This team is suddenly more embarrassing than ever, what happened? We had a couple lucky wins, but at least we were competing enough to get the lucky wins.
Our O-line continues to get worse when that shouldn't be possible. They started off half ways decent and have weekly deteriorated into the most pathetic group imaginable. Sure the new receiver's are taking longer to get open, but our QB's are being mauled by 2-3 guys at once far too often to blame it all on the receiver's. Calgary loses O-linemen every season and still manages to field a very good group anyway.
We cut Arkee Whitlock and have since abandoned any effort at establishing a run game.
Our 2nd and 19 or longer play is the screen, feels like Strasser is back calling the plays
Our DB's used to cover fairly well (the first few games), now they are rarely in the same camera shot as the receiver they should be covering.
This team is broken and I hope someone in the organization knows how to fix it.
We were hit by bad luck with all the injuries, and the o-line has always been average at best, and Tillman failed to improve it in the off-season, and now we're paying the price.
A couple injuries can expose an average oline. Still 5-3 and in second though. Hopefully the injuries work themselves out and they get back on track. Still a good half season to go.
Quarterback can't complete a pass to his own team but has no problem throwing to the opposition.
O-Line can't block for run or pass.
Coach refuses to pull quarterback until game is out of sight.
Defense arm tackling.
Coach doesn't have the confidence in O-Line to gamble on 3rd and one.
O-Line responds to lack of confidence by proving coach right.
Penalties on every second play.
No running game.
No passing game.
Defence on field for almost the entire game.
I don’t think it’s a matter of putting failure on Tillman; the whole team was blown-up on players out/players in…coaches out/coaches in. I feel the Esk’s starting off at 5-0 is not failure; true there are injuries which has led to player/s juggling in and about. I honestly think that other teams have/are getting the job done and the Eskimo’s have failed to find a way to stop it. For next season and in the long run we’ll see improvement IMO. So for now keep plugging away, players will be coming back from injury and for Crandell/Stubler "SERIOSLY ENHANCE the quality of play [playbook] the best way possible. How? I don’t know.
Exactly. And if he isn't running for his life, it's because he's already been laid out. We need to get some of our receivers back to take the pressure off the guys up front, because obviously they can't handle it.
[quote="“sean mac 26"”]
I think Ray’s just trying too hard to make something happen. Nobody can be accurate while running for their life.
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Ray gets sacked…Ray runs out of bounds for no gain…granted QB’s throw interceptions from time to time. So thus yes, when enough is enough; Ray does try to make something happen/whether he trys too hard, so thus I’d say some truth may/could apply. Could also say Durrant tries his heart as well and on top of that switch Ray onto the Riders and Durrant onto the Eskimos. Would the result/team records be the same? I wouldn’t put blame on Ray nor Durrant for that matter. :cowboy:
I don’t blame Ray but it is a team game and as a member of the team, he shares in the blame. I also blame the coaches for leaving him in too long. It was obvious early in the game that he wasn’t picking up his receivers, pull him midway through the second quarter, let him watch for awhile, then plug him back in for the third.
My biggest beef with the Eskimos coaching over the last few years is the reluctance to pull Ray out until the game is out of sight. I am a huge fan but there comes a time when the best course of action is to get the guy out of there for a while, change the pace and let him get a view from the outside. Leaving him in blows his confidence and risks injury. Does he have a “no pull” contract?
This is a tough sitiation to talk about; Ray is getting paid a very decent wage (contract) to play (along with his experience) and Quarterback the Eskimo Football Club. Pulling him may and/or may not be the answer(doesn’t look proper perhap?), I don’t know. Putting Joseph in is not the answer either and I Question the coaches for that as well, thus to say we have Ward/Nichols so why not play those two from time to time. Or perhaps once Meuler plays out his last year with Regina and at next years TC he’ll earn the back up to Ray. It’s frustrating to say the least as I feel the Eskimos do and/or in need of a “Roll Out Quarterback”?
Ricky Ray is as good a QB as we'll get, replacing him with a roll-out QB because we can't put together a mildly adequate O-Line does not make sense to me.
[quote="“sean mac 26"”]
Ricky Ray is as good a QB as we’ll get, replacing him with a roll-out QB because we can’t put together a mildly adequate O-Line does not make sense to me.
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I’m glad to see input from others as I don’t know either at this point as I’m just throwing ideas out there. We need Ray there is no doubt in my mind. Calvillo is a drop back passer like Ray, but will roll out with a play ready to go. To be honest that is what I’m getting at as both Ray/Calvillo do not like to run if they can help it. Montreal has a very good O-Line compared to Edmonton’s as we all have seen. Our pocket seems to eaten up very Quickly and Ray has no where to go but try to make something happen; result interception. So thus not his fault. You hit the nail on the head sean mac 26 about a mildly adequate O-Line that the Esk’s can’t put together to get better results. The only answer I see is to get the handoff and/or pass plays off quickly with vengeance. I feel confident that the brass do know what needs to be done and how to move forward. Going into McMahon will tell a lot after that game is played. Hope to see the run game excell as Calgary is a tough team that can run the ball as well as anyone.
I would like to lock the coaches in a room and make them watch films of the 5 Grey Cups in a row Eskimo teams. One thing they would see is that When Wilkinson wasn't moving the team, Lemmerman or Moon would come in, show a different look, give Wilkie a chance to watch for awhile, then go back in and usually win. The same was true in our last Grey Cup. Ray struggled and the switch was made to Maas. The switch was mad before the game was out of hand. Why can't todays coaches grasp that concept?
The problem with taking out Ray is we've no one to replace him with. We've a senior citizen and two raw rookies. I'm pretty sure Tillman said in the off-season that the o-line and the QB depth were two areas he wanted to improve, but I don't see how he improved either.
1-There is not enough Athleticism on the O line- CFL D Lineman are quicker than ever and powerfull. Edmonton O line is just not athletic enough- If they are big they are too slow, or not fast enough, or not strong enough--
2- Since the departure of Joe Montford, Rashad Jeanty, they have not brought in any guys that CAN SACK the qb- They bring in very average guys like Kai Ellis, Adam Braidwood, the guys this year are better but not making sacks.
3-Ricky Ray is a timing QB- Very accurate and works well with fast receivers- However with a timing QB with limited velocity on his throws it results in receivers taking viscious hits from defenders- Hence Jason Tucker retiring, Bowman, Barnes, with rib injuries, Henry with a concussion, too many receivers are waiting for Ray slow passes and pay the price with hits-- Have you guys ever seen a CALGARY receiver getting nailed or MOntreal? Not a chance as the ball is coming so fas from Burris or Calvillo- Durant also balls are coming fast- Ray is the only QB that has hung out so many receivers, Its not a coincidence, its what happens with timing QBs with average arm strength.
Edmonton was not as good as their play suggested early. If you want my opinion, I think Edmonton should have groomed or traded for Drew Tate to replace RICKY RAY- I feel the league understands RICKY RAY now, he has the deep ball to Stamps, but when that is taken away he has little else-- By the time Edmonton fixes the O line and brings in a running game I believe RAY will be well past his prime, and Edmonton is going to need a good 24 year old QB to play for the next 6-7 seasons.
4- Duval on anything over 45 yards will blast the ball wide LEFT almost every single time- He has no accuracy on deep kicks, I dont think he can be trusted from 40 or longer-- He simply is not like Macalum or a Sean Whyte.
In experience for the O-Line, also not strong enough; Agreed for CFL line D-Lineman on Quickness.
Stubler has work to do and/or his system is different from other teams; players need experience to gel thus next year will be improvement.
This is true about Ricky Ray being a finesse- smoothe QB; I have seen him thread the needle over the middle, but not often. On trade for Drew Tate, I feel Huff is not interested. Also with Rays salary; he has to play otherwise the team would be under criticism and wouldn’t look too good. Calvillo/Burris/Durrant all throw the ball much harder than Ray.
True about Duval from the 45 and beyond, needs to be better with technique I say. On the punting side of it, Duval is one of the best in this department. Good observation GG none the less.