certainly don't want to gloat, that would be tacky, but i'm feeling pretty good right now, lions are finally back to 500, their season so far has been two season, one very dismal, the other fantastic.
mowich, hope your team plays better next game.
WOW - GO LIONS GO
I wouldn't blame you a bit if you did gloat, talloola..........your team was outstanding against the Riders who didn't even show up for the game. I don't know who that bunch of fellows dressed in green were. The only ones I recognized were Weston, Brandon West, Dalllas Baker, Chris Getzlaf- when a pass was actually thrown his way, and the ever favorite Jason Clermont. At least those guys never gave up. As for the defence - they all stayed at home or should have what with the truly bad penalties they took. Don't know what's up with Nick Graham - he got a game ejection and Romero was not much better.
Won't take a thing away from the Lions - they had their game plan and played it to perfection. Good on the Lions. I am happy for you talloola.
I have to admit I was pretty disappointed in the Eskimo offence last night: they waited way too long to establish their running game, and then it was too late. That hit on Calvillo, was incredible: it was a clean hit, pretty much unblocked... I'm not surprised it took him out of the game, but rather surprised he was looking as coherent on the bench as he was later. The turning point was definately the pick thrown by Ray on the next play: what a way to take the wind out of a team's sails: you get a monster sack and turnover, then your QB gives it right back. Have to give the Als secondary their due and their back up QB: he looked really good, using his legs to break containment and buy time for his receivers to get open.
The highlight Eskimo play for me was the 72-yard punt return for TD by Jason Armstead - outstanding. The Eskimos had ball handling problems during the game. That play by Rickie were he looked to be surrounded by defenders, got away, fumbled the ball, dropped the ball, then picked it back up for a short gain was almost comical.
Didn't know what would happen when McPherson came in for Anthony - should have know it would be business as usual for the team. Nice for the Als to know that Tony can be taken out and Adrienne has the ability to step right up and keep the momentum going.
Things are getting pretty interesting. In the last month the Lions have played on the road in Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatchewan and they've laid a beatin' on all of them. Wally must've read the riot act to the coaching staff because they are looking very prepared from the get go, unlike earlier in the year when they looked half asleep until it it was too late. Chapdelaine sure ripped a strip off the receivers on that one play. He's looking pretty demanding. And they aren't taking those dumb penalties.
Saskatchewan took way too many penalties, many at the worst times. Just when they got some field position the special teams guys (d-back) takes 2 major penalties (30 yards) and gets ejected. Lots of offsides that gave Lions automatic first downs. Also the bad snap turning into a big turnover. Ryan Phillips continues to feed on Durant interceptions.
I didn't see the Eskies/Als game. Never sure which Eskimo team will show up. They look unbeatable one game and the exact opposite the next.
Saw the hilites of Argos/Bombers. I see Buck went out again. I just can't see him lasting an entire year. The Argos interception return for a TD was quite a team effort.
Ryan Phillips is truly Darian's worst nightmare. He, Darian, was looking right at Phillips when he threw that interception right into his hands - you could see it on the replays. He should have been looking at his primary receiver. Darian was totally off yesterday - had receivers open and he just couldn't get the ball to them. The defence looked like a bunch of grade school kids out there and not such nice ones either. Was really surprised by the level of nastiness - that just isn't the way Ken Miller coaches and I can just imagine how disappointed he was in his team yesterday. We pretty well needed a win every time out in order to get a chance at the play-offs - after that dismal effort, I just don't see it happening this year.
For sheer entertainment purposes, the Atlantic Touchdown game had it in spades. Along with 5 different QBs getting a chance in the game, there were three first time TDs by Rempel, January, and that unbelievable fumble, recovery, lateral pass to McCullough and then his run for the end zone. Turn-overs also seemed to be the order of the day - there were something like nine on the day. It seemed like every time a team would recover a ball they would turn it over on the next play - it was really hilarious if you weren't a supporter of either team.
I think that the refs really messed up on two calls - the one on Green in the end zone which never should have been an interference call and the whistle in the crowd call that gave Prefontaine another chance at the F.G. which he flubbed again. I don't blame LaPolice for being upset - replays of both calls showed that the refs got it wrong, IMHO.
The Argos just squeaked by with a win but with Steven Jyles now at the helm, they at least have a QB with legs and a good arm.