In a recent post, a miserable grump named IslandAl wrote: "Forgive my thinly-veiled cynicism, but if Smith starts against Hamilton, I suspect his completion rate will hover around 50 per cent. He will likely throw for less than 200 yards and will give up the sad 2013 Alouette standard of two or three key interceptions.
Then the theme of Monday's posts will be scathing criticism of Popp for not starting Neiswander, for whom the current Als playbook has been written.
(That said, I hope Smith has a stellar game, if he starts, and Monday's posts feature me being skewered for being a first-class doorknob who doesn't know his rectum from his elbow about football)."
Smith had veteran composure under pressure and threw the hardest, tightest spirals I haven't seen from an Als quarterback since Sonny Wade.
So boys, lemme have it! I got it coming. :?
Well he was barely under 50% (17/35) but was at least 50 yards over your prediction and you made a typo in how you spelled touchdowns. Given the way the year has gone, your predictions were not baseless, as much f a QB’s success depends on other factors. All said, I can forgive you for being wrong since wrong was so right.
Five drops and one catch on a tip ball. +5, -1 = +4. Plus the balls he dumped to avoid sacks…His accuracy was fine. He just struggled a bit because of timing on the short crossing routes. That will correct itself with practice reps and game experience. I’ve very pleased and the play where he extended the play by three steamboats running around. I hadn’t seen that in a long, long time in this league. :cowboy:
Don't forget that Neiswander had a great first half against Edmonton. In fact, Neiswander, Marsh, and Smith have all taken turns looking good in short stints. The real test is over the remainder of the season and next year...
Yeah but you saw today that Smith’s experience allows him to be calm and poised in the huddle so that helps everyone to be calmer on the offense. What I was impressed with the most was his calm. I have no doubt that if we are prepared to live with the growing pains that he can takover this team for years to come.
I too was very encouraged to see his calm and poise. He’s not just a cannon arm. But one game does not a CFL career make. Hamilton were asleep at the wheel in the first half. They won’t play like that next week…
We turned it off with 10 minutes into the third quarter. No point in him taking hits everything from that point on was either a running play or a quick pass.
I wasn’t criticizing Smith.
Regardless why, he was under 50% (as IslandAl predicted) and the number of INTs predicted matched the TDs, so I planted my tongue firmly in my cheek and decide to celebrate the win by “letting the guy off the hook”. And his being “wrong” was very “right” for the Als.
Sorry didn't mean to come across as giving you a hard time. Just a pet peave I have with stat sheets :lol:
"I wasn't criticizing Smith.
Regardless why, he was under 50% (as IslandAl predicted) and the number of INTs predicted matched the TDs, so I planted my tongue firmly in my cheek and decide to celebrate the win by "letting the guy off the hook". And his being "wrong" was very "right" for the Als."
That was very gracious of you, GH. Thank you.
One thing I really liked was us using the RB as a checkdown receiving option, finally! Smith was able to find Sutton on check-releases into the flats and short curls to make Hamilton pay for locking down the intermediate and deep routes.
Chip Cox with another dominant game ... 7 tackles, 2 sacks. He could break Sherritt's tackle record next week (it's 110, isn't it?).
Messam gets released this offseason, methinks...
Sherritt’s tackle record is 130. Cox probably ain’t getting there, unless he has two huge games. Not that he needs to break any records to earn himself Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. 
Ah, rats. My bad. Not that it matters as you say. I’ll take Cox over Sherritt anyday, much more complete linebacker who can do it all, not just tackle…
On a slightly different note, does anyone want to break Sherritt's record the way he did? Last game of the season, meaningless, and he played. Indeed he broke the record but injuring himself in the process, removing him from the playoffs and having the team shoot itself in the foot.
And he’s out again this year. Brittle linebackers don’t last too long in this league.
Messam who?!
I think Messam has played well for us but I don’t know that we can protect him, he would give a team like Ottawa a lot of flexibility but I think they come after a guy lime Matte or Bomben before Messam.
What I liked about our touchdowns yesterday was how diverse they were. First was a nice deep ball made off a pump fake and a breakdown in Hamilton's coverage. Second was Smith putting a bullet into a tight space for Green in the end zone. Third was Sutton bulldozing into the end zone for a major. Fourth was Smith checking down to his third read (Bruce). While I don't expect the offense to post up four majors per half every game, it was a well-balanced attack that exploited Hamilton in different ways...
Le record de Sherritt est 130 plaqués. Il en faut donc encore 27 à Cox pour dépasser Sherritt. Il peut le faire (13-14 plaqués par partie…), mais je suis certain que Cox ne s’en fait pas une mission.