September 20, 2021

Landry’s 5 takeaways from Week 7

The Canadian Press

Hello, Jamal Morrow. Sorry you didn’t win that car that time you were on The Price Is Right. And I wish I could say that Roughriders’ offensive coordinator Jason Maas had designed an attack where he Drew up more Careys for you. Keep killin’ it on special teams and I’m sure you’ll be showcased in the backfield soon enough.

Here are this week’s takeaways.

THAT’S A NICE OUTFIT. BUT THOSE SHOES…

 

Look. They’re 6-1 and mostly cruising along without much of a serious care in the world, so maybe this observation doesn’t end up amounting to a hill of beans.

However.

Right now, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are sporting a tailor-made, royal blue Italian wool-blend suit over top of a snow white Egyptian cotton dress shirt, decked out with silver cuff links shaped like wee Grey Cups. The tie and pocket square are Mulberry silk, in perfectly complimentary, subtly different shades of gold.

But glance down and they’re wearing snowmobile boots.

The only thing that is of concern right now is the kicking game, with field goals being hard to come by. New kicker Ali Mourtada missed all three of his attempts in Saturday’s win at Edmonton.

Mourtada did go 4/4 in convert attempts, though, so maybe he is the answer, maybe not. Right now, the Bombers are searching for the hoofer that will provide them with the cap-toe Oxfords that can really pull their look together.

And, hey, even with the snowmobile boots, they’re gonna get seated at a good table anyway.

THAT GUY IS ELEVATING

Hamilton’s Kameron Kelly is trending upwards. Literally and figuratively.

The first-year linebacker helped key a bevy of batted balls for Hamilton’s defence, which had a total of seven knockdowns versus Calgary. Kelly had two of them.

His star is rising.

“11 made multiple plays,” said Stampeders’ quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. “He’s long, he’s tall, he can jump.”

“They’ve got a big SAM, he’s got good hops,” echoed head coach Dave Dickenson.

The Ticats batted a bunch of balls away at or near the line of scrimmage on the night, with linemen Julian Howsare and Ja’Gared Davis chipping in with one apiece.

Linebackers Simoni Lawrence (1) and Jovan Santos-Knox (2) got in on things as well, leaving both Mitchell and Dickenson wondering if maybe changing the delivery angle on some pass attempts might not be a bad thing, going forward.

Dropping the arm down to find a different pathway could be in Mitchell’s future, when hitting hot routes in the face of the blitz.

“That’s the way I used to play because I couldn’t get it over them,” said Dickenson.

INSISTENCE IS FUTILE

 

Speaking of knockdowns, the BC Lions’ defence tied the CFL single-game record for knockdowns with 13 against the Alouettes.

Als’ running back William Stanback was enjoying a very good night, and he’d finish with 18 carries for 139 yards, but despite the success on terra firma, the Alouettes kept jacking up long aerial shots, none of them, really, resulting in the desired results, save for an incredible nab by receiver Eugene Lewis, in tight, double coverage.

Montreal’s philosophy on long-bombing against the BC Lions went this way:

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try… try… try… try… try….

Great. Now I’ve got that Blue Rodeo song stuck in my head.

I THINK THAT ELBOW’S OKAY NOW

 

BC’s 75-yard pass and run touchdown play to Lucky Whitehead showed off more of Whitehead’s impressive, game-breaking talents.

But it also showed off the Michael Reilly of old. The veteran quarterback, who has been continually battling elbow troubles throughout the first half of the season, launched a beautiful, on-the-money, tight spiral that travelled about 59 yards in the air, perfectly plopping into the outstretched arms of Whitehead, who broke not one stride in making the reception.

“Mike really had a lot of zip on that ball, which was good to see,” said Lions’ coach Rick Campbell, after the game.

Seems Michael Reilly’s elbow is juuuuuust fine, now.

I think.

HEY YOU. YOU’RE ON NOTICE. BIG TIME.

It’s kind of rare, but every once in awhile a coach surprises you with a breath of fresh air. A breath of fresh, excoriating air.

Calgary coach Dave Dickenson did just that after his team’s loss in Hamilton, making it publicly obvious that one of his players is in roster peril.

Dickenson was asked a question about Mike Rose, who’d been flagged for unnecessary roughness during the game. Quite often, a coach will react to a question like that with some mild, generic disappointment followed by a grim “that’s something we’re dealing with internally.”

Dickenson, though, was candid in his criticism.

“Mike can’t do that,” he said, making absolutely certain that Rose and anybody listening would know exactly how thin the ice was, beneath the defensive lineman’s feet.

“I think he needs to grow up,” continued Dickenson. “I think Mike Rose better figure stuff out real soon. If he wants to continue that, he’ll be on his own. He knows it, but it’s B.S. If he does it again he’s gotta have consequences.”

Dickenson wants his Rose to be only so thorny, or else it’s outta the garden.

AND FINALLY… If the Elks can refine the guidance system in those Taylor Cornelius missiles – and provided he doesn’t break his receivers hands or ribs – look out.

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