David Knevel will get his first start of the season at left guard ahead of Andrew Peirson as the Lions add size and strength in an apparent attempt to bolster the running game, which ranks last in the league, averaging 78.2 yards a game. The Lions have made no other changes to the roster that scored three touchdowns in the final three minutes to beat Ottawa last week.
Edmonton, which has the league's top running attack at 133.4 yards a game, is also rolling with the same roster that has made the Elks the league's hottest team in the past month. These are not the same Elks that were shut out twice by the Lions early in the season. The key to the game should be how the Lions control the ball and the clock and contain the scrambling of Edmonton quarterback Tre Ford and the rushing of Kevin Brown, who averages 6.3 yards per carry and has a league-leading 9 runs of more than 20 yards.
Here is Matt Baker's game preview and B.C. depth chart:
GAME PREVIEW | LIONS AT ELKS
Lions at Elks Sept. 22, 2023
Moderator: Team Captains
I was impressed last week by the Lions' halftime defensive adjustments. In the first half the Lions blitzed a lot off the edge and Ottawa exploited them with runs up the middle and short passes to the vacated areas in the flat. Ottawa rushed for 101 yards in the half, and Ben Hladik was often left alone to stop the run. He made 8 tackes in the half.
In the second half, the Lions deployed Ryder Varga regularly as an extra inside linebacker to plug up the middle. They held the Redblacks to just 13 yards rushing in the second half and racked up an amazing 6 tackles for losses by Varga (2), Nick Usher, Sione Teuhema, Tibo Debaillie and TJ Lee, and added sacks by Varga and Woody Baron. They'll likely employ some of that formula against the Elks, but they face their biggest challenge in trying to contain Tre Ford and wrap him up when they get a chance. If he escapes to the outside, he can be deadly.
This tilt in Edmonton could very well be a trap game. To escape the trap, I think the Lions need to do a few things. In no particular order.
Tackle better. i don’t know what happened with their tackling. At the beginning of the season it was some of the best I had seen from a Lions team in a long time. Where did that sure tackling go? Get it back!
Great insight into the defensive changes last game BC Fan. Thanks for the detail. I agree that they need to use 4 linebackers - Varga is an untapped resource on defence and as you said will greatly help plug up that middle. I also think it frees up Hladik to spy Ford more - I noted that when they did that against Crum in the Ottawa game it was successful. When they didn’t Crum scored. Three times!
Glad to see that Peirson is being replaced at guard with Knevel, physically a much bigger presence on the O-line. I also think they should start with a two back set more with Mackie the second back to do one of three things - extra protection on pass plays, lead block for Mizzell and swing out for a check down. If he is a lead broker to the right behind Knevel that presents over 600 pounds of angry Lion coming at you. Now as long as Mizzell hits the hole hard rather than dance side to side we could move the ball on the ground. Look at how Ouellette and Brown and Oliveira run, for the most part they hit the line at full speed and bull their way into yardage. With a bigger o-line. I would like to see this happen.
Throw the ball to Cottoy more. In case people are hard of hearing - throw the ball to Cottoy more. He catches what is thrown his way; and he almost makes as many yards after the catch ; and he hurts tacklers. I just can’t understand why he isn’t more of a focus in that short passing game. He is also a great blocker and can set the edge for some speed to a first down marker.
What happened to Keon Hatch last game? Did he get more than one catch? He is a stud who catches the ball in traffic. More Hatcher. Hollins is just a given - one of the best receivers in the league. Great to see a complete game from Whitehead, hope that gets him going in Edmonton. I like those toss-up passes to McInnis - great hands and at 6, 5 what a target against smaller corners. He is half a foot taller than the Edmonton backs.
On special teams. Perhaps our special teams are getting their game on. Let’s get Williams out to the boundary where he get use his speed. He has taken an awful pounding by always going up the middle. Tough football player. Shout out to Greene for his Special Teams play last week - he could become a leader of that teak if he keeps hitting like that.
So, spy on Ford, clog up the middle on Brown with the extra linebacker, and tackle better. If we stop the run, I don’t think they can win on Ford’s arm alone.
Run the ball behind Mackie and Knevel. More Cottoy.
Use the speed of the little guy on Special teams.
We have a chance to get back in the first place competition. What an accomplishment to host the Western Final. Let’s close it out over the next month.
Roar Lions!
Tackle better. i don’t know what happened with their tackling. At the beginning of the season it was some of the best I had seen from a Lions team in a long time. Where did that sure tackling go? Get it back!
Great insight into the defensive changes last game BC Fan. Thanks for the detail. I agree that they need to use 4 linebackers - Varga is an untapped resource on defence and as you said will greatly help plug up that middle. I also think it frees up Hladik to spy Ford more - I noted that when they did that against Crum in the Ottawa game it was successful. When they didn’t Crum scored. Three times!
Glad to see that Peirson is being replaced at guard with Knevel, physically a much bigger presence on the O-line. I also think they should start with a two back set more with Mackie the second back to do one of three things - extra protection on pass plays, lead block for Mizzell and swing out for a check down. If he is a lead broker to the right behind Knevel that presents over 600 pounds of angry Lion coming at you. Now as long as Mizzell hits the hole hard rather than dance side to side we could move the ball on the ground. Look at how Ouellette and Brown and Oliveira run, for the most part they hit the line at full speed and bull their way into yardage. With a bigger o-line. I would like to see this happen.
Throw the ball to Cottoy more. In case people are hard of hearing - throw the ball to Cottoy more. He catches what is thrown his way; and he almost makes as many yards after the catch ; and he hurts tacklers. I just can’t understand why he isn’t more of a focus in that short passing game. He is also a great blocker and can set the edge for some speed to a first down marker.
What happened to Keon Hatch last game? Did he get more than one catch? He is a stud who catches the ball in traffic. More Hatcher. Hollins is just a given - one of the best receivers in the league. Great to see a complete game from Whitehead, hope that gets him going in Edmonton. I like those toss-up passes to McInnis - great hands and at 6, 5 what a target against smaller corners. He is half a foot taller than the Edmonton backs.
On special teams. Perhaps our special teams are getting their game on. Let’s get Williams out to the boundary where he get use his speed. He has taken an awful pounding by always going up the middle. Tough football player. Shout out to Greene for his Special Teams play last week - he could become a leader of that teak if he keeps hitting like that.
So, spy on Ford, clog up the middle on Brown with the extra linebacker, and tackle better. If we stop the run, I don’t think they can win on Ford’s arm alone.
Run the ball behind Mackie and Knevel. More Cottoy.
Use the speed of the little guy on Special teams.
We have a chance to get back in the first place competition. What an accomplishment to host the Western Final. Let’s close it out over the next month.
Roar Lions!
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Toppy Vann
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Elks success lately is a combo of a number of factors including how Chris Jones tossed Ford aside not for the injury but earlier errors.
Ironically great success has come from Jarius Jackson who hates the run calling the plays and letting loose their RB. Maybe he's actually learning now that running opens up passing. A bit of a slow learner and no doubt just ran the ball as that was the word when McAdoo got dumped for the same reason Condell got turfed. Stuck in their old ways and can't see the opportunities, just the obstacles.
I'd expect the Lions offense to continue with what they've been doing relying on the big play VA to do his thing.
If you see David Mackie, you're focusing on a run more than a run/pass option but he can be used in the pass option but I suspect only ONCE per game.
Cottoy seems under-utilized and I'm not sure if it's his speed that determines the Lions not using him for a toss or two like say a Nic Demski gets used. But the entire Lions offensive structure would have to change to see more on Cottoy as where he plays and his routes determine his availability.
It's kind of like having Mike Reilly at QB where he can get you over 3000 nice yards in the air with some pretty neat plays but it is not likely to win you a Grey Cup if the rest of what your team does is less than stellar.
I'd not be booking my GC tickets on this team's chances but ... hey that's why they play the games. Anything can happen in a one-game playoff including a team getting hot and knocking off the high flyers.
Ironically great success has come from Jarius Jackson who hates the run calling the plays and letting loose their RB. Maybe he's actually learning now that running opens up passing. A bit of a slow learner and no doubt just ran the ball as that was the word when McAdoo got dumped for the same reason Condell got turfed. Stuck in their old ways and can't see the opportunities, just the obstacles.
I'd expect the Lions offense to continue with what they've been doing relying on the big play VA to do his thing.
If you see David Mackie, you're focusing on a run more than a run/pass option but he can be used in the pass option but I suspect only ONCE per game.
Cottoy seems under-utilized and I'm not sure if it's his speed that determines the Lions not using him for a toss or two like say a Nic Demski gets used. But the entire Lions offensive structure would have to change to see more on Cottoy as where he plays and his routes determine his availability.
It's kind of like having Mike Reilly at QB where he can get you over 3000 nice yards in the air with some pretty neat plays but it is not likely to win you a Grey Cup if the rest of what your team does is less than stellar.
I'd not be booking my GC tickets on this team's chances but ... hey that's why they play the games. Anything can happen in a one-game playoff including a team getting hot and knocking off the high flyers.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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TheLionKing
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Impressive opening drive. 7-0
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TheLionKing
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Way to go Adams-
SammyGreene
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Wreckless & careless throw. 2nd pick 6 in as many games.
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SammyGreene
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Nice answer. Cottoy on his way to a huge night. Just make the Elks work for their points, not gift wrap them
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TheLionKing
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Sack !
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TheLionKing
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Almost another return
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SammyGreene
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Mizzell!!! Saves his best games for the Elks.
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TheLionKing
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Has the insertion of Knevel made that much of a difference to the running game ?
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SammyGreene
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That’s the defence I remember! Fast and swarming