Coaching? Recruitment? Execution? Preparedness?

[theaardvark]

Is this jus a coincidental alignment of small things that we have faced before that are just happening all at once in a catastrophic way?

Is the coaching change on D affecting the play?  Or at ST?  Two rookie co-ordinators, does that take away from MOS's overall ability to do his job?

Did we not recruit enough talent?  Or good enough talent?   We had a lot of different holes to fill, did we fall one candidate too short in too many of them?

Are the players just not getting the message?  Again, many new faces, too many rookies new to the CFL, is it just a matter of needing more time to gel?

Short TC, 2 PS games, limited practices, is it just a matter of time to get them all on the same page?

Or is is just luck/fate that we are losing top players to injury, and asking too many young players to step up?  If we lost one or two players, we should be able to cover, especially between games.  But we seem to be losing too many top players in game.


I really thing there is a string of bad luck we will have to ride out, but that this group can do it.

[Blueforlife]

Here is my take on D
1. Injuries
2. Loss of talent / new faces
3. Lack of pressure from DL
4. New DC / system
5. Inconsistent offense means D gets tired

Offense
1. Oline needs to gel
2. Brady need to get healthy and heat up
3. Need to get healthy at receiver
4. Zach needs to be consistent
5. Play calling needs to improve
6. Sprinkle in Strev but stop having him run routes so often

New coaches need time.  Our core will straighten that out.

[markf]

are the injuries at home, on the road?

are there problems with training, nutrition?

is the playing surface involved?

seems like too many injuries to one team to just be luck. or, is it bad luck?

The way Schoen plays, seems inevitable that he will be often hurt.

and Streveller, is candidate for injury as well.

shout out Jake Thomas, and Willie.  how many games have those guys missed? 


with the injuries the team has had, they've actually done quite well.

[Blue In BC]

are the injuries at home, on the road?

are there problems with training, nutrition?

is the playing surface involved?

seems like too many injuries to one team to just be luck. or, is it bad luck?

The way Schoen plays, seems inevitable that he will be often hurt.

and Streveller, is candidate for injury as well.

shout out Jake Thomas, and Willie.  how many games have those guys missed? 


with the injuries the team has had, they've actually done quite well.

Injuries have happened in TC, on the road and at home. No specific pattern. We have a new field which is supposed to be very good, so I don't think that's an issue.

I mentioned last week that there were 47 players on 6 game IR and 32 on 1 game IR. That was before some teams had even played their 2nd game.

Some injuries are carry overs from 2023. The Lions had Hatcher and Lee on the 6 game IR to start the season. They had 2 starting OL not available yesterday. Cottoy didn't dress either.

So I don't know that we're anymore hard hit than most teams.

The issue is that we had some PR players or rookies become starters because we lost players in free agency or retirement. Then we almost immediately also lost those players at those same positions.

Examples: Lawler is injured and now his replacement is injured.  Haba replaces Jeffcoat and then he's injured. Fox replaces Walker and then he's injured. Last night we may have lost Woods replacing Fox.

for the most part, it's young players not aging veteran getting injured. Lawler is the oldest player on our 6 game IR.

Yikes!!

[TecnoGenius]

Do any of you go on the field after games?  The new turf is very bouncy and squishy.  Waaaay more than the old turf.  (Been going down on field for like 7 years now.)  Word is it needs to "settle".  Who knows how long that will be.  Still bouncy in week 3.

Does that mean anything for injuries?  I have no idea.  It should help make falls/tackles way less painful, and cause less turf concussions.  But it could also cause footwork trouble and more related injuries like ankles.  Who knows.

[TecnoGenius]

So I don't know that we're anymore hard hit than most teams.

The issue is that we had some PR players or rookies become starters because we lost players in free agency or retirement. Then we almost immediately also lost those players at those same positions.

I think we are more hard-hit than most teams not in numbers (we're close) but in SMS impact and the loss of our unit stars.

Here's all the teams' IRs as of right now.
1-game / 6-game

edm 4/6
mtl 2/7
tor 5/5
bc  2/6
ott 5/5
ham 5/9
wpg 2/9 (I'm guessing Schoen is going on 6G here, and Wheatfall on 1G)

For example, HAM has 9 on 6G but none are high-SMS, critical stars for their units.  MTL does have some key pieces on 6G... now that's a scary thought.

And you are precisely correct that we're not getting an even distribution of 6G from each unit.  Like you said, DL is decimated then decimate again, then again.  When you get down to starting the TC cuts, you know you're in trouble.

[TecnoGenius]

In week 1 I would have given you one answer.  In week 3 it's a different answer.

Week 1 we could look at specific positions and the tiny number of injuries and see a bright future after 1-2 tweaks.

Week 3 and everything all of you said is the problem.  It's a hurricane of disaster that gets worse every single week.  We must rely on our O to put up big points to overcome our big-explosion-prone D.  We had the tools.  Now Kenny is gone, Brady not 100%, and Schoen likely out for 6+.  Our new best-hope #5 Wheatfall on IR, who knows how long (hopefully short).

I don't want to be KW right now.  Assuming he has any SMS left for anything, how on earth does he prioritize it?  (I'd pick O, but now you have to waste it on #1 & #2 Rs when before you only had to tweak #5 and maybe OL!)

Now's about the time we panic lads!

[Blue In BC]

I think we are more hard-hit than most teams not in numbers (we're close) but in SMS impact and the loss of our unit stars.

Here's all the teams' IRs as of right now.
1-game / 6-game

edm 4/6
mtl 2/7
tor 5/5
bc  2/6
ott 5/5
ham 5/9
wpg 2/9 (I'm guessing Schoen is going on 6G here, and Wheatfall on 1G)

For example, HAM has 9 on 6G but none are high-SMS, critical stars for their units.  MTL does have some key pieces on 6G... now that's a scary thought.

And you are precisely correct that we're not getting an even distribution of 6G from each unit.  Like you said, DL is decimated then decimate again, then again.  When you get down to starting the TC cuts, you know you're in trouble.

Our 6 game IR only included Lawler, Lawson and Parker before game 3. Obviously Lawler had the highest salary followed by Lawson. Parker going into year 3 probably got a raise but he's not highly paid. The rest were rookies with limited playing time.

I don't see that out of balance or higher than most teams. The Lions had Lee and Hatcher on the 6 game before the season started. Then they lost Couture, Knevel and Cherry. Most of them carry hefty contracts.

Argos have at least 4 starters on their 6 game IR. That doesn't even include Kelly who is suspended.

The larger problem is that we already had a transition of about 23 players no longer with the team: Jeffcoat, Walker, Houston, Bailey, Rose, Darby, Hardrick, Gray etc including many depth players from our PR.

Add to early or TC injuries to starters Bighill, Oliveria, Nichols and Lawson we've been playing with a bunch of rookie starters. Today we've had to replace a bunch of the rookie back ups to the rookie starters> all of those guys are on ELC's.

After this week we may have lost Schoen, Wheatfall and Woods to either the 1 game or 6 game. TBD.

Other teams that played already lost some more players as well.

It's just the luck of the draw.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I think we are more hard-hit than most teams not in numbers (we're close) but in SMS impact and the loss of our unit stars.

Here's all the teams' IRs as of right now.
1-game / 6-game

edm 4/6
mtl 2/7
tor 5/5
bc  2/6
ott 5/5
ham 5/9
wpg 2/9 (I'm guessing Schoen is going on 6G here, and Wheatfall on 1G)

For example, HAM has 9 on 6G but none are high-SMS, critical stars for their units.  MTL does have some key pieces on 6G... now that's a scary thought.

And you are precisely correct that we're not getting an even distribution of 6G from each unit.  Like you said, DL is decimated then decimate again, then again.  When you get down to starting the TC cuts, you know you're in trouble.

How long do you think Demski can stay healthy with the amount of abuse he's taking?  Wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't practice this week at all. Same thing for Schoen every week, defences have become hammers that pound on receivers, who really have no way to fight back.

It really has become an unfair contest, I would like to see them eliminate the hits designed to knock the ball lose, nothing wrong with hitting or punching the ball or proper form tackling but trying to knock the receiver unconscious or intimidate them in hopes of dropping the ball is taking too many talented receivers out of the game. 

Oh yah, anyone that shouts "that's just football" is a moron.

[dd]

How long do you think Demski can stay healthy with the amount of abuse he's taking?  Wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't practice this week at all. Same thing for Schoen every week, defences have become hammers that pound on receivers, who really have no way to fight back.

It really has become an unfair contest, I would like to see them eliminate the hits designed to knock the ball lose, nothing wrong with hitting or punching the ball or proper form tackling but trying to knock the receiver unconscious or intimidate them in hopes of dropping the ball is taking too many talented receivers out of the game. 

Oh yah, anyone that shouts "that's just football" is a moron.

Couldn't agree more

Look at Sankey s hit on Acklin this week, I posted I couldn't believe no flag was thrown for the obvious hit on a defenseless receivers head, and another posted this isn't flag football. That comment is ridiculous and perhaps if he'd played tackle football and been hit in a defenseless position he'd change tune. The game has to elim8nate this. Rules are in place all you have to do is call it.

And nothing pisses me off more is the bozo who's celebrating knocking a guy senseless. That is a misconduct foul if there ever was one. You just injured a player and you are celebrating that!? What a sad statement of where the game is at.

[Blue In BC]

Couldn't agree more

Look at Sankey s hit on Acklin this week, I posted I couldn't believe no flag was thrown for the obvious hit on a defenseless receivers head, and another posted this isn't flag football. That comment is ridiculous and perhaps if he'd played tackle football and been hit in a defenseless position he'd change tune. The game has to elim8nate this. Rules are in place all you have to do is call it.

And nothing pisses me off more is the bozo who's celebrating knocking a guy senseless. That is a misconduct foul if there ever was one. You just injured a player and you are celebrating that!? What a sad statement of where the game is at.

 I did play tackle football in high school. I also played tackle football ( weekend pickup ) in the winter with no equipment. At the time I never weighed more than 160 lbs. Some players weighed as much as 250 and some were current or recently retired pro football players.

In high school I weighed 91 lbs and lied about my weight in order to play. The minimum weight was 100 lbs. I played DE, SAM and receiver.

Maybe you remember ex Bomber and Lion Dan Hucklak. He was a 230 - 240 FB and was still a current player when I played against him during his off season. Also tackled Rick Klassen with no equipment.

Yes, I did tackle him with no equipment as did a bunch of other non professional guys playing football. Yes at times I was hit in a defenceless position. Yes at times I hit an opponent unintentionally in a defenceless position.  3 separated shoulders, one broken wrist, multiple x-rays and MRI's and probably 200+ lifetime chiropractor visits due to playing football.

Finally I repeat that IMO Acklin was not a defenceless player and I explained when he would have been in a different situation. Not every player being hit is in a defenceless position.

We agree to disagree in this instance. It will be interesting to see if a fine is levied.

B. Alexander was fined for a high hit earlier this year. Slightly late and the receiver didn't make the catch IIRC. Can't remember if Alexander separated him from the ball but I had no problem with the fine.

[dd]

Any time there is forcible contact to the head, it's a foul, end of

[Blue In BC]

Any time there is forcible contact to the head, it's a foul, end of

Any time someone uses the term " end of " it means that they lost the argument.

It was not a forcible contact to the head. It was a body blow essentially.  No penalty was called by the professional refs.

Watch the game today. I'd think there will be some violent hits that will not have penalties called.

[dd]

Any time someone uses the term " end of " it means that they lost the argument.

It was not a forcible contact to the head. It was a body blow essentially.  No penalty was called by the professional refs.

Watch the game today. I'd think there will be some violent hits that will not have penalties called.

Just watched the hit again, it's as blatant a hit to the head on a defenseless player as it gets, and if you don't see it it's because you don't want to. The fact there was a melee afterwards tells me his teammates definitely thought it was and guaranteed the league office fines him, which tells me the refs missed one. We ll see Wednesday

[DM83]

American boys from the age of five play tackle football. The practice I watched had defenders already taking proper angles of pusuit.  Now considering when a kid plays at an adult level, and is making a living at it, they pretty well know how to use the head when making a tackle.

The point being, if they want to keep getting paid, you do what you have to. So the CFL guys want to keep getting paid, and ideally getting film on the opponent and themselves for the NFL, they take the shot.

Everyone is aware of an injury in football. No other sport asks players to subtlety demand accepting it. Yet football players don't  expect that to happen. And yet it does. The helmet is a weapon. Accept it