GDT Edm at Ssk, Thu July 23, 8:00PM

[Tecno]

Is it required? I feel like I so rarely see it.

Nope, the IN/OUT list is basically always there.  It may simply be a "courtesy", but every team does it every time.

Now, what you're probably talking about is on the 1-page copies of the chart that get posted here maybe half the teams put the in/out on that same page.  Many teams put the in/out in the lower, roster page of the charts.  That page is never posted here (or the twatter copies, etc).  You have to go to the team web sites to get those pages.

I basically *need* the in/out every week in order to play pickems & fantasy effectively.  Having to "reverse engineer" it can take a loooong time.  Easier to then read the 3down summary and hope they caught every single in/out move!

Here's an example of a MTL chart:
https://static.cfl.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/GM-6-MONTREAL-DEPTH-CHART.pdf
See the "changement" part on the lower-right side of the 2nd page.

[Tecno]

1Q5:58

D.Weibe (hehe, eheh) -- unbelievably on his punt return TD, throws the ball through the EZ before he crosses the GL.  He looked back and saw the flag and just chucked it away in disgust.

Notice the problem though?  His coach can challenge an IB (which this wasn't, but usually is) if it's bogus.  But since he never crossed the GL, and the ball goes beyond the deadball line, he would not get a TD.  In fact, I'm not sure what he'd get... ball coming out to the 35?  Or comes out to where he lost possession?  No idea what would happen.  But it wouldn't be a TD!

I was so wishing the ball would linger and the EDM guys could grab it, making any challenge pointless.  And then TSN could show how the IB (if that's what it was) was bogus and SSKies could all be mega-bummed out they botched it and lost a TD.  They'd be loading up the manure truck for sure.

I'm sure the SSK guys will coach him up real quick on making sure you complete the play -- as you never know what transpired behind you or what challenges flags the HC might throw.

[Tecno]

Would have liked to see a rouge there. We gotta change this automatic starts on the 40 yard line.

Ya, it's getting really stupid.  EDM punted from the 47.  SSK watches it roll 20Y.  Ball stops 1Y past the deadball line.  Ball comes out to the 40, no point awarded.

So EDM could have beaten that, PLUS had a shot at a first down, just by going for it on 3rd.  Instead they get a net 7Y punt!!  IOW, a completely useless and futile play.  As well as NFL-esque with dudes following rolling balls for 5s.

[Tecno]

Not convinced on the 2Q13:26 RTP call on Harris.  What on earth is the D guy supposed to do?  He held up and put his head way back and did a full form tackle with both arms out, hitting Harris with his chest.  Absolutely nothing else he could do other than not go for a tackle at all unless he puts his head completely down and goes for a nads tackle.

Then booth guys talk about how Harris was chirping to the refs previously to wake up on the RTP flags.  LOL.  This is what riderfans are always trying to say we do, always saying MOS chirps to get favorable flags.  Now it's whiny Harris.

TSN didn't even show a close-up replay because they know it was bogus and makes the league look bad.

[Tecno]

I sure miss having Ford in the secondary.

Ya, of course.  But the $$ was untenable.  He's still insanely paid.  I'd argue SSK's Sayles (our other old player!) is the far better bang for the buck.

For the money Ford gets we basically get any 2 of our DBs.  And I think it's clear that having a everyone-is-at-least-pretty-good DB corps is better than a blah one with 1-2 superstars!

[Tecno]

That measurement before the end of H1 was just like that totally bogus one against us many years back.  The one where the ref didn't pull the chain tight.  The dude pulls it tight, then drops it straight down and it's no longer tight.  Dude has never heard of geometry and Pythagoras.

That was 2 more inches at least, and that was 100% for sure short.  If they are going to bother with the big show of the chains, then at least get it right!!  Team captain needs to have a chance to dispute it while the chain is still down on the field.  Valesi can't just wave his hand and then walk away ignoring everyone.

[Tecno]

This game has been a beauty, one of the better contest this season so far.  Don't know if the Bombers can keep up with either team.

Ya, we are so toast if we don't level up like 10X.  Not sure it's possible within the span of a season.

We don't get SSK 3 times this year (finally!) but I think we do get EDM 3X.

[Tecno]

I'm done with ref #33.  I'm sorry, I really tried not to be too hard.  I really tried not to point out the obvious.  But she's now botched way too many important things.  She needs to be cut.

3Q1:05 She spots the ball with 1Y to go when it's clearly a 2Y to go spot.  This is a critical 2nd down spot in the red zone.  2Y and they might kick a FG.  1Y and clearly they go for it.

Not only did she mark it where she thought he caught the ball -- she gives him like a bonus half yard.  But the worst is the REC is moving backwards until the DB gets there, and the first contact with the DB is 2Y short.  And that is where the REC gets turfed.  And yet she spots it at the 11.

Even the players are audible on TSN saying "that's a terrible spot", and she's just shaking her head at them.  Command can't fix this in realtime?  They even had the extra time of a SSK timeout!!  They are allowed to correct this if no pause is required!

She's just awful.  I don't think she knows the rules.  Why is she doing anything, let alone marking the spots!  I'm done.  She's worse than #22.  The league can keep #34, but you have to get rid of 33.

Addtl: 4Q8:39 she does the same thing again!  Dude is catching it backwards and juking backwards.  DB comes in and first touch on REC the ball is at the 39.  Maybe the 39.5 if you're an optimist.  She runs in at the 40 and the ball is snapped at the 40.  Either she loves the Riders and is a homer, or she has no spatial awareness.

[Tecno]

4Q13:58 On Mack's 2nd TD they show the crowd and EDM fans with an old Esks flag.  Is the league gonna sic the thought police on those guys? 

[markf]

That was a heckuva game.

Fajardo has become a very good quarterback.

He stays in the pocket, scans the field, and throws accurately.

He really doesn't scramble much.

And pressure fifty six yarder for the win.

Good for. Mark  Killam a CFL stalwart.

[Tecno]

Doink

I'm nearly positive no other QB has hit the post twice in the last 7 years.  Cody is special.

Rourke says every QB knows it's there and accounts for it.  Guess Cody doesn't.

However, in this instance it may be a good thing, because that was double-coverage with crossers from both directions, and both guys were in front.  That had a good chance of being an INT.

And the 2 D collide as the ball doinks; keystone cops.

[Tecno]

Techno take note, Milt nominated the Riders receivers as the best overall in the league.

Well, I've always said K.Johnson is a top REC, but he was missing for most of last season when I was bashing their RECs more.  I'd hire KJ in FA in a heartbeat, but SSK nabbed him just before FA.

KSB seems to have found his mojo again (he also stunk late last year because of injury).  He might be their 2nd best.

The others aren't anything special.  Because they don't have to be.  Watch how SSK moves the ball.  It's all dink & dunk or they are going deep at the rail ahead of any DB or just in-bounds where it can't be INT'd.  Just reach your arms out and the ball is there.  That's not good RECs, that's great scheme and basically 100% accurate throws.  T.Harris gets all day most of the time, and those 4-move routes wreak havoc on DBs.  The catches are rarely contested because SSK purposely avoids traffic.

My theory is anyone can do that, and last season "anyone" did, when they sometimes started 3 or 4 NAT RECs.

I maintain my position that overall SSK RECs, as a corps, are average; and only 2 are remotely "circus".  Are they better than us?  Right now, almost certainly.  But compared to MTL or TOR or HAM, they are nothing special.  But paired with that OL and QB, they do appear to be doing quite well.

The better, and more disturbing question, is that Harris seems to be playing even better than last season.  As long as that continues, and it probably will until someone gets some hits on him, their O will be very, very difficult to stop.

Addtl: The RECs also benefit from the SSK max-hold.  All players, OL, FB/TE, RECs max hold all the time on every play.  They are hands down the best blockers downfield.  So if that's part of being a great REC corps, which it is, I will give them full credit for that super power.  (But really that's just great coaching.)  I study their max-hold on a lot of good plays and they do it so well: hold hold hold, the carrier approaches, and they hold one last time, then as they let the guy go the do a final huge tug downwards on the arm.  They all do this, all the time.  I fully negates the ability of the tied-up D guy to make any play, as the carrier is long gone.

[Tecno]

Jarius spotting, post-game with Killam

[Tecno]

Make note of SSK's strategy.  They hit EDM with a ton of deep stuff to start the game.  Get everyone loosened up and following the deep decoys.  Then in the 2nd they go back to majority dink & dunk -- their bread & butter.  Even with no run game anymore they stuck with it.

The deep game was just a cheap ploy.  That's not what they want to do.  It's not what they like to do.  It's not even what they are good at.  And nearly every single one was to the rail.

When we face them, if we find a way to stop those deep rails, they will have nothing except the dink & dunk, and I hope that we have found a solution to that like we did in '18 and '19.  The problem is, how do you stop a perfect in-stride deep rail shot?  It might be impossible.  Maybe do what that "not a DPI" DB did in this game -- just walk them out while facing the ball and not touching them with your hands.  League just said that play is 100% OK.  So just walk them all out or delay them.

[Tecno]

Further to the mugging-looking-but-backwards Sayles on Mack play that was challenged for DPI (and lost): We now have proof that if you don't use your hands AT ALL, you can block, stop, impede, redirect, slow down, any REC as long as you have position/leverage (mentioned in the rule book) or are looking at/playing the ball.

Normally if the DB was jamming with his hands there, it's DPI all day.  But he had his hands completely out of it.  No touching.  He simply used his body to, in-stride, push the REC closer to the rail and slow him down.

And since he was still in his chair, and looking at the QB, he's considered playing the ball, which he is entitled to.

We can use this to stop any go route REC on the rail who seeks outside leverage.  And we won't get flagged for it.  And if we do we can challenge and win.  THIS is a great way to stop the deep rail shots that SSK will try on us.

The key is, NO HANDS.  I guess those oven mitts MOS put on Sayles in 2018 are still paying off!