Riders at Lions

[bomb squad]

What BC did at the end, V-formation followed by a FG, is really underhanded.  It shouldn't even be legal.

Once you go V you shouldn't be allowed to do anything but run out the clock (punters running around would be allowed, as would QBs throwing it into the stands).

They did this to get more points for season series.  The normal thing to do is run-play, run-play, FG.  You should have to do that to earn the FG, or kick the FG on 1st down and give the opponent a chance with some clock left.

It's chintzy and I don't like it.  In return, when we face BC we should go full on normal D beef attack mode when they go V formation.  No law says you can't hit that OL with everything you have.  If they want to play shenanigans, make 'em pay.

Interesting. It didn't occur to me at the time, but you are correct, they definitely should not have done that. It's a betrayal of trust and very poor sportsmanship. From what I understand about this type of situation is the team on offence declares to the referee that they are not going to pursue any more points and will run out the clock to end the game. The referee in turn advises the defence not to attack.

Maybe I'm giving BC the benefit of the doubt they don't deserve here, but I don't think they had the intention of going for the field goal initially. They thought of it just before the last play. But they should have just scrapped the idea at that point, given what happened the previous 2 plays. That would have been the right thing to do. The referees were probably caught by surprise but realized there was nothing they could do.

Good catch Techno. The league needs to address this so it doesn't happen again.

[TecnoGenius]

Maybe I'm giving BC the benefit of the doubt they don't deserve here, but I don't think they had the intention of going for the field goal initially. They thought of it just before the last play. But they should have just scrapped the idea at that point, given what happened the previous 2 plays. That would have been the right thing to do. The referees were probably caught by surprise but realized there was nothing they could do.

Good catch Techno. The league needs to address this so it doesn't happen again.

Nah, just like MOS had it pre-planned he was going for 2 after the TD vs CGY, Campbell (an extremely smart/savvy HC) had the FG planned too.  Both were thinking about the season series.

To rub salt in the wound, Campbell also called timeout with 1-2s left on the clock, causing the opponent to have to sit there another minute when all they wanted to do was go home and lick their wounds.  That was also very uncool.  You don't waste everyone's time so you can just rack up the points.

I'm not sure if it's spoken/unspoken, but it's kind of an unwritten rule, and ya, BC should be chastised.  If I'm SSK, I'm ripping those guys a new one on D next time they go in V formation.  Heck, even if I'm WPG I'm doing that.

[bomb squad]

Nah, just like MOS had it pre-planned he was going for 2 after the TD vs CGY, Campbell (an extremely smart/savvy HC) had the FG planned too.  Both were thinking about the season series.

To rub salt in the wound, Campbell also called timeout with 1-2s left on the clock, causing the opponent to have to sit there another minute when all they wanted to do was go home and lick their wounds.  That was also very uncool.  You don't waste everyone's time so you can just rack up the points.

I'm not sure if it's spoken/unspoken, but it's kind of an unwritten rule, and ya, BC should be chastised.  If I'm SSK, I'm ripping those guys a new one on D next time they go in V formation.  Heck, even if I'm WPG I'm doing that.

I'm hoping the TSN panel  picked up on this and discusses it this weekend.

[TBURGESS]

It's smart football to drain the clock with Victory formation, then call the time out so you can bring the FG unit in.

[dd]

It was explained during the telecast that if the season series is tied between the 2 clubs it comes down to point for and against differential so BC was taking the points vs not and risk losing a tie breaker down the road.

No salt in anyone's wounds, both teams have similar records with lots of season left. BC played it smart and I don't think riders were upset over this

[Jesse]

It's smart football to drain the clock with Victory formation, then call the time out so you can bring the FG unit in.

I think I agree with what they're saying though. There's the unspoken rule not to send pressure on that formation because the game is over and the clock is being drained to zero. If you're not specifically draining the clock to end the game, it's taking advantage of something I don't think teams want taken advantage of.

If the retribution is to send your defense on the victory formation, it might get unsuspecting offensive players hurt in a nothing play.

[theaardvark]

If you are doing something to try to win the season series, the D should be allowed to pursue the tackle for loss / forced fumble in the V formation. 

You want to mess around, you are going to find out.

[TecnoGenius]

It's smart football to drain the clock with Victory formation, then call the time out so you can bring the FG unit in.

Smart, but douche, move.  I think you're missing the point.

Can you remember team doing this before?  It's an unwritten rule you don't go for points after V formation.

Remember when MTL, at the end of the game, drove our whole field @PAS in week 1 then went V at the 1 or 3 or something?  Ya, so what if on their last snap they hand it to Fletcher and take an easy 7?  It's the same situation.

[TecnoGenius]

If you are doing something to try to win the season series, the D should be allowed to pursue the tackle for loss / forced fumble in the V formation. 

You want to mess around, you are going to find out.

That's the problem.  BC broke the unwritten rule.  So now D's have to proceed on V formation like it's a normal snap.  Well, at least vs BC... but maybe even bleeding over to other teams, unless their HCs get together pre-game and agree not to be a douche.

Jesse nails it: this is going to result in injured players.  If BC does a V and the 300 lb DTs blow them the heck up when they are just standing there, people are going to get hurt.  I won't feel sorry for them.  It'll serve Campbell right to lose a bunch of players to 6GIR over this (though sad & sorry for the players, who had no part in making the call).

[TBURGESS]

Smart, but douche, move.  I think you're missing the point.

Can you remember team doing this before?  It's an unwritten rule you don't go for points after V formation.

Remember when MTL, at the end of the game, drove our whole field @PAS in week 1 then went V at the 1 or 3 or something?  Ya, so what if on their last snap they hand it to Fletcher and take an easy 7?  It's the same situation.

I can't remember a team doing it before, which makes it an even smarter coaching decision. 

If MTL had taken 7 at the end of the game, then good on them, but that wouldn't be the same thing as bringing in the FG team on 3rd. Everyone on the field knew that they were going for the FG. It wasn't running off of the Victory formation.