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Why the Lions Won the Cup. Not That it Wasn’t Obvious.

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment
Why the Lions Won the Cup. Not That it Wasnt Obvious.

Ouch! (Todd Korol, Reuters)

There was a reason why the B.C. Lions were 7.5-point favorites heading into the Grey Cup. There was a reason that in this space last week (Nov. 21, No Fluke: CFL’s Two Best Teams Meet in the Grey Cup), we took a serious amount of heat and predicted the Lions would beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-23 in the 99th Grey Cup game.

The reason was simple. The Lions had too much offense and a defense that was just about as good as the vaunted Bombers’ “Swaggerville” defense.

Our prediction was pretty close, too.

Sunday evening at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, the Lions became the 2011 Grey Cup champions. The CFL’s Most Outstanding Player this season, Travis Lulay, threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns to lead the heavily-favored Lions past the Eastern Conference champion Bombers 34-23 to claim the sixth Grey Cup championship in franchise history.

After falling behind 31-9 late in the fourth quarter, the Bombers came back and made a game of it, but in the end, Winnipeg just ran out of time. It was a 66-yard pass from Lulay to Kierrie Johnson that sealed the Lions victory.

In fairness, it was quite a season for the Bombers. After going 4-14 last year, they battled back and finished 10-8 to claim the Eastern Conference championship and get to the Grey Cup for the third time since 2001. Sadly, for all those loyal Blue Bombers fans that packed Canad Inns Stadium all season long, they’re beloved team lost all three appearances and still haven’t won a CFL championship since 1990.

And while thousands of Bombers fans in Vancouver this week were convinced their boys had enough defense to win the CFL championship, what they didn’t count on was the fact the Lions had enough defense of their own – and way too much offense.

600 Travis grey cup cp 111127 Why the Lions Won the Cup. Not That it Wasnt Obvious.

The Champions

Lulay completed 21-of-37 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while Winnipeg product Andrew Harris rushed for 65 yards and a 19-yard touchdown, as the Lions got the home crowd into the game early, built an 11-0 first-quarter lead and never trailed.

“I missed a few throws that I haven’t missed in a while, especially in the first half,” said Lulay modestly. “Unfortunately those misthrows some drives. But it’s a championship game, and you’ve just got to keep on fighting. To win, feels pretty sweet.”

Lulay capped off an almost perfect season by being named the Grey Cup MVP. And it was especially sweet for Lulay considering the way the season started for B.C. The Lions became the first team in CFL history to start the year 0-5 and then go on to win the Grey Cup.

1964654.bin 300x193 Why the Lions Won the Cup. Not That it Wasnt Obvious.

Wally Buono

“It was a really long, hard journey for this football team,” said Lions head coach Wally Buono, who won his fifth Grey Cup championship in his ninth appearance. “I’m extremely proud of all the players, the coaches, the entire organization. We all stuck together and toughed it out when a lot of people thought we were out of it.”

The Lions won this year’s Grey Cup game because the people who had to get the job done got it done. Lulay ran the offense, Harris ran the football (and got a big first down late in the game when he had to), and Arland Bruce III, Geroy Simon and Kierrie Johnson made the necessary catches – in traffic or wide open.

Defensively, Khalif Mitchell, Solomon Elimimian, Keron Williams, Brent Johnson, Tad Kornegay, Korey Banks and Anthony Reddick kept Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce off-balance and on-edge for 60 minutes. It was a complete team victory for the Lions.

“It’s just so special to win it at home,” said Simon, who had the best Grey Cup game of his long career. “To come from where we came from back in August to where we are now – Grey Cup champions – is the best feeling I’ve ever had.”

geroy 300x288 Why the Lions Won the Cup. Not That it Wasnt Obvious.

Geroy Simon

There was really never any doubt. The Lions struck early and led 11-0 after the first quarter. The Bombers played well in the second quarter but could only post two Justin Palardy field goals and B.C. led 14-6 at the half. The Lions outscored Winnipeg 10-3 in the third quarter and led 24-9 with 15 minutes remaining. Then the Lions built a 31-9 lead in the fourth quarter before Winnipeg scored two touchdowns on Buck Pierce passes to Greg Carr and Terrence Edwards in the final four minutes to make it close.

In fairness, the Bombers got some string performances. Jovon Johnson was terrific, especially on special teams. Greg Carr played his best game as a Bomber and provided a gutsy Buck Pierce with a large target. Terrence Edwards made a great catch to score Winnipeg’s final TD.

It’s just that it never seemed like it was that close. In fact, while watching the game, you had the feeling that every football fan in Canada outside Manitoba and B.C.’s lower mainland had turned their TVs to Tim Tebow’s comeback against the San Diego Chargers (or The Amazing Race), not a Grey Cup game that was dominated from start to finish by the Western Conference champions — a team that went 13-2 after a 30-17 loss to the Bombers on Aug. 13.

From the opening kickoff of the 99th Grey Cup championship game, there was absolutely no doubt that the British Columbia Lions were the best team in the Canadian Football League. And there was even less doubt that Travis Lulay was the game’s best player.

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Week 5 Picks. Does the West Really Own the East?

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

It’s Week 5 in the CFL and this is the one fact we know, the one thing of which we are certain: The West leads the East in crossover games 7-1.

 

There is little doubt that the West plays more exciting football — right  across the board. Teams in the West aren’t as predictable. They try to do things that Canadian football coaches have been doing for years, but the growing number of American coaches working as offensive co-ordinators in the league haven’t actually grasped yet (whose idea was the two-yard out pattern on second and nine?). They run offences with verve and style and they are much more fun to watch.

 

So this week, after going 4-0 last week, we are going to stick with our theory: When in doubt, take the Western Conference team.

 

Calgary Stampeders (3-1) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-4)

Thursday, 7 p.m. CT, TSN

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have decided to promote No. 2 quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie to No. 1 while Kevin Glenn has been benched. Dinwiddie will be an improvement if the offensive co-ordinator gives him a game plan. If indeed, Dinwiddie does the job, we might never hear from Kevin Glenn again. However, the Blue’s offensive line is banged-up and very young. On defence, middle linebacker Barrin Simpson, the heart and soul of the D, is out for the year with a torn pectoral tendon and the defensive secondary has been porous all year. Calgary, meanwhile, has the hottest offence in the game and if Henry Burris doesn’t have a handful of brain farts, Calgary should coast.

Pick: Calgary

Edmonton Eskimos (2-2) at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-3)

Friday, 6 p.m. CT, TSN

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are living proof that even if they fall to 0-5, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won’t be out of the playoff hunt in the East. If Jesse Lumsden, the best runningback in the CFL, plays this week, the Tiger-Cats should win. If he doesn’t, Edmonton will go to 3-2. The Eskimos lost to a spectacular Kerry Joseph performance in the final minute in Toronto last week. Ricky Ray and Co. will be just as good in Hamilton this week.  

Pick: Edmonton

Montreal Alouettes (2-2) at B.C. Lions (2-2)

Friday, 9 p.m. CT, TSN

This could be the closest game of Week 5. Montreal was tremendous in Saskatchewan last week, only to lose late to the best team in the CFL. Anthony Calvillo is good indoors and he’ll be good again this week. On the other side, this is the week Jarious Jackson will have to prove he’s a No. 1 CFL quarterback. After all, when you have Jason Clermont and Geroy Simon catching footballs, you’d better he good.

Pick: B.C.

Toronto Argonauts (2-2) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-0) 

Sunday, 6 p.m. CT, TSN

Kerry Joseph makes his first return to Regina since the 2007 Grey Cup parade, but it might not make much difference for Toronto. Last week’s 41-33 Saskatchewan victory over the Montreal Alouettes was one of the finest performances in one of the great football games played in the CFL in a long time. Running back Wes Cates was absolutely sensational, carrying 15 times for 107 yards and catching five pasases for 88 yards. Saskatchewan, thanks to head coach Ken Miller, has one of the most balanced offences in the game and will likely remain undefeated through Week 5 — no matter who happens to play quarterback.

Pick: Saskatchewan

Last Week: 4-0

Season: 6-2

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CFL Picks Week 4: After going 2-2, we now understand the dominant nature of the Western Conference…

Posted on July 16, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

Last week, there was absolutely no doubt about it, the West is the best.

 

In Week 3, the Western Conference won every game played during the first week of crossover play, two of them by three touchdowns — B.C. whipped Winnipeg 42-24 while Edmonton blasted Toronto 47-28. Meanwhile, Calgary beat Montreal while Saskatchewan went into Hamilton and improved to 3-0.

 

This week, we won’t be fooled again… oh, no.

 

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-2) at Calgary Stampeders (2-1)

Thursday, 8 p.m. CT, TSN

The Stampeders did a wonderful job shutting down Anthony Calvillo and the Al’s last week. After falling behind 11-0 through the first 15 minutes, the Stampeders defence made Calvillo look like the Calvillo we expected before the season began — slow and old. In the end, the Stamps won 23-19 and proved they could win on the road. If the can shut down the best running game in the CFL — Jesse Lumsden and Trey Smith — they could blow Hamilton right out of McMahon Stadium. In fact, if they shut down Lumsden, this will be a massacre.

Pick: Calgary

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-3) at B.C. Lions (1-2)

Friday, 9 p.m. CT, TSN

Wow, it’s getting ugly in Winnipeg. The Bombers didn’t get better in the off-season and, in fact, with the loss of Kyries Hebert and Juran Bolden, the defensive secondary got worse — much worse! B.C. took advantage of that shaky secondary last week en route to a 42-24 shellacking of the Bombers in Winnipeg, a score that flattered the Bombers. Now, Winnipeg is trying to decide if Kevin Glenn or Ryan Dinwiddie is the No. 1 quarterback. B.C. could put a nail in Winnipeg’s coffin after just four weeks. All they have to do is use Geroy Simon and Jason Clermont the way they used them last week.

Pick: B.C.

Montreal Alouettes (2-1) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-0)

Saturday, 6 p.m. CT, TSN

Nobdy thought Saskatchewan would be the best team in the CFL after Week 3, but then again everybody was focused on offence, not on defence. Even with No. 3 Derian Durant at quarterback, coach Ken Miller’s offence is good enough to score 30 points a game. The defence, meanwhile, is as good as the defence that won the 2007 Grey Cup. If they chase Calvillo around like Calgary did for three quarters last week, this one will be ugly.

Pick: Saskatchewan

Edmonton Eskimos (2-1) at Toronto Argonauts (1-2)

Sunday, 3 p.m. CT, TSN

We’ll find out this week if Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray is for real. In other words, if Ray can continue to get the ball into the end zone. Ray has been absolutely outstanding for the past two weeks and when you throw in the amazing play of 22-year-old defensive back/kick returner Tristan Jackson last week, you’ll find a team that can score from anywhere at any time. However, one wonders if the Argos haven’t figured out their quarterbacking mess. If they have, Toronto will be tough at home. If they haven’t, they’ll get their butts handed to them for the second straight week.

Pick: Toronto

Last Week: 2-2

Season: 2-2

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Week 3 in the CFL: So what did we learn this week?

Posted on July 13, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

So here were the scores in Week 2:

Calgary 23 Montreal 19

Edmonton 47 Toronto 28

B.C. 42 Winnipeg 24

Saskatchewan 33 Hamilton 28

Notice a trend?

As we pointed out in yesterday’s item, the West is dominating the East. In the first week of West vs. East crossover football, the Western teams won all four matchups. Two of them were three-touchdown blowouts.

It’s pretty clear what we’ve learned, but let’s go a little deeper.

1. The Saskatchewan Roughriders don’t need Michael Bishop, the Toronto Argos  do. I talked with Joe Aiello on 92-CITI-FM in Winnipeg and with Mike Richards on the FAN 960 in Calgary this week about where Michael Bishop might end up. Earlier in the week, the Toronto Argos put their former No. 1 quarterback on recallable waivers to see if there was any interest in a trade. All of us thought  that with the Riders down to their No. 3 quarterback, Bishop would probably look good in Riderville. Guess not. Darian Durant was outstanding in leading Saskatchewan to a 33-28 win in Hamilton and  after Toronto’s evisceration in Edmonton, it’s pretty obvious the Argos need Bishop more than they want to believe. In fact, the Argos need Bishop more than they need Kerry Joseph.

2. There seems to be less talk about firing Edmonton Eskimos head coach Danny Maciocia now. Over the last two weeks, the Eskimos have won 34-31 and 47-28. Things are still shaky in Edmonton despite two home wins, but at least Ricky Ray is once again getting the ball into the end zone. Still, the Esks have a problem on defence. Allowing 34 points to Saskatchewan, 31 to Calgary and 28 to Toronto is, at least, an improvement every week, but if the holes aren’t plugged soon, trips to Toronto and Hamilton over the next two weeks might leave the Esks at 2-3 before they can blink. Unless, of course, the West is so dominant, defences are no longer important.

3. You just gotta love offence – and defence and special teams — and on Friday night, we had a game that actually looked like it took place during the league’s Golden Era of scoring back in the late 80s and early 90s. Behind the brilliance of 22-year-old Tristan Jackson who returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown and then returned a punt for another 61-yard major (oh, so maybe it’s not offence), the Edmonton Eskimos beat the Toronto Argonauts 47-28. After two weeks of 22-16-type scores it was nice to see every aspect of the game of football represented on the scorebord. And it was nice to be excited about a non-Bombers CFL game again.

4. Memo to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Run the freakin’ football. Hamilton’s Jesse Lumsden carried 19 times for 137 yards and two touchdowns before the ‘Cats fell 33-28 to the defending Grey Cup champs — and now 3-0 Saskatchewan Roughriders — in the dying seconds. The Bombers, on the other hand, gave Charles Roberts the ball eight times for 23 yards in a 42-24 shellacking at the hands of the previously 0-2 B.C. Lions (by the way B.C. took a 42-8 lead while the Bombers were ignoring Roberts). In three games, Roberts has a measly 110 rushing yards and the Bombers are 0-3. There is a correlation.

5. Speaking of the Bombers, despite their 42-24 home loss to B.C. this week, it was the first time in seven games (dating back to last year’s Eastern semifinal) that the Bombers offence put up at least 20 points in a game. That’s the good news. The bad news — for Kevin Glenn, at least — is that No. 2 quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie was responsible for 16 of those points. There are some in Winnipeg who think Glenn might be the next Troy Westwood — a well-liked veteran (in the room) who is treated like crap until he’s finally released and then never heard from again. Oh, by the way, after three weeks and an 0-3 record, Glenn is the No. 4 passer (by yardage) in the CFL, ahead of Casey Printers, Jarious Jackson and Kerry Joseph. However, his passer’s rating is a near rock-bottom 67.2.

6. Back to Roberts for just a second. Last year’s rushing champion is now seventh in rushing after three weeks, 252 yards behind leader Jesse Lumsden. Roberts is averaging only nine carries per game and has two touchdowns and no fumbles. He trails a quarterback, Calgary’s Henry Burris, in the rushing race. Despite what head coach Doug Berry would have you believe, the Bombers don’t have a “player” problem, they have a “coach” problem. 

7. My players of the Week: No doubt about it, Geroy Simon and Jason Clermont of the B.C. Lions. In case you needed to be reminded, these guys are big-time receivers who each played a major role in B.C.’s 42-24 shellacking of the Bombers in Winnipeg. Simon caught seven passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns while Clermont caught three passes in traffic for 71 yards. In fact, TSN made a big deal out of a Jason Nugent hit on Clermont on Friday night, but the fact is, Clermont got right back up while Nugent almost didn’t. They’re both big and fast and they have great hands and they’re both part of the reason that, when it’s right, CFL football is wonderful to watch.

 

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