CFL 2009 Thread

[Barrister]

le Fors is making me pine for the days of Kevin Glenn... 

[Neil]

I didn't watch last night's late game (and I turned off the brutal asswhipping of the Bombers halfway through), but looking at the boxscore, it doesn't seem to add up.  OK, Reynolds ran for about 140, but Burris only threw for 160 yards.  How does that turn into a 48-10 blowout?  Is BC's defence just letting them march?

Yeah, Jackson has highs of goodless and lows of utter worthlessness.  Pierce, on the other hand, is consistently bad.  For a team that a few years ago had Dave Dickenson and Casey Printers feuding to start for them.  The CFL sure is volatile.  Then again, given the line play of the Lions, they should probably address that before they go out and cut Printers a big cheque.

[crazy canuck]

but looking at the boxscore, it doesn't seem to add up.  OK, Reynolds ran for about 140, but Burris only threw for 160 yards.  How does that turn into a 48-10 blowout?  Is BC's defence just letting them march?

It was an incredibly bad game after the first quarter.  After that the BC generated no offense to speak of and turned the ball over 3 times all leading to major scores.  Another bone headed coaching decision to punt the ball from the 2 yard line instead of conceding a safety gave up another major score.

All of that combined with terrible B.C special teams play gave Calgary a very short field for the last three quarters.

[Neil]

Really, I don't like giving up the safety as much as I used to.  Given the CFL tendency towards blowouts, it's not often important, but now that you're doing the safety kick from the 25 instead of the 35, and you're allowing the other team to build a special teams wedge, it's usually not worth it.  You're only getting maybe 5-10 yards of field position out of the safety as opposed to the punt. 

[crazy canuck]

Really, I don't like giving up the safety as much as I used to.  Given the CFL tendency towards blowouts, it's not often important, but now that you're doing the safety kick from the 25 instead of the 35, and you're allowing the other team to build a special teams wedge, it's usually not worth it.  You're only getting maybe 5-10 yards of field position out of the safety as opposed to the punt.

After punting from the 2 you are basically conceding a field goal so why not take the safety?

[Neil]

Really, I don't like giving up the safety as much as I used to.  Given the CFL tendency towards blowouts, it's not often important, but now that you're doing the safety kick from the 25 instead of the 35, and you're allowing the other team to build a special teams wedge, it's usually not worth it.  You're only getting maybe 5-10 yards of field position out of the safety as opposed to the punt.

After punting from the 2 you are basically conceding a field goal so why not take the safety?

Depends on what you think of your special teams unit and defence.  A 45-yard punt would leave them with a 47-yard field goal, if your D can hold, and in the CFL 47 yards is a very long field goal.  Plus, there's always the chance that they'll muff the punt, allowing your special teams guys to make a big play, or that you'll block their field goal.  I'm not overfond of just surrendering points for such a small number of yards.

[Valmy]

Depends on what you think of your special teams unit and defence.  A 45-yard punt would leave them with a 47-yard field goal, if your D can hold, and in the CFL 47 yards is a very long field goal.  Plus, there's always the chance that they'll muff the punt, allowing your special teams guys to make a big play, or that you'll block their field goal.  I'm not overfond of just surrendering points for such a small number of yards.

Your defense could also force a turnover or a big loss.  They could also blow it with some penalties.

[crazy canuck]

Really, I don't like giving up the safety as much as I used to.  Given the CFL tendency towards blowouts, it's not often important, but now that you're doing the safety kick from the 25 instead of the 35, and you're allowing the other team to build a special teams wedge, it's usually not worth it.  You're only getting maybe 5-10 yards of field position out of the safety as opposed to the punt.

After punting from the 2 you are basically conceding a field goal so why not take the safety?

Depends on what you think of your special teams unit and defence.  A 45-yard punt would leave them with a 47-yard field goal, if your D can hold, and in the CFL 47 yards is a very long field goal.  Plus, there's always the chance that they'll muff the punt, allowing your special teams guys to make a big play, or that you'll block their field goal.  I'm not overfond of just surrendering points for such a small number of yards.

The problem with that math is you are forgetting the no yards rule (the thing I hate most about the CFL game).  There is going to be at least a 5 yard return.  Stopping a return for no yards is exceedingly rare.  Even if you assume a very good punt of 45 yards (which would be amazing given all the pressure of punting form the end zone) that still puts the ball on at least the 42 which should be within the field goal range of every kicker.  For our US readers the CFL uprights are put on the front of the endzone not the back like you are used to.

On the punt in question, the punt was short and they got a good run back.  I think they took the ball on the 25 or 30 yard line.

[Neil]

The problem with that math is you are forgetting the no yards rule (the thing I hate most about the CFL game).  There is going to be at least a 5 yard return.  Stopping a return for no yards is exceedingly rare.  Even if you assume a very good punt of 45 yards (which would be amazing given all the pressure of punting form the end zone) that still puts the ball on at least the 42 which should be within the field goal range of every kicker.  For our US readers the CFL uprights are put on the front of the endzone not the back like you are used to.

On the punt in question, the punt was short and they got a good run back.  I think they took the ball on the 25 or 30 yard line.

45 yards is a pretty average punt, but your point is taken on the no yards.  They're going to get a return of at least 3-5 yards.  Still, a 42 yard field goal in the CFL is far from automatic, as the wide field gives kickers headaches, and even with the safety touch, your opponent is still going to be starting on your side of midfield, within the theoretical range of their kickers anyways.

[Barrister]

Fun little game going on between BC and Hamilton.

I have to say that I like that Hamilton is apparently no longer the doormat of the league. 

Crazy canuck:

[Neil]

Everybody likes seeing an underdog turn it around.

[Barrister]

So Bombers won this weekend.

Sure, at 13-12 it was hardly a match for the ages, but a win is a win.  And it looks like we have a new starter in the Peg - Michael Bishop.  And they avoided falling to 1-4 like BC has.

[Barrister]

Everybody likes seeing an underdog turn it around.

Except when its the Maple Leafs.

Thankfully I don't have to worry about that happening anytime soon.

[crazy canuck]

Crazy canuck:

I have been saying this will be a long season since the pre-season.  They are bringing in three veterans to try to shore things up.   We will see if it makes any difference on Friday against Saskatchewan.

It can't be worse then the first time these teams played.

[Grey Fox]

25-0, How's that for a blowout Neil?