's are the worst tacklers in the league and Phillips is as soft as they come...........am I the only one that agrees???!!

I agree that our DBs are soft, with the exception of Banks. I think Marsh misses loads of tackles, expecially on so-called "run support." Miles is saving his body for retirement. He likes to catch fly balls in center field, but no contact please. I think Phillips is very, very talented, but that he has gone soft too. Even his coverage and switches leave a lot to be desired.

Foley plays hard all game. Oftentimes he is the one hustling back across the field to make a tackle when the defenders on that side, DE, DT, LB and DBs fail to. Hunt can play. Dunno if Williams has the desire to play here. Johnson seemed to mail it in quite often this year. As the coaches say, I would like to look at the game film more closely. IMO our D Line has more expected of them than any other unit of the defence. And IMO we do not give them as much help by way of blitzes and run support as we should.

McKenzie tries hard, but seems to be unsure of his role, and struggles to get to the ball. Armour tries to look mean and talk tough, but misses many, many plays. The 4 - 2 was far from a success. Glatt was out of position since the time Barron Simpson left, but was aided by Kidd and Floyd beside him. Nevertheless Glatt can contribute, if used appropriately to his skills and athletic ability. I personally hope Glatt is back and that he wants to be back here.

There are many leaks in the boat, and they include scheme, coaching and personnel.

IMO ...

This is an opinion board where criticism of the players and coaches is allowed. Differing opinions accepted at face value.

[serpintine]

I totaly agree lion 24, Christie Buono's interview with Phillips he say's "i'm a playmaker that's my role " . yeah well his helmet looks like it just came out of the box , so many times ive noticed this guy hold up , instead of helping out on a tackle or poppin a receiver . Receivers will not here footsteps in Ryan Phillips area.