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From the Stands – Lions 36 Ticats 29

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There was a cat fight Friday at BC Place and when the fur stopped flying, the BC Lions had ground out a hard-fought win 36-29 win over the Tiger-Cats of Hamilton. Here’s how I saw the game, From the Stands.

Kevin Glenn

glenn-ticats_740x300Friday night could have very well been Kevin Glenn’s last start for the Lions for the foreseeable future with Travis Lulay very close to returning. But Glenn made a statement in this game, throwing for over 400 yards and also using his legs more than we’ve seen him do thus far in a Lions uniform. Yes there were two more interceptions (both tipped passes) but Glenn turned in a gutsy performance and the veteran QB looks to be settling in as a Lion. Should he be needed down the stretch, the Lions look to be in good hands behind centre.

The Receivers

With just nine catches coming into the game, Shawn Gore had his best game of the season to date, with 5 catches for 117 yards, including a huge 43 yard catch in the fourth quarter that gave the Lions a little breathing room after a Paul McCallum field goal extended the lead to a touchdown.

Manny Arceneaux also had a 100 yard game that included his fourth touchdown of the season, and the Lions were able to spread the ball around, even getting Rolly Lumbala involved in the offence at key moments in the game.

Defence

The biggest problem the defence had on the night was giving up the big play. But as they old cliché goes the Lions bent but didn’t break, once again allowing just one touchdown as a unit. Newcomers Alex Bazzie and Ronnie Yell continue to impress. The latter replaced Dante Marsh at corner back after the hamstring that had bothered Marsh at practice earlier in the week sent him to the sidelines for the night. Yell seems to be all over the field and is becoming a key piece of a good Lions defence.

The rushing of Dan LeFevour and the receiving of Sam Giguere gave the Lions the most trouble, but in the end they played well enough to prevent touchdowns, something they’ve done all season long for the most part.

Special Teams

Brandon Banks had a strong game returning the football for the Ticats, including a punt return for a touchdown. He averaged over 20 yards on both kick-offs and punt returns but the Lions also benefited from the strong leg of Ricky Schmitt and the veteran field goal kicking of Paul McCallum whose reduced role this season may have contributed to a 47 yard field goal on the way to going five-for-five on the night. While chasing Banks on his TD return, Schmitt seemed to tweak something in the shoulder he injured in his scooter accident a few weeks ago, but managed to finish the game and should be ok.

Cause for Concern

The Lions trainers were a busy unit Friday, with injuries to four starters a cause for concern. The most concern revolves around the ankle of Andrew Harris, who picked up the injury on his first touch from scrimmage. Harris gutted it out long enough to give the Lions one more touchdown in the third quarter, before shutting it down for the night. With nine days between games the Lions will hope the player responsible for about a third of their offence this year will be ready to go against the Argos.

Another concern is the injury to new offensive guard Jermarcus Hardrick who had been settling on the left side and playing well. It sounds like he may be out long-term, so second year guard Kirby Fabien will regain the starting role next week. If Harris can’t go next week, the Lions would likely activate Tim Brown which they could do by starting Fabien.

Josh Johnson and the previously mentioned Dante Marsh were the other casualties on the night.

Atmosphere

As the Lions continue to fight great summer weather when to comes to putting bums in the seats this season, Friday’s crowd of 24,236, the smallest of the season, was probably the loudest so far. The fans got a lot of encouragement from the Lions sideline as well, especially when Khalif Mitchell wasn’t in the game. The passionate and colourful Mitchell ran up and down the sideline all night getting fans out of their seats to make some noise for the Lions defence.

But give some credit to the Lions as well, who have been trying to educate fans right from the start of the league to bring the Roar Factor and get loud on defence. It’s starting to hit home in the stands and that can only serve the club well down the road this season when crowds traditionally get larger and louder in the fall.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the game. Post a comment, or hit me up on Twitter @BCLionsDen. Make sure to check out BCLionsDen.ca for all of our Lions coverage and Pawdcasts as well.

From the Stands : Lions 41 Alouettes 5

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Emmanuel Arceneaux had a lot to smile about in a three touchdown 41-5 romp over Montreal. Photo: BCLions.com

The BC Lions must have had a vision when they printed their 2014 season tickets. The featured player on the ticket for Saturday’s game against the Montreal Alouettes was Emmanuel Arceneaux, and the The Manny Show was on full display in front of over 25,000 fans at BC Place as the Lions kept their dominance over Montreal at BC Place intact. Here’s how I saw the game From the Stands.

The Manny Show

Lions fans have been waiting for the type of performance that Emmanuel Arceneaux turned in Saturday. Finally healthy, Arceneaux had no match defensively on this day, using his size and leaping ability to torch the Als for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

There are few defensive players in the CFL that can match up to Arceneaux physically and he took full advantage of that against an Als defence that looked nothing like the one we saw on Montreal two weeks ago.

If Arceneaux can stay healthy the Lions could have a lethal weapon on their side, and it didn’t seem to matter if it was Kevin Glenn or John Beck throwing him the football, never mind Travis Lulay.

The Defence

Let’s be honest here; the Alouettes were brutal. Troy Smith looked lost out there, and as the Alouettes head into their bye week they have a major decision to make at quarterback. The Als were also without Duron Carter and SJ Green sat out the second half after making a go of it with sore ribs in the first. Chad Johnson? All he does is run routes and you have to wonder if the Alouettes are doing enough to try and get him involved.

But let’s give a whole lot of credit to the Lions defence, who have only allowed two touchdowns in the last three games. They had relentless pressure on Troy Smith most of the night, even without Khalif Mitchell, who was nursing a sore back.

Following the Lions 0-2 start it was hard to point too many fingers at the defence, and now that they are getting some offensive support, the Lions are starting to show signs that they will be a contender in the CFL west.

Khreem Smith is having a great year and combined with Eric Taylor provided one of the night’s best moments when he blocked an Alouettes kick that was picked up by Taylor who rumbled down the field only as fast as a big man like him can.

Newcomer Alex Bazzie had a strong game as well, and Brandon Jordan didn’t look out of place, despite a poor roughing the passer call that the coaches won’t be pleased with.

Thunder and Lightning, Part Two

With the original ‘Thunder and Lightning’, Sean Millington and Cory Philpot in the building to celebrate the Lions 1994 Grey Cup team, Andrew Harris and Stefan Logan showed more signs that the Lions running game is starting to get rolling. Behind an improving offensive line, the two combined for 146 yards along the ground, and the Lions had big success sweeping to the right side.

Having two backs that bring different styles is a huge tool for the Lions to have at their disposal, and it appears Khari Jones is finding ways to make both of them effective, while at the same time keeping both of them fresh.

Solid Start for Hunter

Hunter Steward made his first start at left tackle for the Lions and did not look out of place, which is great news for fans who would love to see the turnstile at that spot stop spinning. Steward is young and is going to make some mistakes but the Lions may have something here as they attempt to replace national Ben Archibald. With the game well in hand the Lions pulled several starters and newcomer Jermarcus Hardrick saw some reps at the right tackle spot of Jovan Olafiyoe and also showed well.

Overall it looks as though progress is being made both in run blocking and pass protection and that’s a great sign.

The Flow

I really love this game, but this week’s games were really tough to watch with all the orange linen being thrown around by officials.

I get the fact that early in the season the officials want to make a statement to set the tone for the rest of year. The league says that over 90% of the penalties thrown this year have been legitimate, so where does the fault lie? In the Montreal-BC game, it seemed as though you couldn’t go more than two plays without a flag and that doesn’t make for quick games and sucks the flow out of the game.

Yes players have to be smarter and clean up their part, but the league really has to realize that football is a physical and emotional game. Perhaps they could start by eliminating some of these flags thrown simply for guys reacting to the adrenalin flowing through them and keep the flags for the penalties that effect the play. And yes, I am referring to call made on Harris, who spun the ball down following a run where he lowered his shoulder on an Als defender near the sideline. By the book, it was likely a penalty, and Harris knew it as soon as he saw the flag, but was it really that bad?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. Post a comment here, hit me up on Twitter, @BCLionsDen and checkout this week’s Pawdcast on BCLionsDen.ca for more reaction on this game and a look ahead to the Lions and Bombers this Friday.

From the Couch: Lions 26 Riders 13

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Originally published on the TheProvince.com where we write for The Fifth Quarter blog following all BC Lions games.

There was no denying the importance of Saturday’s game with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the BC Lions. The team made a huge statement about their character coming out on top of a defensive football game in a hostile environment. Here’s how I saw the game, From the Couch.

The Andrew Harris Show

Andrew Harris stated before the season that he wanted to assume a bigger leadership role on the team, and he led by example against the Riders. With just 18 touches in his first two games, Harris carried that many times in his third, racking up 138 yards on the ground including a tough and determined 58 yard run for a touchdown. Harris also racked up 65 yards through the air.

It’s been a long time since Harris had a game like this and it was encouraging to see. The Lions need more games like this from Harris and they did a great job game planning with him in mind.

The offensive line, who saw the return of Kirby Fabien to the starting five, was much better against a good Riders offensive line. They were aided by some solid help from FB Rolly Lumbala much of the night, whose work helped new left tackle Ryan Cave, who still had some moments, but provided some nice run blocking as well. They got great push most of the game as Harris and the Lions often picked up five or more yards on first down.

Locking it Down

It was the second game in a row that the Lions only allowed one touchdown, and this time it was enough for a win, as it should be with the offence doing their part. The Lions had Durant on the run for much of the night, but only managed to sack him twice. The crafty Rider QB escaped a couple of times to produce big plays.

Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill had seven tackles each, with the latter negating a Riders touchdown when he knocked the ball from Hugh Charles’ hands in the end zone. Both of them were excellent with their pursuit of the ball all night, and that’s something the Lions are banking on for success.

Overcoming Adversity

Kevin Glenn looked more like the player of the last two years, managing the game well, even though the Lions had a lot of problems with the noise at Mosaic, especially in the second half. Glenn was only sacked twice, and was left relatively untouched most of the night. More importantly, Glenn didn’t turn the ball over.

The usually sure-handed Courtney Taylor had two drops that should have been first downs, the second leading to what basically amounted to a turnover as the Riders used the ensuing drive to score. But Taylor had a big touchdown to seal the game in the fourth, fighting off a tackler to get to the end zone.

Logan Special on Teams

Stefan Logan had his best game of the year returning the football averaging 22.8 yards on kick-offs and 12.8 on punts on the way to 168 yard night. The Lions coverage on teams was good but they’ll want to clean up some of the penalties they took.

Urgency was Evident

Mike Benevides was the most animated I think I’ve ever seen him. You could tell he knew how important this game was and he was fired up on the sidelines. On the post-game show his voice cracked from the strain he had exposed it to. He and his coaching staff did an outstanding job with the game plan and getting Andrew Harris involved. His coordinators, Marks Washington and Khari Jones were each given the game balls for their first victory in their new roles. The challenge now will be to maintain this progress and get on a roll.

Hope You Were Watching

Some people probably think I go on about this too much, but you could clearly see the impact that a loud crowd on defence has on a football game. The Lions struggled with the noise in the second half, and hopefully the casual fan that comes to BC Place takes notice. Our house can be just as loud if everyone buys in, and the defence certainly would appreciate your participation.

And with that public service announcement, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the game, here or on twitter, @BCLionsden.

From the Couch: Lions 9 Alouettes 24

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Kevin Glenn had another rough outing and the Lions dropped to 0-2 to start the season. Photo: o.canada.com

 

When the BC Lions started the 2014 there was some optimism among the masses after a fairly strong preseason. After their first two games of 2014 optimism has been replaced by a whole boat load of concern.

There may be lots of football to play, but there is even more work to be done. Here’s how I saw the game, From the Couch.

Offensive Offence

The Lions have failed to find answers for their offensive line for the last few seasons and this year is no exception. OT Ryan Cave was thrown into the fire and looked lost out there most of the night and the interior of the line was no better.

All of that means no running game, a hurried and inefficient passing game and of course a loss. There’s no one on the roster that is going to make a difference in the short term, and the Lions better be scouring the continent for imports that can in the meantime.

Kevin Glenn, who vowed he would be better in game two, wasn’t. Whether it’s the unfamiliarity of a new offence, or the fact the line in front of him resembles Swiss cheese, there is no doubting bad decisions by the veteran are also contributing to the problems. Even when Glenn did have time, he was missing receivers, overthrowing them, or throwing at their knees, probably a product of being hit constantly all night long.

Andrew Harris was a non-factor, as was Stefan Logan and once again the Lions are struggling with the running game. When your pass offence is struggling you at least have to be able to keep teams honest with the run. That’s simply not happening.

I recall a question was posed by Lowell Ullrich of The Province during the off-season; was it the offence of Jacques Chapdelaine, or is it the personnel? The jury appears to still be out early in 2014.

Coaching Mistakes

While the players on the field were making mental errors, so to were the coaches. A late 2nd quarter to pass to SJ Green was clearly incomplete, yet Mike Benevides was too slow to throw a challenge flag and the Alouettes went on to add a late field goal, sending the Lions down by 20 points at the half.

In the 3rd quarter on 3rd and two the Lions call a deep hand off on a sweep to Korey Williams which goes nowhere.

Defence

For as badly as they played, the Lions still found themselves in the game. The defence was on the field a lot and tried to give the offence a chance only surrendering just one touchdown as a unit. Solomon Elimimian had a strong game and Dante Marsh was a hair away from a couple of pick sixes, but in the end they can’t be responsible for an unproductive offence.

Still though, there is room for improvement. I was hoping for more pressure from the defensive line in this game, and there were breakdowns that led to big plays, mainly in stopping the run as the Alouettes as a group ran the ball for 203 yards.

Back to the Drawing Board

The good news is that season is young and really doesn’t start to get going until Labour Day. But with another road game next week against the Riders in Regina, and all their Western opponents coming out of the gate strong, the Lions need answers quickly.

Dropping two games in the West early would not be an ideal situation. 2011 was a special year, but it’s doubtful that the Lions want to take that route to try and get to the Grey Cup at BC Place in November again.

If things don’t change quickly, that’s exactly the scenario they could be facing.

From the Stands: Lions 20 Eskimos 27

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What a difference a week makes. While fans left last week’s preseason game feeling optimistic about their 2014 Leos, Saturday afternoon’s home opener showed that this team is a work in progress, and there is plenty of work to be done. Here’s how I saw things, from the stands.

Turnovers

Obviously the story of this game was turnovers, and they weren’t the type you could just consider as unlucky. Kevin Glenn had a strong training camp and preseason and had provided comfort to the masses who were worried about life without Travis Lulay. Four interceptions may have taken some of that comfort and turned it into doubt for some.

After a decent first half, Glenn and his offence were ineffective in the second. Glenn owned the loss after the game, but as anyone who understands football know, it’s never the fault of one player. Collectively the offence didn’t provide enough support.

If the interceptions were just bad luck, that would be one thing, but at least three of the four were just poor decisions by the veteran. It wasn’t a great way to start the season for Glenn but I expect he’ll bounce back in week two with a strong performance.

The trenches

The Lions’ offensive line wasn’t giving much support against a solid Edmonton defensive line, and that wasn’t helped when Andre Ramsay went down leaving Dean Valli to play the left tackle spot. With most of the guys the Lions brought in to plug that spot gone either through their own decision or the club’s, the o-line will continue to be a growing concern and a work in progress early in 2014.

On the defensive line, things were more positive. Khreem Smith had a very strong game, and the Lions were getting in the Edmonton backfield frequently. Eric Taylor and Khalif Mitchell looked good in the middle. The problem was that Mike Reilly and the Eskimos figured out they could pick up seven or eight yards with quick screen and swing passes, and they had success with that, making that pressure irrelevant and extending drives in the process.

The running game

Stefan Logan and Andrew Harris could not get on track along the ground, with just 48 yards rushing between them. The Eskimos had a solid game plan for Logan, and with the offensive line struggling at times, it didn’t leave much of a chance for the Lions’ one-two punch.

If teams are going to game-plan for Logan, the Lions need to find a way to have Harris pick up the load. Fans will hope the Lions can find a way to make both of these players more effective on the ground.

Blown coverages

On the whole the Lions defence had a decent day, but on two TD’s Edmonton receivers were wide open. Adarius Bowman got behind Cord Parks for seven, while Fred Stamps; yes Fred Stamps, was left unmarked for another, leaving this fan to wonder how that’s even possible.

In the stands

The Lions drew more fans for a preseason game than they did for their home opener. Perhaps a lot of freebies were in the house for the exhibition game, but on a day when the weather was hit or miss, the turnout for game one was somewhat disappointing. It is a long weekend of sorts, and we should be used to these smaller summer crowds by now, but I thought there would more in attendance.

The Lions themselves are doing their best to engineer more fan participation during the game. Their marketing strategy in 2014 encourages fans to “Bring the noise”. Their hashtag on Twitter is #ROAR, but once again it seems Vancouver fans are content to just cheer when something excites them, rather than do it to help the team on the field.

Each year this is the case, and each year the crowds get better as the season churns on, but it’s something I will never understand. It starts with the core fans. The season ticket holders and fans that attend all the games. They need to show the way for the casual fan and until that happens, nothing much is going to change.

Perhaps it is time the Lions draped off the upper bowl, at least in the areas where they don’t sell seats. Perception is everything for some, and empty seats don’t inspire the casual fan to think they are at a big time event.

Lastly if you were one of the fans that left in droves with 9:00 plus to play in the fourth quarter, unless you had a valid excuse; shame on you.

What were your thoughts on game one? Seventeen more to go, and lots of work remains to be done for the Lions. With both Winnipeg and Edmonton proving the West Division is going to very tough this year, the Lions best figure out some solutions quicker than later.

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