2018 CFL Game Thread

[ben_the_eskimo]

Hate to kick this thread off on a negative note, but for anyone not watching the Ottawa/Montreal game, this happened:

Harris leaves game after hit from Ackie. VIDEO: https://t.co/D7Hwh0fNlw pic.twitter.com/7ygon8MXqw

— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) June 1, 2018

And it doesn't look great...

Hoping for the best, for Trevors sake, and for the sake of Redblack fans.

EDIT: latest now is that it may not be serious after all so that's potentially good news.

[Hugoagogo]

Hoping it's just a tweak.
Davis has looked better than expected in relief. Who knew?

[ben_the_eskimo]

Hoping it's just a tweak.
Davis has looked better than expected in relief. Who knew?

Yeah, it looked pretty bad... Thankfully it sounds like it looked worse than it was.

I was impressed with Davis too actually, had a couple nice throws. Collins threw a nice one on the run back against the grain as well for Ottawa.

[ben_the_eskimo]

And it looks like there's a glaring flaw with the new blindside block rule that makes it illegal for a player working back towards his own goal line to lay a block. With less than a minute to go in the half, an Ottawa DB had a pick six called back after a fellow Redblack made a block to spring him that would have been perfectly legal by last years standards, but because he was "working back toward his own goal line" the block was deemed illegal and the TD was taken off the board. So my question is, was the Ottawa blocker supposed to just stand by and watch the Montreal player go in for the tackle? This rule change seems to effectively makes it impossible for defenders to lay blocks in an effort to return an INT.

[Hugoagogo]

That penalty was hopefully not the way they are going to call it during the season. The turnover was clear; the Montreal player turned to pursue. Bam.

On another topic, Montreal QB's looked very bad tonight. Shiltz didn't appear to have a read on anything - he was just throwing to his primary receiver even if he was in coverage. Maybe that was receiver issues, but it looked more like quarterback issues.

And my final note for the night - Kavis looked like he was gonna blow a gasket when his team was late returning to the field for the 2nd half and got a delay of game penalty.

My prediction - somebody in Montreal will be fired by game six.

[ben_the_eskimo]

That penalty was hopefully not the way they are going to call it during the season. The turnover was clear; the Montreal player turned to pursue. Bam.

On another topic, Montreal QB's looked very bad tonight. Shiltz didn't appear to have a read on anything - he was just throwing to his primary receiver even if he was in coverage. Maybe that was receiver issues, but it looked more like quarterback issues.

And my final note for the night - Kavis looked like he was gonna blow a gasket when his team was late returning to the field for the 2nd half and got a delay of game penalty.

My prediction - somebody in Montreal will be fired by game six.

Kavis didn't look good, he looks stressed out, seems to have packed on a few pounds too.

[adb]

That penalty was hopefully not the way they are going to call it during the season. The turnover was clear; the Montreal player turned to pursue. Bam.

On another topic, Montreal QB's looked very bad tonight. Shiltz didn't appear to have a read on anything - he was just throwing to his primary receiver even if he was in coverage. Maybe that was receiver issues, but it looked more like quarterback issues.

And my final note for the night - Kavis looked like he was gonna blow a gasket when his team was late returning to the field for the 2nd half and got a delay of game penalty.

My prediction - somebody in Montreal will be fired by game six.

As much as I've been bashing Willy I'm in agreement with the analysis at halftime on the TV broadcast (I think it was Stegall who said it) that they should have given Drew at least a half...unfortunately he's the best they've got and they better do everything they can to prepare him...if I was Reed I'd be on the phone trying to shake loose a Glenn or a Vernon Adams (he shouldn't even bother asking about Manziel not because Johnny is necessarily any good but because Tillman will never give up his PR golden goose) or trying to find out which couch Drew Tate has taken up residence on hoping he hasn't gotten too deeply into the potato chips...wouldn't be surprised if they bring in additional QBs that are cut after the second preseason game which is what they should do but again it's Kavis so maybe not...a real tire fire in Montreal...I would be shocked if KR lasts the year.

[OK14]

Saw this on the TSN video site this morning:

Manziel: I don't have to prove anything in the first preseason game.

[ben_the_eskimo]

As much as I've been bashing Willy I'm in agreement with the analysis at halftime on the TV broadcast (I think it was Stegall who said it) that they should have given Drew at least a half...unfortunately he's the best they've got and they better do everything they can to prepare him...if I was Reed I'd be on the phone trying to shake loose a Glenn or a Vernon Adams (he shouldn't even bother asking about Manziel not because Johnny is necessarily any good but because Tillman will never give up his PR golden goose) or trying to find out which couch Drew Tate has taken up residence on hoping he hasn't gotten too deeply into the potato chips...wouldn't be surprised if they bring in additional QBs that are cut after the second preseason game which is what they should do but again it's Kavis so maybe not...a real tire fire in Montreal...I would be shocked if KR lasts the year.

I wish I could remember where I saw this but I read somewhere recently that Tate may be done with football due to other opportunities.

Trying to think of any other potential QB's out there and drawing blanks, I can't remember the last time a team went into a season this utterly ill prepared at QB.

[OK14]

I can't remember the last time a team went into a season this utterly ill prepared at QB.

The Eskimos in 2012?

[ben_the_eskimo]

Saw this on the TSN video site this morning:

Manziel: I don't have to prove anything in the first preseason game.

If you listen to that quote in context I kind of agree with him, he's basically admitting that he's in a learning phase right now and it shows that he's approaching this process with patience. To me that's better than him coming out and saying that he's gonna blow the Argos out of the water and show everybody what superstar QB he is in the first preseason game.

- - - Updated - - -

The Eskimos in 2012?

oh yeah... man, I've managed to erase those days from the ol' memory banks.

You'd think Kavis would have remembered what a disaster that was and tried harder to avoid going through that a second time around.

[adb]

I wish I could remember where I saw this but I read somewhere recently that Tate may be done with football due to other opportunities.

Trying to think of any other potential QB's out there and drawing blanks, I can't remember the last time a team went into a season this utterly ill prepared at QB.

That would surprise me as he did not retire and the RedBlacks cut him...as far as I know he was preparing to go into the season...maybe after being cut he decided that he was done with football as you say.

[ben_the_eskimo]

That would surprise me as he did not retire and the RedBlacks cut him...as far as I know he was preparing to go into the season...maybe after being cut he decided that he was done with football as you say.

Found it,

Too early to assume Trevor Harris has a serious injury, but Drew Tate unlikely to be a replacement option; he is headed to coach in the NCAA ranks. #CFL #Redblacks

— Kirk Penton (@PentonKirk) June 1, 2018

[OK14]

If you listen to that quote in context I kind of agree with him, he's basically admitting that he's in a learning phase right now and it shows that he's approaching this process with patience. To me that's better than him coming out and saying that he's gonna blow the Argos out of the water and show everybody what superstar QB he is in the first preseason game.

- - - Updated - - -



oh yeah... man, I've managed to erase those days from the ol' memory banks.

You'd think Kavis would have remembered what a disaster that was and tried harder to avoid going through that a second time around.

Fair enough on Manziel.

Re: Kavis...it amazes me how he's lasted this long. Incredible community man off the field, and an all-around nice person. But I wonder if that niceness-first factor is part of why his teams have struggled.

[ben_the_eskimo]

Fair enough on Manziel.

Re: Kavis...it amazes me how he's lasted this long. Incredible community man off the field, and an all-around nice person. But I wonder if that niceness-first factor is part of why his teams have struggled.

That's just my read on it, of course he could be BSing as well for all we really know.

Yeah I dunno what to think about Kavis anymore, the more time goes on the more he seems slimy to me, and the fact that he keeps taking positions where he ends up being somebody elses puppet doesn't look very good on him.

[Macavity]

Schiltz was HORRID. Into coverage over and over, got lucky from good receiver's a few times, but If you think Leggett and Randle would do anything but drool at that film....

I thoroughly approve of the new blind-side block ruling. Hit him dead front or don't hit him, it's obviously dangerous, so I have zero problems with it.

Kavis was..... drunk? Honestly, not looking healthy, and no one to talk to.

Don't know how they can talk about Sherman's 'pedigree' while posting a clear downward trend in confidence in him. NFL HC > NFL OC > College HC > College Asst > High school coach, now CFL HC? Mrs. Mac is a long time Packer fan, and she always claimed he took a contender and trashed it, his 'winning record' as their head coach did finish on a 4-12 season.

Another Long year for Als fans/me taking the defence playing them every week in Fantasy...

[ben_the_eskimo]

Schiltz was HORRID. Into coverage over and over, got lucky from good receiver's a few times, but If you think Leggett and Randle would do anything but drool at that film....

I thoroughly approve of the new blind-side block ruling. Hit him dead front or don't hit him, it's obviously dangerous, so I have zero problems with it.

Kavis was..... drunk? Honestly, not looking healthy, and no one to talk to.

Don't know how they can talk about Sherman's 'pedigree' while posting a clear downward trend in confidence in him. NFL HC > NFL OC > College HC > College Asst > High school coach, now CFL HC? Mrs. Mac is a long time Packer fan, and she always claimed he took a contender and trashed it, his 'winning record' as their head coach did finish on a 4-12 season.

Another Long year for Als fans/me taking the defence playing them every week in Fantasy...

According to the new rule the defender can't even hit an offensive player front on on an INT return anymore because he's "working back toward his own goal line" Or at least that's how they called it last night, hopefully that was just an erroneous interpretation of the new rule.

[Macavity]

Well, the rule says "Forcible hit" One assumes that getting in between him and your guy for a "bounce off" block is fine, what they want to prevent is the full force collision on someone who might not be prepared.

[ben_the_eskimo]

Well, the rule says "Forcible hit" One assumes that getting in between him and your guy for a "bounce off" block is fine, what they want to prevent is the full force collision on someone who might not be prepared.

That wording is terrible in and of itself, so you can hit a guy, as long as you don't use force? Now it becomes a judgment call where the ref has to decide if someone hit a guy too hard or not. I don't see a problem with how it was before, when you make a block in that situation, hit the guy from the front or else it's a penalty.

We already got rid of the "pedestrian hits" which IMO was the bigger problem. I'm all for player saftey but when it starts impeding a players ability to do his job then it becomes a problem. On that play last night, if the Ottawa player didn't make that block, the return TD probably doesn't happen, and it was a clean block.

Like the penalty they called in our game on Beualiue late in the fourth, it felt like the ref was just getting antsy to try out the new rules and got it wrong both times.

[adb]

Found it,

Too early to assume Trevor Harris has a serious injury, but Drew Tate unlikely to be a replacement option; he is headed to coach in the NCAA ranks. #CFL #Redblacks

— Kirk Penton (@PentonKirk) June 1, 2018

Good find...I can stop harping on him now.

[cmbuk]

The Eskimos in 2012?

Burn.........

[ben_the_eskimo]

Masoli and the Cats making a good Winnipeg Defense look silly right now, very reminiscent of last week. Hamilton is for real.

[glenvb]

I'll just point out that in the fourth quarter of his third game, Adarius Bowman has 5 catches for 38 yards.

Total. Over three games.

[OK14]

I'll just point out that in the fourth quarter of his third game, Adarius Bowman has 5 catches for 38 yards.

Total. Over three games.

Shades of Fred Stamps with Montreal.

[Wilkie12]

I'll just point out that in the fourth quarter of his third game, Adarius Bowman has 5 catches for 38 yards.

Total. Over three games.

Even if he is able to get open the rookie QB can't find him (or anyone else). Nichols cannot get healthy soon enough for Bomber fans.

[Hugoagogo]

John White is on the 46 for Hamilton tonight, backing up at running back. It'll be interesting to see him out there. Hopefully he gets some touches.

edit: good first run for White. He's listed on the Tiger-Cat web site at 186 pounds - same as his playing weight in Edmonton. I'd add at least ten pounds to that number.

[stamphater]

Nice run from White. Still tough to bring down. I have no idea why Hamilton threw on 2nd and 2 when Saskatchewan hasn't been able to stop them at all...

[stamphater]

Yikes...pretty rough when White can't outrun the MLB when he has the angle. Definitely looks like he hasn't regained the step he lost a couple years ago.

[tigerdar]

Nice run from White. Still tough to bring down. I have no idea why Hamilton threw on 2nd and 2 when Saskatchewan hasn't been able to stop them at all...

yeah I wondered that too they're wearing Sask's line out for sure

[stamphater]

Hamilton dominating but only 4-0. This is the kind of thing that bites you...we saw that last week in the Esks/Leos game.