Post preseason games cuts

[Blueforlife]

Our run D was very good late last season and post-season.  We manage to do effective run stop without stuffing the line pre-snap.  Yes, it often/usually gives up an automatic 2-4 instead of 0, but you can work with that.  And yes, when we guess wrong on the play call we sometimes give up 15-30Y, but only 1-2 a game.

It's funny, but we play the run completely differently than when we had Stove/Nevis, but it works for us.  I'm not sure if it shows up in the stats, but watching the games I can see what Younger/Hall are doing and appreciate how it helps our D.

However, our LBers seemed weaker on the short pass game, and that is really what killed us in the GC.  I guess a good OC will take advantage of our run & deep-pass-stop focus and eat our LBers with the short pass.

Maybe this year we can solve that riddle, and be a bit more balanced.

I wouldn't have thought of it but you are right those short passes the LBs are wiffing on have hurt BAD

Also agree about run stop D, issue is the big plays but you are right frequency is low per game

Can someone fill me on Novak?, haven't hear the chatter on him.

[markf]

The Team sometimes has a Somewhat unrealistic approach to players with injuries. Maybe an unrealistic idea of what a player can overcome. Or whether they are capable of contributing when injured.( I know they all play injured.)


One Example being Adam Bighill in the Grey Cup two seasons ago.

Wilson might be another example.

[Jesse]

Bighill wasn't even moved on from, he's physically unable to play. Brandon Alexander would be a better example.

But like I said, Kyrie is a fine piece of the puzzle that doesn't hurt us, but he's not what we hoped he'd be.

It's not like Jeffcoat who played 13 games and was an all star in them.

[Pete]

I wouldn't have thought of it but you are right those short passes the LBs are wiffing on have hurt BAD

Also agree about run stop D, issue is the big plays but you are right frequency is low per game

Can someone fill me on Novak?, haven't hear the chatter on him.

I'm not even sure it was a lb issue, Arbuckle just had way to much time. A lb just doesn't have the speed to cover for an extended time

[J5V]

Maybe this year we can solve that riddle, and be a bit more balanced.

That's a good thought. Younger had a very good first year and should be a better, more experienced defensive coordinator.

Hogan has the possibility to be a better offensive coordinator than Buck was especially if he can meld and channel the input of Zach/Jarious and harness the contributions of Brady/Cooley running behind an improved O-line. I'm very excited to see the potential of this team manifest on the field.

[TecnoGenius]

I'm not even sure it was a lb issue, Arbuckle just had way to much time. A lb just doesn't have the speed to cover for an extended time

We don't make the flat dangerous, like other teams do.  We never have a LBer crossing the other way against a dig/slant to blow up the REC, like other teams do.  On many short pass plays you wonder where all the LBers even are!  Often not even on camera.

Compare with other teams that create very busy flats that seem to contain tons of D players.  Remember how Henoc & McManus would blow up RECs and/or INT in the 2 GCs?  Ya, we have none of that.

Why?  Are they all coming to the line or dropping deep in pass coverage?  Or on the wrong side of the flat all the time?  I don't know, but it's a real problem and part of why our D gave up those TDs in the last GC.

As for "LBers can't cover that long", I don't want cover, I want LBers in place to blow up receptions head-on (not trailing), and LBers in the lanes to make the game-winning INTs.  You know, like all the other good teams do!

[dd]

I'm not even sure it was a lb issue, Arbuckle just had way to much time. A lb just doesn't have the speed to cover for an extended time

Agreed. Arbuckle had all day to make a play, and did. We need to improve our pass rush and you'll see our LB's covering the flat issue solve itself.

[Blueforlife]

The Team sometimes has a Somewhat unrealistic approach to players with injuries. Maybe an unrealistic idea of what a player can overcome. Or whether they are capable of contributing when injured.( I know they all play injured.)


One Example being Adam Bighill in the Grey Cup two seasons ago.

Wilson might be another example.

Can't agree with much of this one.

Bighill is one of the best all time, who yes played one game when he shouldn't have.  Easy to say shouldn't have after.

Wilson is good enough to hope he can play an entire season, even if not still will contribute, just like Jeffcoat did.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

We don't make the flat dangerous, like other teams do.  We never have a LBer crossing the other way against a dig/slant to blow up the REC, like other teams do.  On many short pass plays you wonder where all the LBers even are!  Often not even on camera.

Compare with other teams that create very busy flats that seem to contain tons of D players.  Remember how Henoc & McManus would blow up RECs and/or INT in the 2 GCs?  Ya, we have none of that.

Why?  Are they all coming to the line or dropping deep in pass coverage?  Or on the wrong side of the flat all the time?  I don't know, but it's a real problem and part of why our D gave up those TDs in the last GC.

As for "LBers can't cover that long", I don't want cover, I want LBers in place to blow up receptions head-on (not trailing), and LBers in the lanes to make the game-winning INTs.  You know, like all the other good teams do!

Noticed last season Safety and MLB playing more traditional roles than years before, BA was hanging back more and doing less run stopping and Tony Jones was not dropping deep into cover playing pass defence like Bighill used to do.

[TecnoGenius]

Noticed last season Safety and MLB playing more traditional roles than years before, BA was hanging back more and doing less run stopping and Tony Jones was not dropping deep into cover playing pass defence like Bighill used to do.

I can't say I noticed that a ton myself, but I'll pay more attention now.  I did notice Tony being used more as a rover than a hole-stuffer like Biggie was getting to be.

Now that you mention it, maybe BA37 was hanging back more often because T.Jones was getting so good at run-stop without any d.backfield support.

I think a new full year of T.Jones should yield dividends, especially if Wilson is back to form (both physical and brain).

[markf]

Can't agree with much of this one.

Bighill is one of the best all time, who yes played one game when he shouldn't have.  Easy to say shouldn't have after.

Wilson is good enough to hope he can play an entire season, even if not still will contribute, just like Jeffcoat did.

I Guess I wasn't clear, I didn't mean they should have moved on From Adam Bighill earlier,

I meant he wasn't physically up to playing in that game.  " The star middle linebacker was wearing a walking boot on his right leg Monday when the team departed for Hamilton, fuelling the speculation that he won't be available to play against the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL's championship game on Sunday."

"  He suited up for the 110th Grey Cup despite the injury but registered only one defensive tackle in a 28-24 loss to the Montreal Alouettes."

[Blueforlife]

I Guess I wasn't clear, I didn't mean they should have moved on From Adam Bighill earlier,

I meant he wasn't physically up to playing in that game.  " The star middle linebacker was wearing a walking boot on his right leg Monday when the team departed for Hamilton, fuelling the speculation that he won't be available to play against the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL's championship game on Sunday."

"  He suited up for the 110th Grey Cup despite the injury but registered only one defensive tackle in a 28-24 loss to the Montreal Alouettes."

I know what you meant and thanks for the extra info, in hindsight the wrong decision but when you have a stud that good you often play them even when nicked.  Sometimes a star at 75% is better than the alternative at 100%.  We rolled the dice and lost, Biggie was likely only about 50% .  A tough decision at the time, hopefully we learn from it.  Team and Biggie thought he could contribute but he fell short.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Riders scoop the punter Bombers just cut, guess that's why he refused their PR offer.

https://3downnation.com/2025/06/03/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-punter-james-evans-after-release-from-blue-bombers/

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Lame.

Riders scoop the punter Bombers just cut, guess that's why he refused their PR offer.

https://3downnation.com/2025/06/03/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-punter-james-evans-after-release-from-blue-bombers/

Lame. Dislike.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Riders scoop the punter Bombers just cut, guess that's why he refused their PR offer.

https://3downnation.com/2025/06/03/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-punter-james-evans-after-release-from-blue-bombers/

The Blue Bombers might've really messed up this one. It's a darn pity, the loyalty. It is a darn pity, the loyalty surpasses talent.