Calgary @ Winnipeg

[TecnoGenius]

I love Thomas. I think he'd be at his most effective in a back-up role spelling off Lawson. And I think that was going to be the plan.

I'm not so sure.  The talking point is always "Fatboi isn't a starter" but I'm not so sure MOS sees it that way (anymore).

Fatboi is taking almost every snap and he's motoring and pushing and tying up dudes every down.  He has more energy and puts in waaaaay more effort than Willie does every down!

After this discussion started I watched Fatboi with an even keener eye in the OTT game and I'm telling you, you all need to watch that game just watching Fatboi.  He's doing incredible things out there, on the majority of his plays.

Every time our "weak NAT DT who shouldn't be starting" ties up 2 or 3 OL, that's a big win.  Every time he pushes his one hoggie back to near the QB, that's a win.  Every time he breaks free to rush the QB, that's a win.  So go watch how many snaps he achieves these things.  Then compare to the IMP DTs, who also are doing ok, but often end up flat on their faces in the turf.

Remember MOS (and probably Hall, and thus Younger) are very big on "gap cancellation" on D.  They always talk about the "numbers game".  If Fatboi takes up 2-3 hoggies then he's cancelling 1 or 2 gaps, then the LBers only have to cover the remaining gaps.  Watch how they do this, it happens all the time in our D.

No, Fatboi is not Stove.  No Fatboi isn't great at shedding blocks for a run stop.  But I don't think we ask him to be.  I think we scheme to his strengths.

If Lawson was 100% healthy I wouldn't be surprised if we started Fatboi/Lawson as our 2 DTs and have the IMPs backing them up (could do it with our ratio).

[TecnoGenius]

Man, its gonna be a hot one on Friday, and ofcourse severe TStorms very likely
What's the odds we make it thru the game?

If the t-storms are coming in H2, we have to 100% make sure we start fast and keep the lead.  We need to ensure that if the game is postponed and times-out/called that we get that W!  I'll be ok with robbing CGY, but not us getting robbed ourselves!   

[Slingin Sammy]

If that's the case is there another import that might be added to fill the vacancy opened by cutting Fayad?  By process of elimination based on other comments, Tony Jones might be the only import considered to add for this week?  At the very least he might be useful on ST's. I don't think we need another DB from the PR at the moment.

We need a small airlift of players to consider for the PR. The catch is space on the PR.

Or are we starting 11 Canadians this week?

I was at practice on Monday.  Lucky Ogbeovn was getting reps at D end with 1st team.  Wasn't there on Tuesday so not sure if that trend continued.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that he was noticeable at practice for his motor and quickness; he was practising as a D End and with the D Line in one on one's even though he's listed as a Linebacker.

FWIW, if the practice week ended the way it started, maybe he draws into the lineup unless we decide to dress only 6 DL - Thomas, Schmekel, Hubert, Woods, Adams, Jefferson.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I'm not so sure.  The talking point is always "Fatboi isn't a starter" but I'm not so sure MOS sees it that way (anymore).

Fatboi is taking almost every snap and he's motoring and pushing and tying up dudes every down.  He has more energy and puts in waaaaay more effort than Willie does every down!

After this discussion started I watched Fatboi with an even keener eye in the OTT game and I'm telling you, you all need to watch that game just watching Fatboi.  He's doing incredible things out there, on the majority of his plays.

Every time our "weak NAT DT who shouldn't be starting" ties up 2 or 3 OL, that's a big win.  Every time he pushes his one hoggie back to near the QB, that's a win.  Every time he breaks free to rush the QB, that's a win.  So go watch how many snaps he achieves these things.  Then compare to the IMP DTs, who also are doing ok, but often end up flat on their faces in the turf.

Remember MOS (and probably Hall, and thus Younger) are very big on "gap cancellation" on D.  They always talk about the "numbers game".  If Fatboi takes up 2-3 hoggies then he's cancelling 1 or 2 gaps, then the LBers only have to cover the remaining gaps.  Watch how they do this, it happens all the time in our D.

No, Fatboi is not Stove.  No Fatboi isn't great at shedding blocks for a run stop.  But I don't think we ask him to be.  I think we scheme to his strengths.

If Lawson was 100% healthy I wouldn't be surprised if we started Fatboi/Lawson as our 2 DTs and have the IMPs backing them up (could do it with our ratio).

I agree I think the coaching staff sees Jake doing a good job, but I don't see the point of him playing almost every snap leaving Schmeck with hardly any for some strange reason.  It would serve them both better if they shared snaps more equitably, afterall Schmeck is the future and needs more experience and Jake is the past and needs to pace himself.

[Slingin Sammy]

I agree I think the coaching staff sees Jake doing a good job, but I don't see the point of him playing almost every snap leaving Schmeck with hardly any for some strange reason.  It would serve them both better if they shared snaps more equitably, afterall Schmeck is the future and needs more experience and Jake is the past and needs to pace himself.

I think Jake is a serviceable rotational player; hard pressed to think of any other team in the league where he'd be considered good enough to start unless they had ratio/experienced depth issues. 

We don't need to have a DT spot as one of our Cdn spots this year (as we've been starting 10 Cdns in several games this year)...but for the last several years DT has been one of our Cdn spots. I think our drafts and lack of recruiting/retention of Imp depth at DT reflects that decision; did we carry more than one backup imp DT last year or the year before?

I can't imagine that the plan going into this year was to have Fatboi play almost every snap on D. 

IMHO Lawson's injury, followed by Fox's injury and our lack of experienced depth (imp and cdn) necessitated Jake playing as much as he has because he was, and currently remains the best option amongst limited options. 

[Blue In BC]

I was at practice on Monday.  Lucky Ogbeovn was getting reps at D end with 1st team.  Wasn't there on Tuesday so not sure if that trend continued.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that he was noticeable at practice for his motor and quickness; he was practising as a D End and with the D Line in one on one's even though he's listed as a Linebacker.

FWIW, if the practice week ended the way it started, maybe he draws into the lineup unless we decide to dress only 6 DL - Thomas, Schmekel, Hubert, Woods, Adams, Jefferson.

Interesting. I mentioned before that a global usually is at the cost of a Canadian roster spot. However it is possible that our current ratio would allow him to displace an import ( Fayad ).

That would concern be from a scouting perspective. We draft 2 global players and by definition they are awarded PR spots with zero competition.

OTOH, we have mini camps and look at dozens of players. We bring a dozen of DL to TC and we'd end up starting a rookie global player? He may not be starting and only used in rotation in defensive sets that may not be a traditional 43 defence.

Potentially starting 11 Canadians is also unusual.

Reality is that the real measurement is winning.

[LXTSN]

If Lucky Ogbeovn is good enough to start, they will start him. There is no incentive to starting 2 global players, so this would be a well earned start if that's the case.

[Jesse]

If Lucky Ogbeovn is good enough to start, they will start him. There is no incentive to starting 2 global players, so this would be a well earned start if that's the case.

Well earned against zero competition, lol.

[Jesse]

So we're starting 11 Canadians and rostering an extra global than is required.

It seems hard to believe that these are the best candidates available to us. In a vacuum, I really like Hubert's game last week, but he and an undersized global linebacker is the best combination at DE we can find?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

So we're starting 11 Canadians and rostering an extra global than is required.

It seems hard to believe that these are the best candidates available to us. In a vacuum, I really like Hubert's game last week, but he and an undersized global linebacker is the best combination at DE we can find?

Obviously they're waiting for Garbutt and Haba to recover to reclaim their spots, their solution this weekend is just a temporary fix. Secondly the possibility O'Shea really likes Lucky Ogbeovn and wants to reward him by giving him a chance to dress before the starters return, this is his shot, after this game he may be relegated to the PR for the rest of the season.

[RebusRankin]

Seriously, what other team does Jake Thomas start for in the CFL because I don't see one.

[Slingin Sammy]

Interesting. I mentioned before that a global usually is at the cost of a Canadian roster spot. However it is possible that our current ratio would allow him to displace an import ( Fayad ).

That would concern be from a scouting perspective. We draft 2 global players and by definition they are awarded PR spots with zero competition.

OTOH, we have mini camps and look at dozens of players. We bring a dozen of DL to TC and we'd end up starting a rookie global player? He may not be starting and only used in rotation in defensive sets that may not be a traditional 43 defence.

Potentially starting 11 Canadians is also unusual.

Reality is that the real measurement is winning.

He was rotating in with Hubert and Jefferson at Monday`s practise in traditional 4 3.  We`re really limited right now in terms of options...we made a decision to bring back Fayad but not any of the other TC D Ends like Rivers...seems clear that we`re waiting for Garbutt and Haba to return...hoping that Hubert and Ogbeovn can be serviceable in the meantime.  Given that we haven`t been generating a lot of push from the DLine, JY is going to have be creative with our blitz packages, bringing pressure from depth and DB`s; I`m sure Calgary has game-planned for this possibility, so it`ll be interesting to see if we`re able to get to Maier.

From a Captain Obvious perspective: ST`s need to be solid limiting big returns and penalties and Cashtillo needs to continue to make good on his field goal attempts.  Zach needs to have a good game and keep the O on the field.  We need to dominate TOP to limit Calgary`s chances to score on offense, and to tire out their D.

[blue_or_die]

Meh, Thomas should not have even been starting this season, but Lawson got hurt.

Why do you hate Thomas?

[The Zipp]

Why do you hate Thomas?

these darn groundhogs are taking over...

[theaardvark]

He was rotating in with Hubert and Jefferson at Monday`s practise in traditional 4 3.  We`re really limited right now in terms of options...we made a decision to bring back Fayad but not any of the other TC D Ends like Rivers...seems clear that we`re waiting for Garbutt and Haba to return...hoping that Hubert and Ogbeovn can be serviceable in the meantime.  Given that we haven`t been generating a lot of push from the DLine, JY is going to have be creative with our blitz packages, bringing pressure from depth and DB`s; I`m sure Calgary has game-planned for this possibility, so it`ll be interesting to see if we`re able to get to Maier.

From a Captain Obvious perspective: ST`s need to be solid limiting big returns and penalties and Cashtillo needs to continue to make good on his field goal attempts.  Zach needs to have a good game and keep the O on the field.  We need to dominate TOP to limit Calgary`s chances to score on offense, and to tire out their D.

If Lucky O is undersized, is running him in a 4-3 any different than running a 3-4?

Just saying, we've been effective in a 3-4 and in a cheetah, although with our DE and oversized LB ranks depleted, not sure Cheetah is much in the plans right now...