Game Thread - August 18: BC Lions @ Toronto Argonauts

[Will]

The Lions are proving not to be pushovers this season although each of their 3 wins have come at home. Travis Lulay has been solid.

For the Argos it is a chance to try and get their season back on track after the comeback win against the Redblacks.

The Lions may be vulnerable on the ground having given up 124 YPG (prior to Thursday) and give up quite a bit through the air as well.

That's obviously not to say that the Argos don't have their own troubles defensively.

[macspectrum]

ex argos fajardo and lemon will be pumped up

[cfl-cis fan]

The Lions are proving not to be pushovers this season although each of their 3 wins have come at home. Travis Lulay has been solid.

For the Argos it is a chance to try and get their season back on track after the comeback win against the Redblacks.

The Lions may be vulnerable on the ground having given up 124 YPG (prior to Thursday) and give up quite a bit through the air as well.

That's obviously not to say that the Argos don't have their own troubles defensively.

Can we please have the Trestman Offence for the whole game and not Condell's version.

[macspectrum]

Can we please have the Trestman Offence for the whole game and not Condell's version.

protection of qb and mobile qb will be huge for the successful offence of the argos

[Stevoman]

The Lions defence stepped up after a weak first quarter against Edmonton. They are going to be a tough team to beat but I do think the Argos can get it done provided they don't wait until the 4th quarter to get it going again. They really need a fast start.

[Argo57]

The Lions defence stepped up after a weak first quarter against Edmonton. They are going to be a tough team to beat but I do think the Argos can get it done provided they don't wait until the 4th quarter to get it going again. They really need a fast start.

Your last statement is crucial IMO particularly on D.
Too many times this season the Argo D has let the opposition score a seemingly easy TD early in the game, can’t continue.

[jerrym]

Too many times this season the Argo D has let the opposition score a seemingly easy TD early in the game, can’t continue.

The Lions are a different team now that Lulay is back. However, their confidence did seem to be waning after the Eskimos took a 14-3 lead until Rainey's punt return TD rekindled it. I expect them to come into Toronto on a high, so the Argos better be ready to go from the start of the game.

[dmont]

Your last statement is crucial IMO particularly on D.
Too many times this season the Argo D has let the opposition score a seemingly easy TD early in the game, can’t continue.

Watch for Kanneh to be the main culprit. He usually snoozes through the first two or three defensive series. Get that man an alarm clock, stat!

[AngeloV]

The Lions are a different team now that Lulay is back. However, their confidence did seem to be waning after the Eskimos took a 14-3 lead until Rainey's punt return TD rekindled it. I expect them to come into Toronto on a high, so the Argos better be ready to go from the start of the game.

Funny that Lulay is getting all the credit, but IMO, he hasn't done anything special, or even better than Jennings was doing. In the 2 games they have won with Lulay, the Lions D has given up zero and 3 points in the 2nd halves of those games. Take away that, and the Rainey punt return TD, is anyone really saying Lulay has made a difference?

[Argo57]

Watch for Kanneh to be the main culprit. He usually snoozes through the first two or three defensive series. Get that man an alarm clock, stat!

Very true.
I’d love to see him replaced in the lineup.

[gilthethrill]

This game will be win #2 for the Argos enroute to their 6 game winning streak.

[jerrym]

Funny that Lulay is getting all the credit, but IMO, he hasn't done anything special, or even better than Jennings was doing. In the 2 games they have won with Lulay, the Lions D has given up zero and 3 points in the 2nd halves of those games. Take away that, and the Rainey punt return TD, is anyone really saying Lulay has made a difference?

I attended BC's home opener where the listless attack the Lions under Jennings had against the Alouettes, who have the most porous defence in the league, was manifest. That continued in his next two starts. Lulay's return brought a major change as the stats in the article below show. The defence has gotten better but part of that is the offence is no longer typically two and out both physically and mentally, now that Lulay is back. At the time the following article was written, the Lions had played five games, three with Jennings and two with Lulay. Despite Jennings advantage in games played, Lulay dominated in long pass completions, thereby changing the nature of the offence.

Despite having the fewest passing attempts in the CFL, the Leos have the second-most completions over 30 yards (11) with the Lions’ share coming with Lulay at the helm (eight).
The veteran quarterback is going deeper more than Jonathon Jennings did, hitting for 292 yards and two touchdowns on 23 passes over 20 yards, as opposed to Jennings’ three completions for 115 yards and one score.
The numbers are, of course, skewed by the small sample size — Lulay has only started two games — but the fact he leads the league in completion yardage (13.5) shows the difference in the two pivots’ styles.

https://nationalpost.com/sports/foot...6-d3121f1dcbe8

[ArgoZ]

This game will be win #2 for the Argos enroute to their 6 game winning streak.

I like your thinking! Winning this one game puts the Argos in second place with a full second half of mostly Eastern opponents. Sets up a nice and potential exciting finish to the season.

[mchesher03]

Need a win and the resulting momentum big time!

For amusement purposes – the Boatmen have not beaten BC at home since 2013, with the road teams winning each game for the past few years starting in 2014. I also seem to recall that that road win back in 2013 snapped quite a long streak of Argo losses in BC.

Anyhow that said, BC is not a pushover but I still think the Argos can get the W here – run the ball, control time of possession (feel they’ve struggled with this in 2018), keep their defence on the field.

[AngeloV]

Need a win and the resulting momentum big time!

For amusement purposes – the Boatmen have not beaten BC at home since 2013, with the road teams winning each game for the past few years starting in 2014. I also seem to recall that that road win back in 2013 snapped quite a long streak of Argo losses in BC.

Anyhow that said, BC is not a pushover but I still think the Argos can get the W here – run the ball, control time of possession (feel they’ve struggled with this in 2018), keep their defence on the field.

Argos and Lions have both been really bad on the road this year. I hope that continues this week, and ends following the game as the Argos next 2 are on the road.

[lazycro]

We were 3-5 after 8 games played last year so let's hope the boys show up

[mchesher03]

Argos and Lions have both been really bad on the road this year. I hope that continues this week, and ends following the game as the Argos next 2 are on the road.

Maybe this is out of the team’s hands (and I’m guessing it is), but why don’t we ever play 1pm home games against bc? We always seem to get stuck playing road games at 7pm local time there, but never seem to get the corresponding advantage at home.

I’ve read all these articles mentioning out west coast NFL teams tend to struggle with the 1pm EST starts so why not use it to our advantage here (everything helps no?)

[gilthethrill]

Maybe this is out of the team’s hands (and I’m guessing it is), but why don’t we ever play 1pm home games against bc? We always seem to get stuck playing road games at 7pm local time there, but never seem to get the corresponding advantage at home.

I’ve read all these articles mentioning out west coast NFL teams tend to struggle with the 1pm EST starts so why not use it to our advantage here (everything helps no?)

TSN is responsible for the late Saturday kickoff times. Look forward to the September 8 game against Hamilton that does start at 1.

[Will]

Maybe this is out of the team’s hands (and I’m guessing it is), but why don’t we ever play 1pm home games against bc? We always seem to get stuck playing road games at 7pm local time there, but never seem to get the corresponding advantage at home.

I’ve read all these articles mentioning out west coast NFL teams tend to struggle with the 1pm EST starts so why not use it to our advantage here (everything helps no?)

It is Vancouver's revenge for the 4 PM local starts whenever the Leafs visit there.

[AngeloV]

I'm really looking forward to the return of Coombs this week. Argos have really lacked in YAC this season with the exception of Wilder out of the backfield. Alford going in for Smith may also result in better open field running after the catch. I for one, can't wait for Saturday.