BC @ TOR July 3 GDT

[TecnoGenius]

Starting this early.  Some thoughts on the Battle Of The Unbeaten(TM).  Coach Barker has assured me someone has to win and someone has to lose.  With MTL losing, only 1 team will remain unbeaten.  For our sake, let's hope it's the E team.

BC isn't even bothering to list a DNA or DNS's anymore.  Rules say they have to list one on O and D, but oh well, no one seems to be caring about this new DNA garbage.

BC is also starting 8 NATs.  I only count 3 DAs (nee DIs).  I guess they are very happy with their NAT talent.

BC gets Rhymes and Hatcher back.  With McInnis looking like an all-star at times, and Hollins hiding in the corner, their R corps is very impressive.

Kelly hasn't shown as well as VAJ in the opening weeks, but TOR still is good enough to win.  I think Kelly gets a bit better this game and VAJ stumbles a bit.  VAJ isn't Rourke.  He'll have that VAJesque mental break soon.  Maybe it'll be this week.

TOR is swapping 8 players but the buggers are only listing their #'s so I have to do some homework to see what the changes really are.  If they are substantially weaker this week, I may have to change my pick to BC.  But for now I'm going with my hunch and the homefield advantage.

[TecnoGenius]

Secret Decoder Ring translation of the TOR in/out changes:

IN:
Oakman
Gittens
Leake
Stiggers
Calver
Kwamou
Ciraco
Tate

OUT:
Brinkman
Sutton
Byrd
Barlow
Williams
Acheampong
Noll
Cage

Wow, half the IN group are quality players.  Almost all the OUT group is nobodies.  TOR should be substantially better this week.

TOR is doing the DNA thing on D (only).  Orimolade DE is the DNA and can sub in for Smith DE the DNS, for an all-IMP DL for 23 snaps.  Now there's some good use of the DNA rules!

Not sure why a team needs 4 RBs when you have Omellette and AH dressed, but oh well.

[TecnoGenius]

Depth charts here:

https://d3ham790trbkqy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/06/Week-4-vs.-BC-Lions-July-3-2023-PDF.pdf
https://d3ham790trbkqy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Roster-and-Position-Chart-Week-4-TOR.pdf

[GOLDMEMBER]

Finally some foot ball again!

Canada Day long week and so little football? Give your head a shake CFL. Talk about missed opportunity.

I think the Argos fit more into pretender than Contender.

BC D will make things rough for Kelly.

Good to see Rymes and other injured WR corps players appearing to be back.

[The Zipp]

Finally some foot ball again!

Canada Day long week and so little football? Give your head a shake CFL. Talk about missed opportunity.

I think the Argos fit more into pretender than Contender.

BC D will make things rough for Kelly.

Good to see Rymes and other injured WR corps players appearing to be back.

I swear cfl schedule makers and approvers have no sense on what fans want.  This Canada day schedule was botched big time. 

Gittens is a great receiver and will make the Argos better.  All aboard the Chad Kelly hype train...aaaaargooos!!

[Blue In BC]

It's still a little early to determine how good either team is at the moment. Obviously both teams are very good based on current record. I'm not sure which team will come out on top. We've seen  new " QB's " look very good early on and then teams get film and then things go south. Elusive / running QB's can get injured if they run too often.

I think the analysts aren't sure either. Should be a good game. Hopefully no serious injuries to any players.

[GOLDMEMBER]

I swear cfl schedule makers and approvers have no sense on what fans want.  This Canada day schedule was botched big time. 

Gittens is a great receiver and will make the Argos better.  All aboard the Chad Kelly hype train...aaaaargooos!!

Here here from all angles my friend!

[Pigskin]

I swear cfl schedule makers and approvers have no sense on what fans want.  This Canada day schedule was botched big time. 

Gittens is a great receiver and will make the Argos better.  All aboard the Chad Kelly hype train...aaaaargooos!!

Agree, I don't understand what the CFL schedulers are trying to do. 

[GOLDMEMBER]

Agree, I don't understand what the CFL schedulers are trying to do. 

Mo game yesterday is inexcusable. I am kinda sick of Ambrosie. He makes a lot of very strange decisions.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Mo game yesterday is inexcusable. I am kinda sick of Ambrosie. He makes a lot of very strange decisions.

You're not alone....haven't been a fan of Ambrosie from day one....

https://3downnation.com/2023/07/02/eight-ways-cfl-fans-feel-leadership-is-failing-them/

[TecnoGenius]

I think the Argos fit more into pretender than Contender.

BC D will make things rough for Kelly.

Argos are a good team riding the invincible high of the GC win.  On paper they are very good, except the big question mark at QB.  The team has been making up for the cracks starting to appear in Kelly.  Can they continue to do so while he learns the game?

I think BC is in the same boat.  Superb team on paper, but a questionable QB.  I'm still not sold on VAJ.

Both teams' success may hinge on the QB, and both QBs could falter at any moment.  TOR's superb pass D might be the straw that breaks VAJ's back.  Or Kelly could be exposed for the near-rookie he is, but BC's strength is pass D and TOR doesn't rely on the pass.  Maybe both will happen and it'll be a turnover-fest.

At least the TOR fans are finally showing up.

[theaardvark]

Shut down Toronto's run game and you win.

Good luck with that.

[TecnoGenius]

Shut down Toronto's run game and you win.

Good luck with that.

I've never seen a team run in TDs more easily in the redzone than TOR.  They did it in the GC (ugly and inexcusable for us).  They did it last week.  They'll probably do it again this week.  Ouellette can't be stopped unless you run blitz and open up vulnerabilities in the pass.  And he can run up the gut or on the edge.  And they can always fake to him and just run Kelly.  It makes even less sense when on paper I don't think their OL is better than "good".

It will be interesting when we face them to see if Hall has concocted an answer.  There's a very good chance we'll face them again in the GC, and we need answers.

[theaardvark]

I've never seen a team run in TDs more easily in the redzone than TOR.  They did it in the GC (ugly and inexcusable for us).  They did it last week.  They'll probably do it again this week.  Omellette can't be stopped unless you run blitz and open up vulnerabilities in the pass.  And he can run up the gut or on the edge.  And they can always fake to him and just run Kelly.  It makes even less sense when on paper I don't think their OL is better than "good".

It will be interesting when we face them to see if Hall has concocted an answer.  There's a very good chance we'll face them again in the GC, and we need answers.

The only thing I can think of is having Bighill put his helmet on Ouellette and track him.  Or bring WJ5 inside and wingspan him.  Collapse the FS as well, just in case.  AH33 is also a concern, but no where near as much as he used to be, and isn't run anywhere near as often. 

[The Zipp]

So if bc limits Toronto to under 10 points tonight and win does it mean they are the best team?