Oct. 16 Game Notes

[Numberz]

Way too close for a game against this Toronto. Their offense was horrifically bad, and our wasn't much better. Full credit to the big guys on offense. We always talk about killer instinct and being able to push peopl around on offense. Well, Ray's numbers were bad, but that's because we didn't need them. The o-line was washing people away, Bertrand was making great blocks...and look! a running play that actually has a design and isn't just a handoff out of the piston! Full credit to Whitlock too....he made people look just plain silly.

Ultimately, we should have been pushing deep from the get go. We did it twice, one was a TD, one was pass interference. We need to consistent make the defense think we can go deep....not base our entire offense around it, not do it so often that we look like Jarious Jackson a couple seasons ago, but enough to keep them honest....and then we need to run the ball like we did in the second half here today...the same way that we did against the Riders in our first matchup this season, and the same way that we see flashes of every now and again. Gotta let the big boys tee off every once in a while...and the o-line has to respond when we let them. Some days we commit fully to the run, and the run lanes aren't there. As bad as Toronto is, they have a good d-line and run defense. We can push them around, we can probably push most teams around, but the o-line needs to execute like they did tonight.

Toronto's offense is bad, but we'll give credit to the defense, because they earned it. I was disappointed that we didn't get a pass rush, especially considering Toronto lost 2 o-lineman on their first drive, but we got decent pressure. We tee'd off on Kerry a few times, which was nice to see.

Mo Lloyd was running around making hits today. Always nice to see. The boys on D looked fired up. Parker really wanted a big play. He got an INT that could've been a TD if not for Hill running in to him (where have I heard that before?)

Goss and Drew played great today. Both of them had quiet games, which is good from a DBs perspective. The PI call on Drew was BS. It wasn't screening, he didn't touch the receiver, it was great position by Drew and a poorly underthrown ball. I can't give too much praise to the DBs because this is Toronto and they are terrible. Dropped passes, bad throws, etc.

Also, you don't have a more obvious pick play than what Carter did. He didn't even make it look like an accident, he lunged at the guy and lowered the shoulder. That is terrible that they didn't call it.

Okay, enough positives. Pass offense is brutal and it needs to get going. We had a quiet game, didn't much, and had mediocre execution when we did throw the ball. I suppose we could use a few games like that, and if our run game could provide our pass offense with a couple games where it doesn't need to carry the load, that would nice, but we can't count on it. The playbook needs more diversification....we might have a lot of plays, but they seem to attack the same areas and are built to go against the same defenses. I heard a few weeks that we would be prepared for any defense, I haven't seen that yet. I've heard comparisons of our offense still being in TC mode and not having learned the offense yet, well, it's time to either simplify it for the stretch run or implement at least a little of what we were doing earlier on. A lot of it has to do with execution, but maybe we're making the players think too much. Changing offense mid-season is tough to do. It's hard enough for one player in a trade to learn a new playbook, but the whole offense, new terminology...that's gotta be tough.

I saw some positives tonight. A win is a win. It was closer than it should've been and our passing offense still sucks, but let's start building momentum. This defense and running game is getting better. This is a team that is built around the passing game, and we need to do to become a good team is to have that passing game to not suck. It's not the end of the world, but the regular season doesn't have very many games left.

Whitlock
Bertrand
Mo Lloyd
Goss
Drew
Parker

[earl2]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

Good analysis.

However:

The PI call on Drew was BS. It wasn't screening, he didn't touch the receiver, it was great position by Drew and a poorly underthrown ball.

You don't have to make contact with the receiver in order for a screening call to be made. The ball was underthrown, but by making no effort to turn back towards the ball, Drew did commit a PI. Good call in my books.

[Oiler]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

Well we are gradually getting better on pass coverage but have a long ways to go. At least they got rid of habitual poor pass defenders in Buhl and Keyes.

Goss gave up some long plays and Gordon looked bad on that big catch for Toronto near the end. Drew 's penalty was inadvertent and should have been for only 10 yards.

We were lucky to get a couple of gifts from the Argos to win the game quite frankly.

I hope they get rid of Daley next year.

[Numberz]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

Good analysis.

However:


You don't have to make contact with the receiver in order for a screening call to be made. The ball was underthrown, but by making no effort to turn back towards the ball, Drew did commit a PI. Good call in my books.

I understand this, but I still don't think it's a PI call. It's not as if Drew had stopped on front of the receiver and just stood there. The receiver wasn't fighting hard to get in front of Drew. They were running of the sideline, the receiver had a clear view towards the ball, but it was a terrible throw. IMO, that goes down as good position by the defender. If the ball hangs up longer, maybe it's PI...but that ball was low and came in early, Drew was still running down field with the receiver.

[stamphater]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

I understand this, but I still don't think it's a PI call. It's not as if Drew had stopped on front of the receiver and just stood there. The receiver wasn't fighting hard to get in front of Drew. They were running of the sideline, the receiver had a clear view towards the ball, but it was a terrible throw. IMO, that goes down as good position by the defender. If the ball hangs up longer, maybe it's PI...but that ball was low and came in early, Drew was still running down field with the receiver.

Drew wasn't looking at the ball and put one hand up. It should be called every single time.

[greenandbold]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

Bottom line is they escaped. Ugly win. Another minute or even 30 seconds and they may have been going to overtime against clearly the worst team in the league. Maybe all these close results will build some character, but the skeptic in me thinks they're just not good enough to do any real damage.

[earl2]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

I understand this, but I still don't think it's a PI call. It's not as if Drew had stopped on front of the receiver and just stood there. The receiver wasn't fighting hard to get in front of Drew. They were running of the sideline, the receiver had a clear view towards the ball, but it was a terrible throw. IMO, that goes down as good position by the defender. If the ball hangs up longer, maybe it's PI...but that ball was low and came in early, Drew was still running down field with the receiver.

That shouldn't matter. The onus isn't on the QB to make a perfect throw. It's on Drew to turn his head and make an effort to play the ball.

He didn't and got called. And it should be called every time.

But overall, I was quite happy with the Esks defensive play.

[Esks1975]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

Drew wasn't looking at the ball and put one hand up. It should be called every single time.

The defending player doesn't have to turn around and look for the ball. While he was raising his arm it did not look like he was actually screening the receiver at the time (or before) the ball hit him. I suppose that if you were sticking your face in front of the receivers face while you were running down the field that would certainly be interference.

Here is the rule that applied to the situation:
(vi) Screening (face guarding) of an opponent during an attempt to catch the
ball is pass interference.

[EsksTMac]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

That was PI.. you have to make an attempt to look back at the ball.

It was a terrible throw though, yikes. He had a couple open shots deep and missed them.

[stamphater]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

- Ricky had happy feet after a poor start just like he tends to. I will take some of the heat of him though as the Oline had as poor a game as they've had in a long time.

- Nice to see Whitlock break a couple for some big runs but I will give some credit to the design of the runs. A couple nice mis-direction runs that included the big TD run.

- Receivers were decent though I found it weird we went away from Fred Stamps following his TD. He finished with 2 catches. KP8 needs to hold onto that ball though I'm so confused by the rules in this league. Should he not have been considered down the second the ball secured in his hands like Lewis a couple weeks back?

- Dline had themselves a good game. Kai Ellis was in the backfield seemingly every play and the interior of the line was very good. Eric Taylor is certainly turning into a difference maker. Nice to see the little tank get his first sack!

- Mo Lloyd played his best game as an Eskimo by far. Was the leader everyone expected with 4 tackles and a sack. Thought TJ Hill also played another solid game and was often in the tackles when Robertson took the ball.

-DBs looked good in man coverage. Goss was good though he could have worn goat horns had KJ hit his man on the deep ball late. I love Scott Gordon coming on the blitz - he was timing it perfectly.

- Tristan Jackson is obviously missing his speed boost button. Couldn't make the first man miss like he usually does.

The offense needs to get it together in time for next week. I don't want to have to sit through another embarrassment at McMahon.

[Numberz]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

Ya, you have to look back for the ball, but that's for incidental contact and screening. If a DB turned his back to the QB to run with the receiver, would it be PI if the QB threw it on a line right behind the DB? Drew didn't touch the receiver, he didn't screen him, and he didn't provent the receiver from getting to where the ball was going. The receiver's momentum was taking him downfield, the ball was short...the receiver might have been able to catch it at his feet if Drew wasn't there, but Drew was there, he was in good position. He hadn't turned around yet, but in the spirit of the rule that is just not PI in my books. It's close, and it's playing with fire. If Drew in any way impedes the receiver, then it should be PI, but as I've been saying....just good position.

[Footballhead]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

I've never actually looked at the wording for the rule, but I've always thought it was only PI if he had stuck his arms in the air or prevented the receiver from making a play on the ball. He didn't. He just ran with the receiver and the ball happened to hit him in the back. I don't understand why that should be pass interference.

[Footballhead]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

That wasn't a very fun game to watch, but at least they won. The offense should line up and kiss the feet of the defense and the special teams. They owe them huge for saving their asses. If this offense could just get in gear, this team could be a force with the way the D has been playing.

[Esks1975]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

I've never actually looked at the wording for the rule, but I've always thought it was only PI if he had stuck his arms in the air or prevented the receiver from making a play on the ball. He didn't. He just ran with the receiver and the ball happened to hit him in the back. I don't understand why that should be pass interference.

If he had raised his arm in front of the receivers face or blocked the receivers path to the ball without going for the ball himself (and looking for the ball) he should have been called for PI. I don't think he should have been called. That said I'm not sure we should have benefitted from the PI on the long ball we threw down the middle of the field.

[pizmo]

Re: Oct. 16 Game Notes

If he had raised his arm in front of the receivers face or blocked the receivers path to the ball without going for the ball himself (and looking for the ball) he should have been called for PI. I don't think he should have been called. That said I'm not sure we should have benefitted from the PI on the long ball we threw down the middle of the field.