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The BCLionsDen.ca Pawdcast – Episode 16

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In Episode 16 Brian and Mojo recap the BC Lions 53-17 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and preview this week’s huge game versus Saskatchewan at BC Place. BC Lions beat writer, Lowell Ullrich of The Province joins us for his inside look at the Lions and we’ll talk with Lions fan Rodney Shupe about his Operation Orange fan experience.

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From the Couch – Lions 53 Bombers 17

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There are times when you love taking it to an opponent and there are times when you kind of just feel sorry for them. The BC Lions beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 53-17 at Investors Group Field on Friday night in a game which was a clear indication at just how bad the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are. With condolences to the Bombers faithful, here’s how I saw the carnage, From the Couch.

Never had a chance

The Bombers never had a chance in this game and that was evident on their first series and a Max Hall lateral pass to Will Ford who bobbled the ball which eventually ended up in the possession of Adam Bighill for a quick touchdown. It was a foreshadowing of things to come as the Lions racked up seven turnovers in the game for 34 of their 53 points.

The Bomber quarterbacks were terrible. Max Hall at least had small amounts of success, but despite a late 2nd quarter touchdown throw to Clarence Denmark, was yanked at halftime in favour of Jason Boltus, who threw an interception on his first play from scrimmage.

Defence

With how horrid the Bombers were on offence, it’s pretty tough to gauge just how dominant the Lions defence was.  Bighill had a superb game for the Lions and led the team with 10 tackles. He was flying all over the field and his pursuit was outstanding all game.

The Lions got great pressure in the Bombers backfield and aided by the punting of Paul McCallum and turnovers they helped provide a great advantage in field position most of the night. The additions of Chris Wilson and Jermaine Reid continue to help the defensive line. Wilson will want to avoid the bad roughing the passer calls in the future, as the one he took early in the game was just that.

In the secondary it was more of the same from last week in Saskatchewan with players swarming the ball and making the tackle on first contact. Dante Marsh and Cord Parks continued to shine and one gets the feeling this defence is rounding into form just in time with the really big games coming up.

Offence

Judging by the score you would think the Lions racked up the offence. Thomas DeMarco didn’t exactly light it up but managed the game well and again didn’t make any costly mistakes. There were points left on the field though and times where drives stalled and the team settled for field goals.

Buck Pierce saw some action which drew one of the biggest ovations of the night from the Winnipeg fans. He didn’t do a lot with his time going 4-8 for 32 yards before giving way to Joey Elliott.

The Lions were modestly more successful at getting Andrew Harris involved, but a nod to goes out to Tim Brown as well who is getting more touches of late and being productive with them.

It was nice to see Paris Jackson back on the field in an offensive role and also to see S.J. Haidara get some more looks as well with Marco Iannuzzi unable to play. I’ve mentioned it before, but I am really looking forward to seeing Haidara progress to a bigger role.

Our ball, our ball, your ball

A weird sequence on the game occurred when after a Lions fumble;  Harris recovered the ball, scrambled and found Paris Jackson downfield for a 29 yard game. A flag on the play however deemed that Matt Norman interfered with a Bomber trying to recover the fumble and the ball was awarded to the Bombers at the spot of the foul. It’s a rule that is rarely called but looking at the replay, it was about as textbook as it gets and the flag was legit.

Twitterverse

@JimTothCJOB: #Bombers Brandon Stewart called fans cheering for #BCLions sickening and disheartening“ Uhh…Brandon, I think the fans may say the same about your team’s performance on the field.

@VeganRottweiler: Section 236 – secret weapon being deployed next week. This is shot across the bow to all other sections of @bcplace #BCLions #letsgodefence

 @ChrisJFoulds: #bclions were so good tonight in Winnipeg, they gave Dieter Brock a few snaps in the 4th just for the hell of it. #cfl #godsteam

It almost got to that with Pierce and Elliott playing in the second half.

@DarrinBauming: What a beautiful 33,500-seat stadium. I think they can hold concerts here. Final: #BCLions 53, #Bombers 17. Well…at least Bombers fans have that.

What were your comments on the game? I’d love for you to share them for me here. You can also follow me at BCLionsDen.ca and on Twitter, @BCLionsDen.

 

From the Couch – Lions 24 Roughriders 22

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mccallum-ottawa-citizenPaul McCallum celebrates his game wiining field goal in Regina (Ottawa Citizen)

The BC Lions played their biggest game of the year Sunday at Mosaic Field in Regina, and it took the last-minute heroics of Thomas DeMarco and Paul McCallum to come out with a huge 24-22 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Here’s how we saw it through all the nail-biting, From the Couch.

Thomas DeMarco

Thomas DeMarco certainly had some struggles in the first half. After a strong first drive of the game, DeMarco looked to be a little off on many of his throws. He was facing second-and-long a lot and didn’t have a lot of success. Buck Pierce was inserted for a drive and helped move the Lions into Riders territory for a field goal, giving DeMarco a bit of a chance to calm down and take things in from the sidelines.

In the second half DeMarco played much better, converting on two passes for touchdowns and threading the needle on several key completions.

Even more important, DeMarco managed the game well and didn’t turn the ball over. On the final drive, he showed tremendous poise. All in all it was a great debut for the quarterback in a tough environment with huge ramifications on the result.

Offence

In addition to DeMarco the Lions offence as a whole struggled in the first half. Once again the running game was tough sledding and the Lions simply have to find a way to improve in that facet of their game. Andrew Harris did have a huge first down on the final drive of the game on a draw play, but to me he seems to be running a little tentatively at times perhaps as a result of a lack of touches for much of this season. It’s been a long time since Andrew Harris has dominated a football game and it remains a legitimate concern after this big win.

In the second half the Lions capitalized on Saskatchewan turnovers and receivers made big catches for a sharper DeMarco. Nick Moore beat his man deep for an easy one and Ernest Jackson made some nice catches in place of Manny Arceneaux. But once again it was Courtney Taylor who was the go-to receiver when the Lions needed those extra yards for the final field goal attempt and once again, he delivered.

Defence

The Lions defence was the main story of this game, despite all the other side stories. The secondary was outstanding, not only in coverage but on first tackles. Josh Bell had his best game as a BC Lion in my opinion but it didn’t stop there. Dante Marsh, Cord Parks, Korey Banks all had solid games and for the most part held the dangerous Riders receivers in check.

The Lions defensive line got good pressure on Darian Durant, who fumbled twice behind centre. Eric Taylor was giving the Rider offensive line all sorts of problems up front and the Riders for the most part abandoned their running game after the first half.

Several fans had an issue with the roughing the passer call assessed to Chris Wilson that gave the Riders another chance and led to their last minute touchdown, but unfortunately in today’s CFL any time an arm goes to the head of a QB it’s likely going to draw a flag. He Lions benefited from a questionable call in the second quarter as well.

Geroy Simon

He came close, but the all-time best BC Lions receiver didn’t get his receptions record against his former club and likely won’t with a game sandwiched in between their next meeting. It was clear watching the pre-game stuff that it was a great reunion between the Lions and their former star, and it still didn’t feel right watching him play against the Lions and it likely never will.

In a way it would be nice to see him break the record at BC Place, so all of his fans in BC could salute him but I’m sure a few bags of his chips will be making the rounds on the flight home.

Operation Orange

This game marked the start of three fan road trips that the club as named Operation Orange. Fans get to travel with the team, stay in the team hotel, eat with them and of course represent Lions fans in the stands. It’s a fantastic initiative by the club that they started last year. They will do it again next week in Winnipeg and again for another date in Saskatchewan. I’m sure they are in for a fun flight back to Vancouver in what must have been the road trip of a lifetime for many.

More Officiating

The Riders touchdown to end the first half was certainly a puzzling one to many. On the post-game show the official league explanation was that Garrett caught the ball, ran with it and then was knocked into the endzone. Because of the “running motion” he didn’t have to survive contact when he crossed the goal line. I beg to differ with that explanation as I think he was hit as he caught the ball by Adam Bighill. The frustrating thing was the time the league took to review the call, which was seemingly none. Mike Benevides threw the challenge play flag simply to ask for an explanation of why the play wasn’t being looked at more closely…and the beat goes on with CFL officiating.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the game. Leave me a comment or follow me on Twitter @BCLionsDen.

 

From the Stands – Lions 36 Alouettes 14

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The BC Lions took out a little revenge on the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday, riding a strong defensive effort on their way to a 36-14 win. But whether or not they lost Travis Lulay in the process remains to be seen, after a fourth quarter TD run knocked him out of the game with a shoulder injury. Here’s how I saw it, From the Stands.

The Blitz

The Lions did a much better job dealing with the blitz this week, utilizing Andrew Harris more and using screens and quick passes to exploit it. The Alouettes only recorded two sacks on the night and while Lulay was hurried on occasion the protection was night and day compared to the last game the two teams played and last week’s effort against Hamilton.

Steve Myddelton seems to be slowly taking over the right guard spot of Patrick Kabongo and had more reps than he’s had on his previous appearances.

Offence

Lulay’s favourite target on the day was Courtney Taylor and with good reason. Taylor is quickly becoming the premier receiver on the club, mainly because of his reliability, but also because he can burn you so many ways.

Lulay spread the ball around fairly well to his receivers, but was certainly guilty on at least two of his three interceptions on the day.

Nick Moore dropped a couple more balls that he probably should have had, and according to the post-game show got into it a bit with Jacques Chapdelaine on the sidelines. After a solid start to the year, Moore is starting to show signs of the inconsistency that plagued him in his earlier Lions auditions.

Of course the biggest play of the game came in the fourth quarter when Lulay was forced to run the ball into the endzone and take a hit to his throwing shoulder that threatens to keep the Lions starter out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. Thomas DeMarco didn’t look out of place in relief, but with the Lions heading into a hostile Mosaic Stadium next week, it will be a daunting task for DeMarco to undertake. It makes the Buono deal for Buck Pierce look that much more valuable right now.

You would think the Lions will give DeMarco the nod next week if Lulay can’t go and then go to Pierce should DeMarco falter in a difficult road environment.

Defence

Despite a better showing by the offence overall, it was the Lions defence that were the story of this game. The Lions completely shut down the Alouettes for the most part and chased Tanner Marsh from the game who gave way to  Troy Smith and later Josh Neiswander

The defensive line was much more effective and as a result so was the secondary. Newcomer Chris Wilson showed that he is going to be able to contribute and picked up his first sack of the season and Jermaine Reid also had a strong game with two sacks.

Dante Marsh had another strong outing but it was just unfortunate his fourth quarter interception combined with the fact he needed another couple of inches on the sideline during the return led to the  Lulay injury after the offence had to finish the job.

Special Teams

The Lions did a good job on returns for most of the night, and Tim Brown continued to provide productive work on returns. Brown’s juke move in the open field is a thing of beauty and he used it Sunday to his advantage. His teammates hurt the cause with some penalties on occasion giving the Lions offence a longer field than necessary.

Roof Closed

The Lions opted to leave the roof closed for the game with the afternoon sun that was forecast never materializing I’d love for the roof to be open all the time but I think if you asked the club and got an honest answer, they like it closed as they feel it gives them an extra advantage with the added noise. The crowd of over 27,000 was fairly loud, but I’ve heard the place louder with the roof open. It was also time to make a note to not schedule Lions game during prime time in the NFL after 3,000 or so fewer fans took in this game compared to the game versus the Ticats.

Fun Stuff

• Prime Minister Stephen Harper was seated in our section and posed for pictures with fans during all the breaks in the game. I’m not going to make this a political piece but it was kind of nice to see him sit with the people. I’m sure he could have been in a suite if he had chosen to do so.

• Andrew Harris’ third quarter touchdown had a little extra flair to it. After crossing the goal line Harris ran towards the back of the endzone kneeled to one knee and flipped the ball to newlyweds and Lions super fans Monique Gendron and Jeff Green. The two were married a week ago but the bride wanted to celebrate at the game in her wedding dress, complete with Lions accessories of course.

What were you thoughts on the game? Are you confident about a DeMarco/Pierce tandem is Lulay is out for an extended time? Leave your comments below and follow me on Twitter @BCLionsDen.

 

From The Couch – Ticats 37 Lions 29

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BC Lions quarterback takes one of many hits against the Ticats. Photo: Globe & Mail

The BC Lions road woes continued Saturday as they fell by a 37-29 score to the Hamilton Tiger Cats at their temporary home in Guelph. It was another head scratching effort from the Leos, and here’s how I saw it, From the Couch. (Originally posted on TheProvince.com)

Shades of Montreal

Like their earlier loss to Montreal, the Lions offence was unable to deal with Hamilton pressure for much of the game which meant Travis Lulay took a beating. That probably had something to do with the fact that many of his throws were off on the night. It would seem that the Lions protection schemes need to be looked at because at this rate,  Lulay probably won’t last the season.

Andrew Harris had 5 carries for 10 yards and 3 catches for 33 yards. That’s not efficient use of an asset and Harris was reportedly solemn and frustrated after the game. There has to be a way to get the ball in his hands more and these types of stats are happening too frequently for such a talented player. The Lions have had virtually no inside running game all season long.

But it all starts with giving Lulay time and whether its scheme or personnel, if a fix isn’t found soon the Lions will continue to sputter. People talk about Jacques Chapdelaine, but how about some adjustments from o-line coach Dan Dorazio?

No Pressure

On the other side of the ball the Lions defence got little pressure on Henry Burris, who was surgical when he had time to find the likes of Andy Fantuz and rookie of the year candidate Greg Ellingson.

CJ Gable was outstanding for Hamilton, making Lions tacklers look silly on multiple occasions despite the fact he started the Lions faint hope of a comeback with a 3rd quarter fumble. It was clear early the Ticats were going to test the middle of the Lions defence with Solomon Elimimian out.

The lack of pressure up front made life tough once again for the secondary, especially with the accurate Burris picking his targets. Two turnovers by the secondary resulted in zero points from the offence.

Cord Parks had a strong game for the Lions.

Confidence

It would appear to me that the Lions offence is suffering from a lack of confidence at times, and I found myself wondering why the Lions continually feel the need to go deep so often. With a struggling offence wouldn’t it be better to go with higher percentage plays? Let the offence get in a rhythm, get touches and more importantly, keep our defence off the field?

The Lions kicked off to start the 2nd half and the Ticats drove the field for a major. That was followed by a Nick Moore fumble that the Ticats also converted for six and the damage was done. It was a disheartening start to the half when they trailed by nine. Moore did the lead the Lions with 159 yards receiving and made key catches to give the Lions a chance.

There seemed to be rumblings after the game that the Lions were pointing to a couple of points in the game that cost them the win. In reality there were several. The start to the 2nd half wasn’t good, but neither was their start to the game.

Special Teams

For the most part special teams were fine in the game. The Lions had good starting field position for most of the game. In fact they probably had an edge in that department, but couldn’t take advantage of it.

Paul McCallum is now 2-6 on field goals over 40 yards, another luxury the Lions don’t have over other teams. His punting is fine, but the Lions are leaving points on the field. Something they can’t afford given the struggling nature of the offence.

Next Up

The Lions will return to action next weekend against the team that really exposed their protection issues two games ago, and one that is suddenly back in the hunt in the CFL east. I expect Montreal will try more of the same next week, and the Lions seven days to figure out a cure for what ails them.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the game tonight. Leave a comment below, or follow me on Twitter, @BCLionsDen

 

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