The Lions could end up in top spot as early as Sept. 25th!

It's august 28th, and the lions are 2-6. Two wins and six losses, and there's grey cup talk. Two... and six.

Wee bit pre-mature?

Can’t speak for anyone else on here but I certainly don’t think we’ve annointed the BC Lions the Grey Cup. Lots of work to do to get there! All I’m saying is IF we’re fortunate enough to make the playoffs…at this stage of the season, I like our chances.

First, if you’ve followed this team all season, 2-6 is a little deceiving. The Lions have lost 4 of those games by 8 points or fewer. Inexplicably, they started the season in a predominantly 3-4 package on defense to which they were ill-suited, without a single receiver besides Geroy who had caught a CFL pass, and an almost stubborn refusal to hand off to the running backs. It was a recipe for disaster.

Now they’re running a 4 man front, moved their secondary around and added Tad Kornegay. The Lions defense has given up an average of only 225 yards through the air the past 3 weeks, and 59 on the ground. On offense, there are stil some concerns with the interior of the line, but Travis now has a lot of weapons with Arland Bruce and 2nd year men Gore and Foster rounding into form…and they’re using a much better pass/run balance.

Second, this team is a notoriously slow starter. They finished last season 1-7, then went 7-3 down the stretch. Can history repeat itself? Only time will tell, but I feel the 2011 BC Lions has more talent than the 2010 BC Lions.

Ya I agree, Calgary will finish first in the West again this year, but I can’t wait to watch them choke again the WF like they do every year!

I think you’re right 5440. They were very strong last year. Stronger than Saskatchewan but look who ended up in the Grey Cup. They’re a good team but they’re not unbeatable. Last’s night’s game against Montreal was very close and it could have gone either way.

I’d prefer that if B.C. ends up in the thick of things that they don’t draw the short stick and miss second spot by a whisker. All I want to see is a playoff game in B.C. Place. I was just going over the '94 season and discovered that not only was the Final against Calgary remarkable but the semi against Edmonton and then the Grey Cup were equally remarkable. I think all three were come from behind games and last minute wins.

Rhymeswithorange is right. The 2-6 is deceptive because everyone agrees that the Lions were definitely in 3 of the first 4 games but just came up a little short. If they’d been blown out in all of the games it would speak volumes about a lack of talent but that was not the case. If the Lions show some consistency by putting a string of wins together we’ll have a much better idea of what to anticipate. If they drop the next couple of games, even by a small margin, then I won’t be holding my breath about seeing them in the playoffs and if they do make it I can’t see them getting very far. I remember a couple of years ago when they narrowly defeated Hamilton in the cross over only to meet up against Montreal in the Eastern Final. Calvillo et al had a field day. It was a very sad embarrassment for the Lions because they were beaten so badly.

Any speculation on any team is pre-mature until someone wins the western final, even more so when we’re only 1/2 way into the season. Anything can happen in the 2nd half, so, talking about the Lions in the Grey Cup is as valid as doing the same thing for Winnipeg in the east, who happen to look like a good bet at the MOMENT.

My point is that after the lions got trounced by Winnipeg, there was little optimism, and many threads about who to fire first. One win later (a good win, but a win against a injury plagued rookie team on the downswing), and look at the title of this thread. Yes this is the CFL and many things can happen… but this is just silly to get excited over this team right now. The riders could be in a playoff spot in two weeks.
You’re right, any speculation is pre-mature at this point, that’s why I don’t do it. That was my point. Not sure what yours is…

"One win later (a good win, but a win against a injury plagued rookie team on the downswing), and look at the title of this thread." by fhq

Whatza matter with it? I thought the title had a ring of optimism about it. lol

The title of the thread was true at the time of writing. Calgary just decided to be party poopers and mess things up.

I did say..."Sound impossible? Perhaps, but if they stay healthy and guys like Bruce and the D-Line play the way they did against Edmonton last night anything is possible."

Even Korey Banks was impressed with the optimism. You surely caught his sound bite on Global Monday evening? He came down on the commentators because a win is a win he said and the Lions should be given credit for that. He said, "when the Lions win a game it's because the other team is plagued with injuries but when the Lions lose it's because we're not a good team." according to the media and the commentators. The Lions won against Edmonton. They've got a one game win streak going, he said.

Now it is time to go for two in a row and then three. I'm sure the nay nays out there will say that the only reason the Lions beat Toronto back to back is because Toronto is a weak team. If that's the case then the same could be said when Montreal or Calgary beats them.

I think the Lions are better than we give them credit for.

Possibly better. Still I feel that a good team finds a way to win those close games, and a good team doesn’t lose five in a row. I think the lions have the tools to be better, but I believe that a team is basically as good as it’s record. Yes they lost some close ones (and some not-so-close ones) but good teams find a way to win more often than not.

I guess we’ll all have to wait and see.

fhq~

You said, "Still I feel that a good team finds a way to win those close games,"

It's hard to argue with that. I have to agree. When you have some time, youtube the '94 semi-final, final and Grey Cup highlights. Talk about a good team finding a way to win the close ones! The Lions were behind in all three of them with minutes to go and won every game. Now THAT was football at its very best! I'd forgotten just how close the Lions came to being eliminated by the Esks in the semi and then by Calgary in the in western final and of course by Baltimore in the Grey Cup at B.C. Place.

Interestingly, the Lions finished behind, Calgary, Edmonton AND Baltimore in the standings!

Oh I remember 1994. How could I forget, being a stamps fan and all. I just youtubed it… and it still stings watching it all these years later.
Don’t get me wrong, I want the lions to make the playoffs. I’d love for my stamps to lose to someone other than the riders in the west final. Sigh.

oh we know all about losing. don't try to outlose us.

if the fans of any team dont have hope, then what do they have?\

Excited to see theres still hope in the land of weed.

hope is good. its good to hope.hope in one hand and crap in the other and see what gets filled first.

Mystic~

You are grade A certifiable aren’t you? lol
If it weren’t for guys like you, this place would be boring!
I’m sure some fans are hoping the Lions will cr** all over the Argos come this Friday!

oh we're all special. thats an old line from "Treasure of the Sierra Madres". I've never had an original thought in my life.

That’s a classic if ever there was one! I saw just recently as a matter of fact on TCM.

they've got nothing but time was another good line from that movie. but we digress.here comes the weekend.