Ten things we learned from the Edmonton game

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1

  1. Cobourne still has fire in the belly. After playing just 3 games in 2012, he has as many 100-yd games (two) as he had in all of 2011. And he is #11 in the league in rushing. (Anyone who still wants to argue that he belongs on the bench, here's your chance.)

  2. Bakari Grant has great character, coming back from last week's game with a performance like he had today. And sometimes giving your players a second chance, even after a disastrous performance, pays off.

  3. Being aggressive on defence can lead to good results.

  4. Coach Cortez does smile sometimes -- it just takes a big lead to bring it out.

  5. There are three players in the league with receptions of 80 yards or greater this season. All three are Tiger-Cats. (Chevon Walker still has both the longest reception and the longest run from scrimmage.)

  6. Stala can run almost 90 yards flat out and still lead the crowd in an Oskee-Wee-Wee.

  7. Obie & team have been better lately at finding defensive players through trades (e.g. the new D-linemen) than through the scouting system. But they are good at finding young RBs (Walker, and apparently Rutley).

  8. Our D-line (and LBs) need a refresher on the roughing the passer rule.

  9. A game where Chris Williams is the leading receiver and gets 184 total yds plus a TD, still somehow feels like just an average day for him. (Probably because that is his average day.)

  10. I don't care how many mediocre players they got in return ... trading away Ricky Ray at age 32 still feels like an insane thing to do.

2

One of those was B.S.
Very similar to the one on Ray during the Labour Day game.

But you're right, the other two were probably fair penalties where the defence just needs to lay off the quarterback.

3

I really thought that it was Bakari Grant whose 4 catches in the first half sparked the offence. His recovery of the blocked field goal attempt sparked the rest of the team.

4

In the huddle:
Burris: Stala, you go long.
Rest of team: Huh?

So do a few officials.

5

A couple of those were terrible calls. The one in the 3rd quarter our D couldn't do anything, he was in motion as the ball was coming out. The one were we tackled low on Joesph was a bad call as well, because our defensive guy was getting tackled into the QB by the O-lineman. How do we avoid tackling low/somewhat late when the pocket collapses on the QB?

Anyways, great game overall from all 3 units!

6

I was very surprised that they actually allowed Cobourne to participate in special teams play during this game, and he was very successful at it! This was always the excuse used by the coaching staff for not allowing Cobourne and Walker to be paired up and be in the game at the same time. We were always told that Cobourne doesn't play special teams and Walker does, so that was the difference-maker. Well, I would love to hear the excuses from the coaching staff now! They have absolutely no reason that I can think of not to have these two RB's in the game at the same time to better the running game overall. If Chevon Walker is ready to return to playing anytime soon, then we definitely need to see a RB tandem at play! :cowboy:

7

I have always taken that statement to mean he wouldn't play as a returner, which he still hasn't this year, and only did part of one game last year due to an injury(?) to Thigpen. But I have to admit I was surprised to see him there on the coverage team, and rather impressed with how he played.

It will definitely be interesting to see what the team does when Walker gets over his injury. Will he replace Rutley, or will they bench Cobourne again? Or, given the performance of both those players the past few weeks, maybe Walker stays on the IR for a while longer? Or do they move Walker out as a receiver like they did with Thigpen?

8

Good ones.

But once again, I'm not sure if some of those RTP calls were bad calls, or correct enforcement of a questionable rule. Still, maybe some players on the D need to be told something along the lines of "I know you may not like that rule, but rules are rules."

I thought it was rather ironic how people kept saying Avon was scratched because he can't play special teams, yet he had that great special teams tackle after that punt. And yes, there must be a way to have both him and Walker in the lineup when Walker returns. These two players are to good to get scratched.

Yep. Just another day at the office for Chris Williams.

And the Ray trade looks even worse with Shaw missing those FGs. I know they weren't easy ones, but he needs to make those to make that trade not look so lopsided.

9

I think we'll all take the RTP penalties whether warranted or not as long as they're not stupid or I disciplined & as a result of empassioned play. What I saw tonight was guys trying to get to the quarterback & succeeding more times than not.

Gotta break a few eggs to make an omlette.

10

Re: AC on ST. More and more, it seems to me that, as a veteran, highly-payed RB, he WOULDN'T play on ST, not that he COULDN'T play on them. Not sure why he was on the coverage team, but he certainly played like the professional that he is. Who knows, maybe he got told that if he wants to play, he has to play on ST. Either way - he showed some exemplary leadership this game...

11

Great game for the Ti-Cats. Have to wonder though, with the Cats leading by such a wide margin in the fourth quarter, why did the back up quarterbacks not get in the game. If Burris gets injured down the line, we bring in a back up quarterback who has very little experience. Has to be very discouraging for the players involved. Why did the coach not send in Porter for the fourth quarter? Hope it's not because he did not want to upset Burris. This is a team sport.

12
  1. We perform better when Cortez has a red pen in his mouth.
13
Our D-line (and LBs) need a refresher on the roughing the passer rule.
I think it's a good thing to hammer the opposition's quarterback once in a while, just to let him know what's coming. On first and 10 we don't lose much (automatic first down) but gain a lot by making him think twice next time. I'm not advocating that anyone intentionally try to injure the qb, just send him a message. That's the type of smash mouth football this franchise was known for. Ask Ang.

And yeah, these calls might be made much too often under questionable circumstances. I guess the Officials want to err on the side of caution, to send a message.

14

I noticed that Cobourne was on punt coverage last week against Toronto and immediately turned to the group I was with and said, "So much for him not being able to play specials." Now that Cobourne has proven that he will play special teams, there are no excuses for him not to be on the 42-man roster when Walker comes back. It might be that by "doesn't play special teams" the team meant "isn't a returner," but after the way he has played the last two weeks, sitting him is simply not an option.

15

The RTP rule needs modifications. As presently being enforced, it is a judgement call by the Ref if he thinks you can hold up,and he will err on the side of caution and throw the flag resulting in an automatic first down and 15 yards.

Perhaps there should be a distinction between roughing the passer where it truly is a roughing, as opposed to contacting the passer where he gets hit with some force ( you tried to hold back but just couldn't) as opposed to just touching him.

For RTP, 15 yards and a 1st down
for contacting the passer, 5 yards, no first
for just touching, nothing.

Unfortunately, our cerebrally challenged zebras would likely interpret this to be that any time you barely touch a QB will result in the 5 yard penatly, effectively rendering the QB as untouchable, and allowing them to perfect the art of throwing at the very last second in order to suck in the penatly.

If the zebras cannot properly call the RTP as it presently stands or under a new system, as awkward as it may sound, I would revert to what someone said, what would Ang do? I think Ang would deck the passer and take the 15 yards, maybe even a second time, but make sure the QB felt the shot. Nothing dirty, nothing meant to injure, but all to leave a statement that if the QB is going to hold on to the ball so long before he throws it, he is going to get cranked, and if he thinks that the 15 yards for the penalty is worth it, then get cranked hard and over and over.

SUMMARY: Refs, get your act together on this call and do not make a mockery of it, because defensive players will then know that if they are going to get 15 yard penalties if they near a QB, then better lay the beating on the QB to make it a "earned and worthwile RTP"

earstlhif you. elHe

16

I've been saying (mostly on the scratching post) since Walker's current injury that the excuse that Avon can't play specials is bull because he did in college and in Montreal. Now you all see the lies we get told...

17

Mr. O'Billovich shouldn't be cut any slack here...The fact that we had to wait this late in the season to "find" serviceable cast offs from other teams and couldn't scout replacements is something that indicts Mr. O'Billovich and his talent evaulting skills...

#8 is interesting,and something that needs to be adressed across this league,and pro football in general...

I just watched Brent Hawkins get a Roughing the Passer penalty in the Als-Sask game...Essentially,he simply ran into AC with his chest,Calvillo falls over,and,The Als get a free 15 yards and a new set of downs...

I'm seeing this happening with increasing frequency across football,but,the CFL is the worst for it.I understand protecting the meal tickets,however,it's almost if you sneeze at a QB a defender will get a Roughing the Passer penalty.This is something that needs to be looked at,leaguewide,because it's beginning to warp how the game is defended.If one adds in the Intentional Grounding rules and the Pass Interference rules,it's becoming increasingly difficult to actually defend the passing game at all until someone actually receives a pass!

18

In the Larks game today I saw the Green Rider left DE get pushed into Calvillo (by the right OT) after he threw the ball. There was no way he could avoid hitting 13. The ref called roughing the passer. I know we are dealing with human beings as refs and things happen very quickly, but dingle nuts (both of them) announcing the game on TSN didn't pick up on the push and said it was a stupid penalty (or some such) to take by the DE. This happened even after they showed the replay! Perhaps it is time that questionable penalties also are subject to review? After all the idea is to "get the call right" isn't it?

:cowboy:

[edit] I just read Welder's post and I think it might have been the same play he was referring to, although he didn't mention the "push" that I saw but TSN missed entirely. :wink:

19

And now, we learn than it was record-setting:

[url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Edmonton/2012/09/16/20204101.html]http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/ ... 04101.html[/url]
20

Great game. I do think Chris Williams is a great player however, he really needs to learn how to hang onto the ball. He has seemed to fumble an awful lot this season. It looks as if other teams are now keying on this weakness and going for the strip everytime he has the ball.