Franklin will be #1 starter for Edmonton

Franklin will replace Nichols soon and will beat out Reilly. Franklin will do what Bo Levi did rising from third to starter. This kid is a baller. Franklin is the real deal

Lets pump the brakes here Mr Guru. As much as I like Franklin, he REALLY needs to work on some things before I'm happy with him starting (although Nichols blowing a 13 point lead with the best defense in the league helping him against the Lions makes me want to release his inept ass).

So by default, yeah Franklin should maybe get a chance. Cause I hate Nichols now.

However, Franklin REALLY needs to improve his short throw accuracy and needs much increased decision making. Even when he played against the Bombers and threw 3 TD passes, I was not thrilled with his performance. He missed 2 very easy completions to keep the sticks moving, one to Lawrence which was AWFULLY behind him.

Now heres the thing. I am nervous about playing against Montreal, mostly because Nichols just destroyed any faith I have in him at being a waterboy, let alone a QB. Nichols can't handle ANY pressure, and once he's panicked, he sees ghosts when teams don't even blitz. Montreal has a very good defense, I'm willing to say 2nd in the league behind Edmonton. They are going to blitz Nichols and I can see him having a DREADFUL game.

So the question is... Do we want to throw Franklin into that fire?

Franklin is easily better than Nichols. But Reilly might be the best QB in the league.

Lulay still might be but I’ll wait to see when Reilly gets back. Nichols is to slow to handle the Blitz and doesn’t have the arm strength to get out of trouble.

Well guys what do you think? It looks like only a 10% chance of rain is in the forecast, and I think any rain would favour our running game but it does not look like it is coming.

For the record I did pick Montreal in the VGCC, and of course I hope to be wrong unlike last week. Somehow last week my gut checked out with a bad feeling about Nichols playing on the road, but the game went to the near end. Fine spirits sure helped that night.

I'm with you all on starting Franklin, but is that what is actually going to happen?

To me we come out ahead after starting Franklin no matter what given a tough game on the road in the East:

  1. Franklin Plays Well for Win or Close Loss - Good-bye Matt Nichols and then we can bridge the time until Reilly comes back.

  2. Franklin Plays Badly - If early on, put Nichols in the game in the second half. Then either Nichols could make himself out to be a hero or at least give us a fighting chance until the end without the boneheaded and telegraphed throws. Then rinse and repeat with a decision on one of them the following week for the home game against the Ti-Cats, which would be the same difference as now before this game on the road.

If instead we wait until the second half for Franklin if Nichols performs poorly, then I think that is even more pressure on Franklin than would be a start for him because then Franklin would have to dig us out of some hole too!

Well guys it went along the lines of none of the scenarios described below for Franklin, as Nichols had us even and in the game and then did little else anyway and got hurt.

That was just a good ol' field position and kicking battle with great defence akin to a rugby match in the driving rain.

A win is a win, and Franklin is our man to bridge the gap between games for Reilly but get off this starter nonsense beyond that weekend in September.

I don't see a field position and defensive strategy with no turnovers as being enough to beat Hamilton at home unless it is perhaps in a driving rainstorm, but in hosting Toronto (again for that matter) I think we can do it with Franklin in there.

Then against Calgary I hope Reilly is back!

Franklin comes through with the win. Nice throws especially deep, he has a warren moon like deep ball. He struggled with consistency but give this guy time he will improve.

Big presence runs well, throws nice intermediate passes 15-25 yards on a rope. Really will be backup Nichols cut.

That will depend on Reilly's health if he is slow coming out of the gate maybe give Franklin the ball the rest of the way . Then next year let them battle it out for number 1 . I'd say Franklin still has at least another year as back up after this one, Nichols will be history.

Do you guys even know the Eskimos situation? Give Franklin the ball when Reilly is back? Are you high? WE ARE 5-2!!! We are not SASK sitting at 0-7 already looking at next year. We are first in the West with a crappy Matt Nichols and young Ben Franklin. I don't understand some comments here sometimes haha. Reilly is light years better than Nichols and Franklin combined and Franklin probably wont start for the Esks unless Reilly goes down to injury and takes the league by storm like Ricky Ray did to Jason Mass in 2002.

There is zero debate on who our starter is after Labour Day. Its Mike Reilly. Just in time for a 1st place playoff push.

You have great points again. We need a guy now quite simply who does not make mistakes as we play in close games.

That’s not a good strategy for the entire season by any means of course, and the strategy now is just to bide our time until Reilly is back. I sure hope it’s for Calgary on Labour Day.

Not counting Nichols’ limited stats in his first game that included also one interception, Nichols has passed for 8 TDs and 8 Int’s and 1344 yards in his six games to go with one fumble. In the last two games between our close loss and close win, Nichols has thrown for 2 of those TD’s but 4 of those Int’s.

I was very critical of Franklin in the game thread, but I have to credit BC's FYB with making a fair point that he should have a chance to start a game before one passes judgement on Franklin.

22 of 36 254 2TD 1 Int (off a heave of a pass that should not have been thrown), and he should have been charged with one of Bell's fumbles that was recovered for touchdown because he should not have tried to force that hand-off of the high snap in the first place.

But as commented in the game thread, I also did not like some of his passes that should have been completed that were fired low or his desperation heaves.

Hey I get it when you are down 22 at the half to go you have to be aggressive when you take the field, but at times Franklin looked also hapless instead of smart. That reminds me too much of Nichols as the game wears on.

Now perhaps we give Franklin the start and if he can manage the game and our defence does not absolutely fall apart again, we can keep it close enough to beat the Argos.

But pull boneheaded decisions akin to Nichols' past follies in the second half again, and we will poop the bed at home anew.

After that game, if Nichols starts, I kinda hope he gets injured (Terrible I know, but to hell with him). His first interception on a the first drive was the last straw for me. He had a wide open Stafford for the 1st down, double clutched it, stared at the guy coming across the middle for 2 seconds too long, threw it, and got picked off. He's a doorknob who has no business playing Football in the CFL ever again.

With that being said. START FRANKLIN. Even though he wasn't overly great, the Receivers looked WAY more comfortable with him at the helm. I am officially killing any reason to start Nichols over Franklin now. F-U NICHOLS YOU SACK OF CRAP!

Well I don't think Franklin is going to be 100% even if he heals enough from the reported injury. I don't think it takes much of a hit to be re-injured after a lung contusion.

And so Nichols it is for hopefully only more game as starter, and we are in trouble against Toronto I think unless Nichols pulls one out of hat.

Nichols has not played well since the first half against BC three weeks ago in that game that he threw away for us. :thdn:

I’d say Hamilton’s defence is #1.

Oh well it looks like after my post, now they are going to go forward with Franklin as starter as desired in the first place.

I'm thinking this game gets a lot of attention at 9PM Friday night just like last week's game.

Thank christ… I am a little worried about his ribs, but he’ll still be way better than Nichols

From what I heard it wasn’t ribs but a lung contusion, sounds scary but apparently it’s ok nothing too serious .