TiCats 40 - Lions 10, Post-Game Stats and Comments

[Lion Guy]

I don't think rookies dancing in the walkthrough was a factor in the outcome. The Lions came out flying on the opening kickoff and pinned the Ticats deep. The defence just couldn't stop the Hamilton offence, and the Hamilton defence was ready for everything the B.C. offence tried. The Lions were just outcoached. A few key drops by the offence and defence just made the score worse than it should have been.

We have been out coached for years.

[Blitz]

It seems to be very hard times right now.

The players have to dig deep, once again, even deeper than before.

Saddled with a moribund offensive scheme, porous pass blocking, a running game limited to 7 carries, it will be very tough for the players on offence to rally. Glanville tore our offence to shreds, jumping well-scouted, predictable routes all over the field. Davis Sanchez noted how our receivers do not get separation, and that is what we saw once again.

Our defence had the ball run down its throat in the 1st quarter. We are getting nothing from our safety. Schemed wrong and played poorly, it seems to me. Lost in the endzone, as Banks cuts by, wide open. Jones thoroughly out-coached Washington, neutralizing the pressure we saw for two games.

In the planning and meetings Wally must be getting the game plans he wants. And then it comes down, once again, to the players not executing the game plan. Well prepared? How did the opposing game plans stack up? Which team had better game plans?

I think we should start Fajardo. Too early for Lulay. Jarious Jackson looked to be in way over his head against the crafty, ancient Jerry Glanville. Going with RPO to start the year was such a naive, bad decision. Have we dumped it yet?
......

Was it OK to dance on the logo? Condoned? Not known ever in previous games? Not OK? Who was responsible? Who should have stopped it? Never discussed as protocol? OK within team policy? Not in team policy? No coach on the field during walk through? Players just walking around the playing field without a coaching plan, unsupervised? If it is stopped henceforth, it seems it was the wrong thing to do. Small thing, or a symptom of a disorganized mess?

There were altercations pregame, in game and post-game because of the logo dance. Not a big deal? Then why not do the dance every game henceforth? Get out there on the other team's logo and dance.

Excellent points WCJ.

I'm ready to move on, as Odell Willis said we need to do, learn the lessons and then move on.

I think you may be frustrated when you post that we should start Fajardo.

Jonathan Jennings had come in the second quarter and the first quarter of the first two games of our recent three game winning streak (our longest of the season) and helped us win and he played the key role in our home victory and incredible miracle upset at home against Hamilton.

Very, very few of our players didn't have a stinker of a game in Hamilton. I also beleive we have to factor in that our recievers had not gotten separation against the Tabbies excellent pass defense in the past two games, that we were deficient in terms of a running attack, our pass blocking was poor, our scheme and offensive game plan deficient.

No quarterback can do it all. Reilly three 3 interceptions, only completed 54% of his passes, threw for only 154 yds. and Edmonton's offence only scored 3 points on the weekend. I don't blame Reilly just as I don't blame Lulay for being 2-4 with him as our starter this season

Jennings could have played better but so could all of our offensive players if they were given the tools to do so. I disagree that Jennings was fully responsible for the 3 interceptions too. One he was mostly responsible for, in terms of a pass he tried to stick in to a covered receiever.

But he was not the entire fault of the two Pick 6 interceptions. On the first one, Uamba jumped a crossing pattern route while playing zone. Posey should have sat down on the route but since he continued with it, he should have kept going but he slowed down when Uamba jumped the route.

On the other Pick 6, Jennings looked off the safety by looking right and then came back to his left side. The safety knew the play and jumped it, flying up from his safety position. That normally never happens. The same thing happened to Fajardo, but luckily for Fajardo, the safety dropped the football.

Hamilton was jumping our routes all game. Our receivers were blanketed, in part due to the type of routes we are using, in the combinations we are also using. We're predictable and easy to scout.

They also doubled Burnham most of the game.

We have very fast receivers - Posey, Shaq, and Collins but they were blanketed all game. Throw in the pass rush (6 sacks) and the lack of a running game and no quarterback would have done well in that game - not even Mike Reilly.

Jennings did not look like he had lost his confidence. He just looked pissed while talking to Lulay on the sidelines.

We have to get away with this continuous mindset that every time a quarterback has a bad game, or even if he has a decent game but we lost the game, we want the next backup. Quarterbacks don't win or lose games alone.

There are so many other factors at play, in terms of winning and losing and there are so many factors at play, in terms of quarterback play. Its simplistic to think that changing the quarterback is the only factor in winning and losing or good offensive play and not so good offensive play. In reality, its a very complex.

We should flush this one and start Jennings unless he is playing poorly with good pass protection and a good running game and receivers getting separation. I can see throwing Fajardo in there as a change up. He's a runner and a scrambler so he really steps outside the offence and the play calls and anything we run that is not a play call is better than the play call.

But Fajardo can't play that style for a whole game. The defense will force him into the pocket.

Lulay will be back soon...sooner than expected and Wally will rush him back if he can. I don't necessarily think we are better with either Lulay or Jennings..just different....but Lulay's experience is an advantage when things go bad in that he will dump off or throw the football away rather than keep trying to stick footballs into well covered receivers.

But Lulay's touchdown to interception rate has declined each season as a Leo. But that is not because the defense reads his tendencies or that he can't read a defence either. Its becsuse our offensive scheme has gotten even worse since Chap left and its even worse this season than last season or 2015. Most opposition defenses are also getting better - faster, bigger defensive tackles, better pre-game scouting, more sophisticated defensive schemes, and dedicated game planning by defensive coordinators who adapt from game to game and within games.

As Odell said it best - Hamilton adapted better than we did.

The only good thing about the 2016 season was that we ran the football a lot (1st in CFL in rushing) and that gave us balance so Jennings had more time to throw and he also had good poise in the pocket. But play action was effective in 2016 and its not now - presnap or post snap RPO.

We play Toronto next, a team that we lost to with Lulay at quarterback last time. If we can't win with Lulay and we have games like we did this weekend with Jennings, I don't think Fajardo will get it done the rest of the way.

But all our Leo quarterbacks usually play well in their first game after they have been on the sidelines for a while or a long time - take your pick - but their play will decline as our scheme, lack of a running game, short yardage failure, predicable passing game, and the opposition pass rush gets them and eventually gets to them.

I hope both Jennings and Lulay play well for the rest of this season because I belive both will be gone at the end of it. I will find that sad because both deserved a better scheme, game planning, and play calling for most of their time as Leos.

I believe Ed Hervey will sign Mike Reilly for next season - better than 50/50. But I'm happy Reilly is not here right now - because he would look like a much more inferior quarterback if he was.

[WestCoastJoe]

Excellent points WCJ.

I think you may be frustrated when you post that we should start Fajardo.

I believe Ed Hervey will sign Mike Reilly for next season - better than 50/50. But I'm happy Reilly is not here right now - because he would look like a much more inferior quarterback if he was.

Thanks, Blitz.

Not frustrated with Jennings. Not at all. I have full appreciation for what he is facing. It is a hopeless situation for him. Huge pressure from defences. Horribly juvenile offensive scheme taken to school by Glanville and others. Receivers blanketed. A disorganized, poorly coached O Line. Sacks. Hits. No running game. WTF are ya gonna do? Put Fajardo in and see what he can do. I see no point in destroying Jennings.

People might see that he, and Lulay and Fajardo are in a dysfunctional offence. Nothing they can do. Except improvise. I think Jennings is in a position where he is trying to run what we have as an offence, as planned, without improvising too much.

I would like to see any QB try to run our offence. Go, Cody, and God Bless. Get ready to run for your life.

Nothing against Jennings whatsoever from this fan. But there must be a mercy rule for QBs on our team. Next. After Cody, Ricky. Share the wealth.

Frustrated with Jennings? Nope. Frustrated with the klunker he is expected to run.

I agree that Reilly would look much less than MOP level in our offence. He looked very vulnerable against Winnipeg with 3 Ints of his own. And I have a very, very high opinion of Reilly. And Lulay. And Jennings. I can well imagine Jennings playing for Hufnagel and Dickenson and shooting lights out. Same if he played for June Jones. With Jones we see progression, not regression, from Masoli.

[Blitz]

Excellent points WCJ.

I think you may be frustrated when you post that we should start Fajardo.

I believe Ed Hervey will sign Mike Reilly for next season - better than 50/50. But I'm happy Reilly is not here right now - because he would look like a much more inferior quarterback if he was.

Thanks, Blitz.

Not frustrated with Jennings. Not at all. I have full appreciation for what he is facing. It is a hopeless situation for him. Huge pressure from defences. Horribly juvenile offensive scheme taken to school by Glanville and others. Receivers blanketed. A disorganized, poorly coached O Line. Sacks. Hits. No running game. WTF are ya gonna do? Put Fajardo in and see what he can do. I see no point in destroying Jennings.

People might see that he, and Lulay and Fajardo are in a dysfunctional offence. Nothing they can do. Except improvise. I think Jennings is in a position where he is trying to run what we have as an offence, as planned, without improvising too much.

I would like to see any QB try to run our offence. Go, Cody, and God Bless. Get ready to run for your life.

Nothing against Jennings whatsoever from this fan. But there must be a mercy rule for QBs on our team. Next. After Cody, Ricky. Share the wealth.

Frustrated with Jennings? Nope. Frustrated with the klunker he is expected to run.

I agree that Reilly would look much less than MOP level in our offence. He looked very vulnerable against Winnipeg with 3 Ints of his own. And I have a very, very high opinion of Reilly. And Lulay. And Jennings. I can well imagine Jennings playing for Hufnagel and Dickenson and shooting lights out. Same if he played for June Jones. With Jones we see progression, not regression, from Masoli.

Now I understand WCJ.

I like your 'mercy rule' but I would go further.


Cruel and Unusual Punishment

We have laws that prevent cruelty to animals. We really need one in B.C. to prevent 'cruel and unusual punishment' for our quarterbacks because what they have to go through is 'inhumane'.

Perhaps you're right that we should start Fajardo and share the PTSD symptoms around more, rather than just having Lulay and Jennings be selfish and experience them just to themselves.

The two of them talking on the sidelines in Hamilton reminded me of the movie Pappillon - I'm sure there are times when they wished they'd have jumped off a cliff and escaped to another team and got the opportunity that Bo Levi Mitchell did in Calgary to play in a good offensive system.

Throw in the Next One

There is a danger, as B.C. Lions fans, that we become "Little Wally's', lacking in empathy and thinking that, instead of fixing what needs to be fixed, in terms of our offensive scheme, game planning, and play calling, we just throw in the next quarterback.

After all, that is what Wally said was the answer, in 2005, after both Dickenson and Printers were hurt and Buck was forced into action as a rookie, as our quarterbacks were sacked a mind boggling 74 times that season, as Chap became our 0C, to run Wally 's Simplied Spread while Dorazio continued to coach the offensive line.

When asked about the sacks and quarterback injuries that season, Buono answered "That's why we have four of them'.

The history

I've already posted the stats previously that all of our quarterbacks in the Buono era that their best season was their first season as our starting quarterback. That was the case for Dickenson, Printers, Pierce, Jackson, Lulay, and Jennings. The list of injuries they sustained as starting quarterbacks is head shaking.

I have many memories of our quarterback injuries and also remember them playing with injury but the three that first come to mind are

1) Dave Dickenson giving up golf in the 2006 off-season because he hurt too much everywhere

2) Buck Pierce in painful agony on the sidelines after every offensive series but going back in to play each time and we won the game. It was called courageous at the time but if we had seen that happening with any other team, we would have desperately wanted the suffering to stop.

3) Travis Lulay, who had fought back with courage and determination from another serious knee injury and played very well in his first two games back this season, being screamed at by Buono on the sidelines in an ugly scene televised by TSN and then getting screamed at again by Buono in another game this season. Unbelievable!

What Happened?

As mentioned Mike Reilly's offence had an awful game yesterday. Three interceptions, 154 yds. passing, 3 offensive points for an entire game. Notice I did not just blame Mike Reilly? Reilly was heading for another MOP Award this season until recently. Now the Eskimos have lost 4 of their last 5 games and their offence looks awful.

What happened? Did Mike Reilly begin not knowing how to read a defence? Maybe opposing teams have learned his tendencies? I know, he has developed 'deer in the headlights' syndrome. That is what we might read on Lionbackers from a few if that was the case here.

No, here is what happened. Edmonton's offensive line allowed four sacks (0.667 per game) in the first six games and has now allowed 26 (3.25 sacks per game or 0.813 per quarter) in the last eight games.

MOP quarterbacks can't overcome poor pass protection. But we expect our Leos quarterbacks to overcome a bad scheme, bad game planning, bad play calling, receivers not geting separation, a non-existent running game, and opposing defenses jumping our routes and preparing well for our predictable offence.

Our Solution

Our solution? Blame the quarterback. Take the lead from Wally. Time for the next quarterback to start. He's better anyway (until he isn't). Its a simple solution but its the wrong one because the next quarterback up will play well for a while, until all the factors he has to face finally overwhelm him if he doesn't get injured before that happens.

Leo quarterbacks spend a lot of time in the infirmary and rehab. Each shoud be assigned their own specialized sports psychologist and their own exclusive team doctor.

Their careers as Leo starters will be impressive. Dickenson was lights out in 2003, the only Leo season, in which he threw for over 5,000 yds. He looked like a shell of his former self at the start of 2007, before getting hurt again. Casey Printers threw for over 5,000 yds. in 2004 and never played at that level again.

Jackson led us to 9 wins of 11 starts in 2007 but could never repeat that level of play again. Buck Pierce looked lke a future MOP in 2008. By the end of 2009, he was displaying PTSD tendencies in his play and injured and not the same quarterback, Buono discarded him, as he did with with Dickenson at the end of 2007. Its a short shelf life as a Leo quarterback under Buono.

Lulay, like Printers before him, won the MOP Award in his first year as our starter. By 2015, his stats had seriously receded, even though his ability to read defenses was outstanding, improving season after season.The injury totals had also mounted and Wally dropped him as our starter and gave him the role of Jennings mentor, after Jennings had played well in his first six starts at the end of 2015.

Jennings, like all Leo starting quarterbacks in the Buono era, had a very good first season as our starter. He became only the third Leo quarterback in our history to throw for over 5,000 yds. in a season, joining Flutie and Dickenson. But one season later, he had been injured and was struggling behind an atrocious offensive line that couldn't protect him and a predictable, simple scheme that did anything to help him.

For all of those quarterbacks mentioned, it would have been simple and easy to say that they suddenly 'could not read a defense' after they had thrown for over 5,000 yards or won an MOP Award or played great for an entire season. But that would not make sense. You have to be able to read a defense very well to ever throw for over 5,000 yds. in a season or win an MOP Award.

Magic Wand

There are times when I wish I had a magic wand. If I did, I would put a fan who writes that one of our quarterbacks who has previously thrown for over 5,000 yds in a single season or won an MOP Award, and put them in pads and a uniform and have them play quarterback for just one quarter of a Pee Wee football game. They would very quickly have 'deer in the headlights syndrome' and be crying for their momma.

That's 'Why We Have Four of Them'

In Wally World, we don't fix anything or even try to change anything. Its wash, rinse, and repeat the same old.

You're right WCJ. Put Fajardo in. Then Ricky Lloyd. That's the solution. Its always the solution. To use Wally's quote: "That's why we have four of them".

[David]

Got smacked on twitter a bit for suggesting Wally needs to hang them up.

Hopefully, you didn't send that tweet to his daughter. I hope that wasn't you.

I get the frustration. I'm right there with you. But whoever did that, wasn't cool.


DH

[Lion Guy]

Got smacked on twitter a bit for suggesting Wally needs to hang them up.

Hopefully, you didn't send that tweet to his daughter. I hope that wasn't you.

I get the frustration. I'm right there with you. But whoever did that, wasn't cool.


DH

I don't follow her.

[WestCoastJoe]

Another game coming up. Yee Haw ...

I expect Jonathon Jennings will get the start. He might have success against the Argos. I hope so. This fan has great sympathy for him.

I suggested that Fajardo get the start. I find it hard to witness the punishment Jennings is taking. Physical punishment at this time does not seem like the worst of it. What JJ10 is facing is bewildering. He is expected to run an offence that ran the ball only 7 times against what has been considered a Hamilton defence vulnerable to the run. He plays behind an O Line that oftentimes has to call out "Ole" as the defender gets a clear run at the QB (the "look out" block). The receivers get no separation as the defence sits on the well-scouted routes, and then jumps them, as they have seen the pattern over and over on the tape. No running game. Nobody open, but somehow the QB should execute the offence. The best we can hope for is a broken play where the QB might improvise. Or possibly a jump ball downfield if the QB gets time before being sacked.

I find it hopeless. It makes me shake my head. My sympathy for Jennings, and Lulay, makes me think why not share the load? Share the grind. Cody is fresh. Ricky is fresh. Run, baby, run. Improvise. Run like Casey. Run like Buck. Run like Travis in previous years. All of these guys can play. Let them. Otherwise our QB gets pounded, as he struggles to make something of a dysfunctional offence.

It might not matter who starts anyway. If Jennings gets a good game plan, against a not very good Argos team, the offence might be productive. If the offence does not move the ball, then Cody Fajardo might get more game time anyway.

Our QBs have my sympathy. Purple hearts all around.

God bless and protect our QBs. LOL

Physical pounding. Psychological pounding. It is an unsolvable puzzle for QBs trying to run our offence. PTSD. I think Casey had it. Dickenson had it. Buck had it. Travis must have had it at times. Jonathon has had it. They have my sympathy. Yes they are pros. And they do not complain.

Some QBs do not get over it. I recall many, many years ago reading about Norm Snead with the Eagles. Constantly pounded. O Line a sieve. His teammates and opponents were amazed that he seemed to be comfortable under a pile of bodies just looking up at the clouds peacefully. LOL He learned how to land and protect himself in the scrum.

Yes, Odell Willis has it right. Move on. Get ready for the next game. I do have some feeling of dread for the players after the pounding we took. We were dismantled. Our quarterbacks should be in shock. It is a testament to their character that they can carry on. These young men are very resilient.

Can we win this next game? Absolutely. Can we lose? Absolutely. It would be nice if our warriors, heading into battle, had the full selection of guns, bullets and weapons at their disposal. We will see ...

[Blitz]

Another game coming up. Yee Haw ...

I expect Jonathon Jennings will get the start. He might have success against the Argos. I hope so. This fan has great sympathy for him.

I suggested that Fajardo get the start. I find it hard to witness the punishment Jennings is taking. Physical punishment at this time does not seem like the worst of it. What JJ10 is facing is bewildering. He is expected to run an offence that ran the ball only 7 times against what has been considered a Hamilton defence vulnerable to the run.

He plays behind an O Line that oftentimes has to call out "Ole" as the defender gets a clear run at the QB. The receivers get no separation as the defence sits on the well-scouted routes, and then jumps them, as they have seen the pattern over and over on the tape.

No running game. Nobody open, but somehow the QB should execute the offence. The best we can hope for is a broken play where the QB might improvise. Or possibly a jump ball downfield if the QB gets time before being sacked.

I find it hopeless. It makes me shake my head. My sympathy for Jennings, and Lulay, makes me think why not share the load? Share the grind. Cody is fresh. Ricky is fresh. Run, baby, run. Improvise. All of these guys can play. Let them. Otherwise our QB gets pounded, as he struggles to make something of a dysfunctional offence.

It might not matter who starts anyway. If Jennings gets a good game plan, against a not very good Argos team, the offence might be productive. If the offence does not move the ball, then Cody Fajardo might get more game time anyway.

Our QBs have my sympathy. Purple hearts all around.

God bless and protect our QBs. LOL

Physical pounding. Psychological pounding. It is an unsolvable puzzle for QBs trying to run our offence. PTSD. I think Casey had it. Dickenson had it. Buck had it. Travis must have had it at times. Jonathon has had it, although he plays through it. They have my sympathy. Yes they are pros. And they do not complain.

Some QBs do not get over it. I recall many, many years ago reading about Norm Snead with the Eagles. Constantly pounded. O Line a sieve. His teammates and opponents were amazed that he seemed to be comfortable under a pile of bodies just looking up at the clouds peacefully. LOL He learned how to land and protect himself in the scrum.

Yes, Odell Willis has it right. Move on. Get ready for the next game. I do have some feeling of dread for the players after the pounding we took. We were dismantled. Our quarterbacks should be in shock. It is a testament to their character that they can carry on. These young men are very resilient.

Can we win this next game? Absolutely. Can we lose? Absolutely. It would be nice if our warriors, heading into battle, had the full selection of guns, bullets and weapons at their disposal. We will see ...

The key question is whether we will do what Odell Willis said we need to do - Learn from it, then flush it, and adapt.

While wins and losses are not just based upon quarterback play, it is important to note that 4 of our 6 victories have been with Jennings at quarterback. He was our quarterback the entire way for two of those wins and came off the bench in the first and second quarter for two others.

Therefore, we should feel a certain sense of confidence that we can win with Jennings under center.

Last season, our Lions went in to Regina and got beaten badly. Our team was not up for the contest, the players were not listening to Wally, and he turned the pre-game speech over to Rolly Lumbala. We never recovered from that Saskatchewan game last season and played poorly the rest of the season.

We can't let that happen again. Its important that our Leos learn from it, then flush it, and believe again.

But in order to believe, our players need to know that our coaches can adapt and make the types of adaptions that will give them the tools for future success.

Its that lack of adaption that is a major problem. For example, when players see the same old up the gut run on second and short, without success very often, it must be very frustrating for them.

When Leo players see Hamilton adapt after the game in Vancouver and come up with another good game plan while we don't adapt and our game plan is deficient, it impacts morale and motivation.

Odell Willis said Hamilton adapted faster than we did. He was bang on.

For example, with the pass rush that Hamilton was geting, why did we not run more screen plays? Why did we not boot Jennings at times or move the pocket for him?

We do so many stupid things. Here is just one example. Jennings had come into two games as the backup, after Lulay had been injured in the first quarter and second quarter and now has to start again, with Lulay's shoulder dislocated.

So, in Jennings first game back as our starter, facing a Hamilton team that is best agaisnt the pass and worst against the rush. So what do we do?

We have Jennings throw the football 47 times in his first game back as our starter against that very good pass defense while we only run the football 3 times in the first half. Jennings pulls out a miracle finish but we are fortunate.

We know that Jennings was very successful in 2016, with a very good running game and a passing game coming off play action.

Thats' the recipe for him to be successful. The recipe for him to be unsucessful is to not run the football, having a pass rush arrive very quickly, and expect him to make quick throws into very tight windows with well covered recievers in a predictable passing attack.

Hamilton played the pass all game in Hamilton, got a great pass rush, teeing off on the defensive line, expecting pass, and jumped routes all over the place.

Its mind numbing stupidity. And then we blame the quarterback.

We did it to Lulay too. Here is a quarterback who can really read defenses and make progression reads. Here is a quarterback who can be a duel threat quarterback, who is skilled at finding seams in a pass rush, and stepping into those seams to buy time to throw the football.

So what do we do? We turn him into an RPO quarterback, to make a simple read and a very quick, accurate, shorter type throw to a primary reciever who will be usuall be tightly covered. That doesn't allow Lulay to move around in the pocket, if necessary to find an open receiver through his progressions.

No wonder Lulay's passing percentage was low in some games this season. He was trying to throw short or intermediate passes under duress and with no time on most RPO plays to find a secondary receiver. We took away Lulays' best strengths.

Its crazy stuff.!!

[WestCoastJoe]

Yes, Blitz, you are right. Jennings should start. I give him my support as a fan. As always. My suggestion that Fajardo share the load was not a dig at Jennings. He was thrown to the wolves last game, and not for the first time. Given a reasonable game plan, I have full confidence in Jennings to perform well. He has won a large number of games for us since the year of Tedford and Cortez, who got him off to his good start as a CFL QB. I hate to see a talented young QB destroyed.

I think our offence should be thrown in the waste basket. For me it is a question of which QB gets sacrificed. And that is when I think we should share that load. LOL Fresh guys relish the opportunity. No bad memories. No bad reflexes. No wounds. No injuries.

As noted it will sort itself out anyway. If Jennings is productive in our "offence," fine. If not, Fajardo will get reps. Maybe Lulay will be brought back earlier than expected, maybe even too early. Our season is on the brink. We are in hard times. Our coaches will put practice plans and a game plan together. And the players will suit up and play. We might even win.

[Blitz]

Yes, Blitz, you are right. Jennings should start. I give him my support as a fan. As always. My suggestion that Fajardo share the load was not a dig at Jennings. He was thrown to the wolves last game, and not for the first time. Given a reasonable game plan, I have full confidence in Jennings to perform well. He has won a large number of games for us since the year of Tedford and Cortez, who got him off to his good start as a CFL QB. I hate to see a talented young QB destroyed.

I think our offence should be thrown in the waste basket. For me it is a question of which QB gets sacrificed. And that is when I think we should share that load. LOL Fresh guys relish the opportunity. No bad memories. No bad reflexes. No wounds. No injuries.

As noted it will sort itself out anyway. If Jennings is productive in our "offence," fine. If not, Fajardo will get reps. Maybe Lulay will be brought back earlier than expected, maybe even too early. Our season is on the brink. We are in hard times. Our coaches will put practice plans and a game plan together. And the players will suit up and play. We might even win.

We've thrown every one of our quarterbacks to the wolves since Dickenson arrived here in 2003. Why do you think they had their best season in their first season as a starter and why do you think they all got so injured.

Jennings is only our last quarterback to be thrown to the wolves. Lulay was thrown to the wolves this season too. Why do you think he is injured. Because he was thrown to the wolves and injured two games in a row, with defenders completely unblocked. That happened for all three of his injuries - eye, helmet to helmet hit, and shoulder dislocation.

We also threw Lulay to the wolves over his 6 games too. He played well in his first two games because he was fresh and had some more time than Jennings did to begin the season, to practice our RPO plays. Plus Lulay's experience helped plus his confidence from the 2017 season had carried over.

But it didn't take too long before he couldn't overcome what ails us - a scheme that does not suit his talents, play calling, lack of protection, an inadequate running game, and a lack of play diversity.

Travis Lulay has a special season in 2011, as many of our quarterbacks have had in their first season. But Lulay was able to complete his first year journey and play in the Grey Cup and win it. Printers never got that chance. Dickenson got that one opportunity too, in 2006 but in 2004, 2005, and 2007 he had been injured prior to the playoffs and was rusty.

I'm happy that Lulay got that opportunity in 2011, while he was healthy. He was injured in 2012 and 2013 and entered the playoffs after missing a number of games in those seasons and was not 100%. In 2015 he was injured again.

His story is similar to Dickenson's, in terms of his career as a starter. Injured a lot due to deficient scheme and poor pass blocking. Courageous, character quarterback with very good leadership skills. Best duel threat quarterback of the bunch of them and we've had some very good duel threat quarterbacks here since 2003.

But, vver time, Lulay began to pick up a couple of bad habits out of necessity, as did Dickenson. Dickenson began to hold onto the football too long and took a horrible beating. He did that because our receivers were often well covered as defenders jumped our routes.

In the 2005 West Final, Edmonton was calling out our plays on defense before we snapped the football.

Travis Lulay began to scramble to his right too often, giving up ground, and then often having to throw the football out of bounds. He also began to throw more off his back foot, a habit he developed as he continuously experienced a quick pass rush in his face.

Travis didn't play much in 2016. When he came in to start 4 games for us in 2017, those habits had disappeared again. He was back to his natural self as a quarterback.

Our scheme and poor pass protection and simplicity and predictability push our quarterbacks into bad habits. Buck Pierce, who had such good natural instincts was being turned into a pocket passing robot throwing four yard outs on second and 8 in his final season here in B.C. Not himself at all and no wonder.

Jonathan Jennings was so natural and poised in the pocket throughout all of 2016. Having such a good arm and under pressure to perform in 2017 with a predictable passing attack, terrible pass protection, and well covered receviers, he tried to do what he shouldnt have -attempted to throw long intermediate or deep passes to well covered receivers that required purrfect passes to be successful. Too often they were picked off.

What should he have done? Well, he had no hot reads or dump offs most of the time. He should have thrown it out of bounds on almost every pass play and quickly. Maybe that would have sent a message.

But quarterbacks can't do that. Instead they attempt to do their best with what they are given, often to their own demise, in terms of their play and they also get injured while doing so.

Then they are criticized, blamed by Wally (and sometimes screamed at during a game) and fans call for a different quarterback to come in and start.

Its madness. But it is what it is, until it changes.

[Lion Guy]

5 more games. Maybe 6. Then we can start again

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have been hot and cold this year, mainly hot at home and cold on the road. They had what seemed like three character-building comeback wins at home against Winnipeg, Edmonton and Hamilton, then went out and lost on the road the following week. Is that on the players or coaches? I really don't know why they seem to be two different teams.

I agree that Jennings should start against the Argos. He had his best game of the year at home against Hamilton two weeks ago, followed by his worst game of the year in Hamilton. It's not his fault that receivers weren't open and the Ticats were jumping routes, but he still needs to protect the ball. The pick-six into coverage on the Lions' first offensive play was a back-breaker.

The Argos have given up a league-worst 31.8 points per game and 43 touchdowns. They're ninth against the run and eighth against the pass. Surely Jarious Jackson can find a way to exploit some of the Argos' many weaknesses.

[WestCoastJoe]

I wonder if we are going to roll out the RPO.

I wonder if we will see a lot of soft zone from our D.

I wonder if we will have porous pass protection and give up 5 or 6 sacks.

Maybe our receivers will get separation and run in space.

Maybe we will have a vigorous, dedicated run game.

Who knows? I think we know Wally's preferences after all these years. Surprised he went for RPO, dud though it has been. Surprised he let Washington play some pressure defence. We will see what we get this game. Sometimes life is like a box of chocolates. Maraschino cherry? Caramel filling? Cashew cluster? Hoping for pressure defence. Hoping for spread offence, with some tweaks, and a strong run game.

5 games left.

6 Ws. 7 Ls.

5th place in the West. Not very good.

[Toppy Vann]

Those who think the Ticats weren't really fired up even moreso for this game after the logo are ignoring the reality of the surprise the Ticats provided and the Lions were blown out. Brandon Banks twitter to Matthew Scianitti before the game said "see me after the game" .

It didn't matter the schemes, the Lions were caught flat as pancakes and didn't anticipate how pissed off the Ticats were. That's a fact.

Matt Baker must not know about the ritual here:

"Of course, Buono didn’t orchestrate the continuation of the ritual the Lions have done occasionally over the years when they got David Mackie and some of his first-year teammates to show their break-dance moves during walkthrough Friday."

Lowell Ulrich was sort of ignoring the logo event post game but subsequently his post game reporting said the above quote and this:

More points to ponder after the B.C. Lions danced on an opponent’s logo and helped write a new chapter in the unwritten book of social media etiquette:

Hash-tag this: The reportage elsewhere by 3DownNation requires no embellishment other than to suggest only one word sums up everything that took place before, during and after the Lions pulled a no-show in losing 40-10 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday – juvenile.

The common theme out of the Lions locker room after the butt-kicking was a lack of preparation, as one by one players told TSN 1040 they were not good enough again but were the second-best team on the field mentally.

“We just didn’t come to play,” said Jon Jennings.


“They came out with a different energy,” said Bryan Burnham.

“We should have bought more intensity, more aggressiveness and better focus. We just didn’t show up,” said Rolly Lumbala.

Which, of course, begs the question as to why they didn’t show up.

http://3downnation.com/2018/09/29/every ... -beatdown/

[Blitz]

The Lions have been hot and cold this year, mainly hot at home and cold on the road. They had what seemed like three character-building comeback wins at home against Winnipeg, Edmonton and Hamilton, then went out and lost on the road the following week. Is that on the players or coaches? I really don't know why they seem to be two different teams.

I agree that Jennings should start against the Argos. He had his best game of the year at home against Hamilton two weeks ago, followed by his worst game of the year in Hamilton. It's not his fault that receivers weren't open and the Ticats were jumping routes, but he still needs to protect the ball. The pick-six into coverage on the Lions' first offensive play was a back-breaker.

The Argos have given up a league-worst 31.8 points per game and 43 touchdowns. They're ninth against the run and eighth against the pass. Surely Jarious Jackson can find a way to exploit some of the Argos' many weaknesses.

It's not his fault that receivers weren't open and the Ticats were jumping routes, but he still needs to protect the ball. B.C. Fan

What is a Leo quarterback supposed to do? His receivers are blanketed and defenders are jumping routes. He has a pass rush quickly in his face. In the pocket its not always possible to throw the football out of bounds?

Does he take the sack each play? Does he run each play? Does he dump off on each and every play? There is not always a dump off man. On RPO especially, the tailback goes in misdirection one way and the quarterback is sliding the opposite to make the throw.

At the begining of the year. we complained that Jennings was hesitant, when he was trying to avoid interceptions. When he is not hesitant and attempts to make throws to covered receivers, then he is not protecting the football.

Travis Lulay, when he was in there, only threw 8 touchdown passes to 4 interceptions, while starting 6 games and playing some, in the first half of two other games, before being injured in those contests. Jennings has started five games and thrown 7 touchdown passes with 7 interceptions, with his 3 interceptions last week.

Jennings has a better touchdown pass rate while Lulay has a lower interception rate. Lulay has a lower completion rate at 61.4% while Jennings has completed 67.7% of his passes (only Trevor Harris has a better completion rate than Jennings. Jennings completion rate is better than Bo Levi Mitchell or Mike Reilly)

The reality is that both of our quarterbacks are having their challenges, to say the least, quarterbacking this offence. We've won 4 games with Jennnings, two when he has started and two when he came in during the first and second quarters.

We won 2 out of 6 with Travis as our starter and completing the game. Of course, there were many other factors in those wins and losses.

Here is an example of just one of many serious challenges both Lulay and Jennings make.

Lets just take one of our RPO plays. We have 3 receivers to the right, to the wide side of the field. Johnson lines up in the backfield to our quarterback's right side. Our quarterback (Lulay or Jennings) takes the snap and makes the post snap read. The offensive line all zone blocks left, leaving the defensive end on our quarterback's right side unblocked.

Our quarterback fakes the handoff to Johnson, running to our left side. Our quarterback then steps to his right. The defensive end doesn't crash down on the play to play the run. Instead he is in the quarterback's face in an instant. Our quarterback must instantly throw to our primary receiver (who may be covered) or be sacked.

Often its a slant pass play and the linebacker is playing the slant in zone and the defender is also covering the receiver. Often our quarterbacks make a purrfect throw, which it has to be, past the linebacker the pass thrown low, as our receiver dives to make the catch with the defender draped all over him.

Sometimes, we block it differently. Sometimes we block it up man. Same play. Our offensive tackle sometimes tries to cut block the defensive end. Sometimes he just power blocks him back into the lane of the intended slant pass.

But defenses also blitz the outside linebacker. There is no one to block him as Johnson is running the fake handoff to the left side. Our quarterback fakes the handoff and the linebacker is in his face unblocked as soon as the fake is completed. The receiver is well covered in man defence, as the defense plays our receivers tight initially, knowing we are using quick RPO style passes.

Playing against Hamilton, Jennings faked the handoff and instantly looked to throw the football. The linebacker almost took the football out of his hand. On another play, the defensive end hit Jennings as he was instantly attempting to throw the football and fortunately the play was not ruled a fumble, which it was, as the hit caused Jennings arm to come forward.

Lulay was injured 3 times in his last two games on RPO plays, in which unblocked defensive linemen and linebackers got free shots at him. He looked or threw the football instantly.

On too many plays, our quarterbacks choices are:

1. Don't throw the football to a well covered receiver and be called hesitant and have deer in the headlights syndrome. Get sacked.

2. Throw the football with a defender in his face, or while getting hit, to a well covered receiver and risk the interception and then have it said that he is not protecting the football and can't read a defence.

3. Look to dump off but there is no chance to dump off because the tailback has run his fake handoff the other way and is not available.

4. Take out a white flag.

5. Look forward to getting yelled at by Wally or benched for not 'executing' the offence, which he will also hear he didn't do in post game interviews in the media and which he will also read in the newspapers the next morning.

Our quarterback will also hear and read that our coaches are doing a 'very good job', that our quarterback was well prepared by the coaching staff but he 'didn't make enough plays, made 'too many mistakes', and 'needs to play better'.

Lets put in Fajardo. He will be the answer. Bo Levi would be on the injury reserve list if he was quarterbacking our offence and would have played even worse than our quarterbacks before getting injured.

Bo Levi's stats are usually not much better than Lulay's or Jennings each season, while playing in an excellent scheme and having his plays called by a very good offensive mind in Dickenson.

Wanna be a Leos quarterback? Its a great job for a masochist.