The defensive formation has been restricted on kick plays.
The number of players within two yards of the line of scrimmage on either side of the long snapper has been restricted to a maximum of six players at the snap.
This restriction does not apply if the offence lines up in an unbalanced line or if an offensive player moves or motions from their initial position.
This restriction only applies to field goal and kicked convert attempts.
This change is in the spirit of player safety to avoid grossly overloading the defensive line on one side of the long snapper.
As for a complete field goal kicking makeover, we’ll see it begin to play out next Saturday in Edmonton. Being that they are on the road, does that make a difference on who or how many they dress? Who will the holder be? I believe the only given is that Mike Benson is the long snapper or does he have any competition in camp?
Wilson still injured…Hope he can come back at a high level, but his future with the club could be in danger. We need one of these rookies to step up and make a statement. That Wade LBer seems to be getting some high reviews.
I think we all would have loved to have Kongbo back, but it was probably murky back at the draft and maybe Bennett impressed them enough that they didn’t feel it was an area of need? Cost was for sure the biggest roadblock.
Come on guys, its football time! I’m doing my daily check ins now to talk about our boys…Biggest question/debate right now has to be who’s taking over for Kyrie Wilson at WILL? I think I read that Gauthier has been lining up there at camp…
Who will be our #3 QB now that Prukop is gone? I’m interested to see what happens this Saturday at many other positions as well. How many vets will show up in Edmonton? Probably not many. Will any of the younger receivers impress enough to stick around? Will the global punters take on a punting role over Liegghio? Who will be playing at DT as well as LB? Secondary looks real good this year.
So happy to have CFL football back! I can’t wait to see our awesome team get back into action!
Always interesting to try and read between the lines with Ex games.
I know next to nothing about the new QBs, I think Brown gets a good bit of time (maybe a whole half), and the 2 new guys get a taste.
WR, its hard to make this club when we’ll likely have Agudosi on the PR. We do have some big, young guys. Hopefully we can keep 1 or 2 around for the year.
I’m looking forward to seeing Cam Lawson take on a bigger role and take over for Jake at DT. Also interested in seeing if Walker is a step above the 2 new guys.
Will LB I think is wide open, Clements probably has the upperhand, but 3 younger guys that want to show us they’re ready! Man, why is our game still so far away!
Prokop gave the Bombers an excellent year of service. He was near perfect on sneaks and threw a few nifty passes, went on a few rambling runs. Got stupid in the Cup game but half the Bombers were flying on stupid pills including O’Shea, Leggio, Collaros, BIghill, Gray, etc.
Sad to say but McBeth getting TKO’d out of the game was the best thing that happened to the Argos; a fresh Chad Kelly entered the fray and was far too much for an exhausted Bomber D to handle.
Collaros played incredibly well for a man working off one leg but in the end he was too pooped to pop near the end and did some atrocious things.
I just finished watching the fourth quarter of the MTL/OTT game and Jason Maas did something that actually made sense to me. Instead of deciding on which QB would play which parts of the game ahead of time he rotated them throughout the game. Since he wasn’t looking for a guy to be an immediate starter he was sending them in on short notice just like a backup QB would likely get into a game. This way he got to see how they would operate on short notice, which is necessary for a backup. Also, the opposing defense would have a harder time playing to the individual tendencies of just one guy. It’s something to think about for all teams.
As for the Bombers performance in the Grey Cup, I thought they were playing a bit more tired and sloppy in the West Final than was usual. Could it be that they played just a bit over their heads most of the season and didn’t have enough left in the tank to finish that way?
Maas’s rotation of his QBs in a meaningless exhibition game makes sense to me. Most QBs need to be tested under fire, even in these types of pre-season exhibitions.
As for the Bombers many local fans saw the Bombers win the West final, even in slight decline. Vets like Wee Willy Jefferson, Bighill & Geoff Gray began to run out of steam.
By the 2nd half of the Grey Cup, in extreme cold conditions (regina) the adrenaline had dissipated and w/ Collaros operating on half an ankle it didn’t take much for the Argos to push them off the edge of the pier. Even McBeth McLoad Thompson was effective prior to being knocked out of the game with a bum hand. Bomber fans celebrated as a supposedly inexperienced hobo (Chad Kelly) entered the fray - only to see Kelly ravage a teetering Bomber defense and spoil the Dynasty Party.
Obviously, the Bomber field goal team, especially Leggio falling apart at the seams down the stretch was the closer. Not much a stunned coaching staff could do as their depleted charges fought valiantly but were too pooped to pop in the final minutes and donated a Grey Cup to the needy Torontonians!
I watched last year’s GC again last night (I kept hoping for a different result but was once again disappointed in the end) and have to disagree with much of your analysis.
Toronto had a great game plan for Winnipeg’s tendencies and even stole some of Hall’s defensive schemes (putting their MLB Muamba into coverage for one interception (maybe two, I didn’t take note) and pass knock downs.
Kelly didn’t “ravage” a “teetering” Bomber defense, his running ability on one play to avoid huge pressure by the Winnipeg defense resulting in a large gain that kept the Bomber’s offense off the field. The Bomber’s defense was stout to the end. Kelly had to rush more than a few of his passes in the fourth. If Willie J. had been able to hang on to the ball instead of knocking it down at the end it would have sealed the deal. (I know, I dislike what if’s too but I mention it only in response to the quotes above)
Winnipeg was out played in the first and most of the second quarters due to Toronto’s game plan especially their defensive schemes. It wasn’t because the Bombers were gassed.
I would agree that the loss definitely wasn’t on the defence. The offense and Collaros did not have their best game but of course Collaros was playing hurt as well. There are always several reasons for a loss, but I think that the preeminent reason for the loss was Liegghio’s complete ineptitude. The Bombers would have won or at least went to OT if he had made even one of the many kicks he missed. The tall foreheads seem to agree as they want no part of him as their place kicker this year it appears. Welcome home Sergio!
The Bombers played one of their two worst games of the year (Hamilton being the other) and Toronto played by far their best game and they win by one point. It is likely Toronto wouldn’t even have been in the game had they been seeded based on regular season record rather than geography.
I’m not very worried about that loss. It was unfortunate but I see it as a blip in the dynasty we currently enjoy. We all know that any football team can lose any one game to any other football team and that is all that happened. I don’t think for a second that the Bombers aren’t the overwhelming favorite to win it all this year. Yes the same thing could happen and like last year injuries could take a toll (5 defensive starters out for the GC), but would anyone with a modicum of football knowledge really take any other team besides the Bombers as the favourite to win this year?
I want to cool the Filet a little, lets see Brown get a solid chance 1st.
WPG does love the 3rd stringer though!
How many years of QB darkness (finding our own I mean). Now in just the past few years Streveler, Brown, Pigrome. It’s almost as if having a solid team makes it easier for a QB to stand out!
