Elks: Edmonton Eskimos 2018 v5

[Kyle McMahon]

Are you kidding? The defence has been bad all yeas. Sucked when the big moments came to stop BC. They did get a little better as the season progressed but got exposed this time.

The defense that allowed 16 and 12 points the last two games was bad all year?

Criticize the defense all you want, they deserve plenty. But they did pull together in the last half of the season. The offense fell off a f***ing cliff in August. They were the main culprit in every game we lost this year. Every single one besides maybe the Hamilton loss in Week 2, and arguably last night, where all 3 units simply didn't deliver.

I hope desperately that we re-sign Reilly. But there's nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade. His play was simply trash the last two months. He may be injured, or maybe just a slump. But it's undeniable that his play was nowhere near good enough. Hopefully he rebounds next year, and hopefully it's in an Eskimo uniform with somebody with more than 1 brain cell calling in the plays.

So question for everyone, does Maas go down as the worst coach in Eskimos history? I say yes. Maciocia was awful as a coach, but did most of the damage as the GM. Kavis was an idiot, but at least didn't have the MOP at QB during his losing seasons.

 

[Stoneman89]

I can’t bring myself to cheer for Calgary next weekend, and they’ve brought this scenario on themselves, so when the Bombers clinch on Friday, it should be interesting to see Len “Busta” Rhodes taking in the meaningless finale, along with 5000 or so diehards.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The defense that allowed 16 and 12 points the last two games was bad all year?

Criticize the defense all you want, they deserve plenty. But they did pull together in the last half of the season. The offense fell off a ****ing cliff in August. They were the main culprit in every game we lost this year. Every single one besides maybe the Hamilton loss in Week 2, and arguably last night, where all 3 units simply didn't deliver.

I hope desperately that we re-sign Reilly. But there's nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade. His play was simply trash the last two months. He may be injured, or maybe just a slump. But it's undeniable that his play was nowhere near good enough. Hopefully he rebounds next year, and hopefully it's in an Eskimo uniform with somebody with more than 1 brain cell calling in the plays.

So question for everyone, does Maas go down as the worst coach in Eskimos history? I say yes. Maciocia was awful as a coach, but did most of the damage as the GM. Kavis was an idiot, but at least didn't have the MOP at QB during his losing seasons.

First of all thanks Kyle for the way you are able to actually discuss things on this and other threads. Its nice to have convos that don't go sideways.

My concern is the d pulled together too late. Many of us had commented that Bazzie was specifically underwhelming for the first dozen games. Also noted that the secondary was suspect. Reilly and the offense carried this club for the first dozen games for the most part. At which they were fairly spent, banged up, and exposed to injury due to having perennially be the difference makers, see, Williams, Walker, Reilly.

So Its nice the D kind of showed up for a few games. Good of em, but even when they have there has been holes. Also like I noted that was the first D TD all year. Other WC clubs have D's that punch the ball in regularly or get special teams TD's or both. On the good ship Eskimo its riding on offense almost all day any week.

The comment about Reilly I can't agree with. Some of those games he was trash he was running for 50yds, getting a lot of our first downs, and taking punishment and still standing up. Matt Nichols, Travis Lulay, others wouldn't even be still standing if they took this much punishment.

I find it incredible to come here and consistently find the teams best player, Reilly, the most likely to be named and singled out for criticism on the team. Its myopic, right?

Does anybody even debate Reilly is the best player on this team and its leader? Unfortunately being mortal means you can't be superhuman every day on the gridiron. Especially when you're getting pounded non stop and receivers are not getting open.

What is trash is that Reilly is being wasted here, quite clearly.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Just a general comment but the "calls to reason'' specific to the Eskimos current brand and operations is something I don't personally abide by. The org, in its current functioning, holds no regard for me, Joefan, has no reasonable expectation of regard in return. The poison pill was the firing of Hervey. The problem was the hiring of Rhodes. The org put a priority on window dressing over performance. They even stated as much that "theres more than winning"

Well, not to fans. That's a hard sell, harder in a GC hosting year.

But what is worthy of so much contempt is how present management turned a recent Grey Cup winner into this pathetic roster.

The worst thing is that Rhodes etal did that while claiming to be all about improving the fan experience and fan game experience.


The only improvement noted is an increased willingness for people to not have to be bothered with the product anymore, and not even care about it anymore, which is the biggest issue going forward, that this once proud org has turned off so many fans.

Its actually kind of hilarious the team is missing the playoffs in a Grey Cup hosting year in Edmonton. Nothing speaks incompetence louder than that.

So this org doesn't get my reason, it gets my contempt. Which is fair given what has occurred.

I'm cheering for the Leos and Hervey now that the Eskimos are likely out. Would be sublime irony if the Lions won. I would slow clap Hervey one more time. Man, we miss ya Ed!

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

looking at you Rhodes, and Terry Jones

 

[MoontoScott]

Oh lol at this. The "walk in their shoes before you can comment on them attempted fallacy. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

Strap on the helmet and take a helmet to helmet hit and get serial concussions or you can't intelligibly comment on football..

Is that really what you are saying? Please let us know Rhino.

ps Reilly has had yet another legendary +5000k passing yds season. So clearly not the problem. But you see no difficulty finding fault for people having regard for the one person that is worthy of it.

Well, I doubt you are very well read on matters of science or nature but the rhino is a magnificent and rare species that I have studied at some length. I find a beauty and majesty in animals that is sadly lacking in some of the human species. This, as a matter of record, is a Southern White Rhino although since it has just had a mud bath appearances can be deceiving. The white rhino is in fact gray and not white. This particular animal is from Kruger Park in South Africa and survived a poaching attempt by what you might call real cowards. Hence his media status.

But here's some good news for you and the thread. I am not going to respond to any more of your individual posts because refuting the absurd is in itself an absurdity. Accordingly, please do not respond to my posts or send me anymore PMs late at night. Thanks for your cooperation and I wish you well in your future posts and interaction with the various thread members.

 

[MoontoScott]

 

[MoontoScott]

[Q

 

[Drivesaitl]

Well, I doubt you are very well read on matters of science or nature but the rhino is a magnificent and rare species that I have studied at some length. I find a beauty and majesty in animals that is sadly lacking in some of the human species. This, as a matter of record, is a Southern White Rhino although since it has just had a mud bath appearances can be deceiving. The white rhino is in fact gray and not white. This particular animal is from Kruger Park in South Africa and survived a poaching attempt by what you might call real cowards. Hence his media status.

But here's some good news for you and the thread. I am not going to respond to any more of your individual posts because refuting the absurd is in itself an absurdity. Accordingly, please do not respond to my posts or send me anymore PMs late at night. Thanks for your cooperation and I wish you well in your future posts and interaction with the various thread members.

I'm a Bioscience minor actually. With some specialism in ecology, Botany, and ample study on ecosystems. I had fantastic professors and always interested in the subject area. From Elementary school on it was an area of interest. I was reading books on biology/ecology from Elementary on and I was enough of a nerd that hanging around at the Old Provincial Museum was something I would do for fun.

Don't recall sending you any PM other than one, Which was very brief and to the point. Usually if I send any PM's its further to mending apparent discord. Although in this specific case it was a terse one word depiction to a series of your posts.

Hey we don't get along, that happens in real life or online and sometimes people just click, ignore, or some other thing. The very odd thing is we probably share a lot more interests than you might think, as people do, and I don't claim to have put my best foot forward in this thread, I haven't. So I own that part of it.

Thanks for taking the high road, which you have. I'll do my part to ignore if that's what is wanted,

 

[guymez]

@MoontoScott
Would I be correct in suggesting that really only 1 person should be avoiding eye contact with the fans?

 

[guymez]

Double post.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The Esks have the dumbest GM and coach in Edmonton.

And that's saying something.

 

[guymez]

Anybody else think that the Riders are going to win the GC?

I think they will be the team to beat.

 

[Cloned]

Worst case scenario is that the Bombers actually stink it up and the Esks somehow fluke their way into the playoffs.

Could very well happen, and it would likely mean at least another season for Rhodes/Sunderland/Maas/etc.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

If the Riders could score touchdowns in the red zone, this game wouldn't be close (despite just scoring one).

That will be their undoing in the playoffs.

 

[rboomercat90]

Anybody else think that the Riders are going to win the GC?

I think they will be the team to beat.

I think it’s wide open for anybody who gets in the playoffs this year. Each team looks so different from week to week it’s hard to know what you’ll get from anybody. Riders looked good tonight. They didn’t look good last week.

 

[guymez]

I think it’s wide open for anybody who gets in the playoffs this year. Each team looks so different from week to week it’s hard to know what you’ll get from anybody. Riders looked good tonight. They didn’t look good last week.

True but I think last week was a aberration for the Riders. It happens sometimes during a season.

If Collaros plays at or near the level he played today then they are going to be very tough to beat.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

First of all thanks Kyle for the way you are able to actually discuss things on this and other threads. Its nice to have convos that don't go sideways.

My concern is the d pulled together too late. Many of us had commented that Bazzie was specifically underwhelming for the first dozen games. Also noted that the secondary was suspect. Reilly and the offense carried this club for the first dozen games for the most part. At which they were fairly spent, banged up, and exposed to injury due to having perennially be the difference makers, see, Williams, Walker, Reilly.

So Its nice the D kind of showed up for a few games. Good of em, but even when they have there has been holes. Also like I noted that was the first D TD all year. Other WC clubs have D's that punch the ball in regularly or get special teams TD's or both. On the good ship Eskimo its riding on offense almost all day any week.

The comment about Reilly I can't agree with. Some of those games he was trash he was running for 50yds, getting a lot of our first downs, and taking punishment and still standing up. Matt Nichols, Travis Lulay, others wouldn't even be still standing if they took this much punishment.

I find it incredible to come here and consistently find the teams best player, Reilly, the most likely to be named and singled out for criticism on the team. Its myopic, right?

Does anybody even debate Reilly is the best player on this team and its leader? Unfortunately being mortal means you can't be superhuman every day on the gridiron. Especially when you're getting pounded non stop and receivers are not getting open.

What is trash is that Reilly is being wasted here, quite clearly.

The D pulled together too late...alright, I can agree with that. But wouldn't you agree that it's better late than never? The offense really never got any traction after the first three games of the season, other than games against the Alouettes and the Labour Day Rematch. And they got progressively worse week after week during the crucial stretch of the season. I can't buy the notion that they were "spent" after having to be the difference maker earlier in the season. Some key injuries, yes, but you seem to be implying that they "ran out of gas" or something, which really makes no sense to me. Snaps are snaps, regardless of what the other side of the ball is doing.

The D not scoring any points compared to other D's is a function of spending the bulk of our salary cap on offensive playmakers. Reilly, Gable, Walker, Williams, Stafford...big-name vets with big contracts. Compare to Sask who has a patchwork crew of relatively unknown receivers and backs. Their big-ticket playmakers - Hughes, Jefferson, Gainey - are all on defense. Plus a huge year out of Nick Marshall, Auburn star QB converted to Rider star DB.

We simply don't have those playmakers on D. That falls at the feet of Sunderland and our scouts. I also think part of it was the organizational philosophy that this team would be based around Reilly and the offense, and that's where resources were directed. We were only ever supposed to have an average defense; it was the elite offense scoring 30+ in most games that was going to be the reason we were successful. Chris Jones and the Riders, the exact opposite. The difference in records comes down to the Eskimos having a coach that was actively handicapping the side of the ball that was supposed to be our meal ticket. Jones sucks offensively too, but lives and dies with his defense anyway, and builds rosters accordingly.

Reilly being singled out for criticism comes with the job. The QB touches the ball on every offensive snap, far more than any other player. He is accordingly credited with the lion's share when things go well, and also when they don't. You can still agree that a player is the leader and best player on the team, while criticizing him after bad games. Reilly has thrown some really bad picks lately, which is out of character for him, but they happened. He has also missed wide open receivers even on short passes with regularity the last month. He's probably hurt, but it is what it is. If Connor McDavid has a month of hockey where he only scores 5 points, he will deservedly be criticized while still acknowledged as the league's best player. No different with Mike.

No question that he's been wasted though. Just like Ray before him. Years on end of Hall of Fame level QB play and Maciocia and Maas still managed to f*** it up. 1 Grey Cup appearance in 13 seasons with a Hall of Famer at QB for 12 of them is an absolute joke.

 

[Stoneman89]

I like the Lions to win it all if Lully stays healthy. The additions of a solid running back like Sutton and a game breaking receiver like Posey give them weapons they needed to get them over the top, especially with the loss of Arceneaux. Hopefully Rainey is okay, because he gives them that special teams threat that all good teams need. The Riders have an incredible defence, but like someone else said, their lack of offence could be their undoing. Collaros is too hot and cold. I just think the Lions are peaking at the right time.

 

[Stoneman89]

I think our defence does have some names on it. Bazzie was a prize free agent catch. Took him a while to get going but he’s been solid to great the last 2/3rds of the schedule. Almondo Sewell is a perennial all star and lynchpin in the middle. JT Sherritt is arguably the best at his position. And Aaron Grymes, after a slow start, is proving why he was given a lengthy NFL shot.

The biggest difference between ourselves and the Riders though, is 3 things. Our defensive backfield is a mess, and I think most of us realized this at the beginning of the season, except for perhaps one poster who no longer frequents this place. Other than Grymes, there isn’t one of them I would bring back as a starter.
Outside line backing is a weak spot as well. Edwards has been a disaster and Konar can’t stay healthy.
Thirdly, I think Benevides runs a largely unimaginative defensive scheme. Unlike some of his counterparts he really relies on a 4 man rush too much and his blitzes are standard and choreographed. The overall tackling on this team is the worst in the league, imo.

 

[Stoneman89]

First of all thanks Kyle for the way you are able to actually discuss things on this and other threads. Its nice to have convos that don't go sideways.

My concern is the d pulled together too late. Many of us had commented that Bazzie was specifically underwhelming for the first dozen games. Also noted that the secondary was suspect. Reilly and the offense carried this club for the first dozen games for the most part. At which they were fairly spent, banged up, and exposed to injury due to having perennially be the difference makers, see, Williams, Walker, Reilly.

So Its nice the D kind of showed up for a few games. Good of em, but even when they have there has been holes. Also like I noted that was the first D TD all year. Other WC clubs have D's that punch the ball in regularly or get special teams TD's or both. On the good ship Eskimo its riding on offense almost all day any week.

The comment about Reilly I can't agree with. Some of those games he was trash he was running for 50yds, getting a lot of our first downs, and taking punishment and still standing up. Matt Nichols, Travis Lulay, others wouldn't even be still standing if they took this much punishment.

I find it incredible to come here and consistently find the teams best player, Reilly, the most likely to be named and singled out for criticism on the team. Its myopic, right?

Does anybody even debate Reilly is the best player on this team and its leader? Unfortunately being mortal means you can't be superhuman every day on the gridiron. Especially when you're getting pounded non stop and receivers are not getting open.

What is trash is that Reilly is being wasted here, quite clearly.

I’ll agree with your very last sentence.

 

[MessierII]

If the Riders could score touchdowns in the red zone, this game wouldn't be close (despite just scoring one).

That will be their undoing in the playoffs.

Riders are a weird team.

 

[Stoneman89]

And now, to throw some gas on the fire, the media guy closest to the team, beat writer Gerry Modejonge, says in an article in the Journal that Maas may have now lost the room. One player said what they did in the 2nd half vs the Lions was “insanity”.

 

[guymez]

And now, to throw some gas on the fire, the media guy closest to the team, beat writer Gerry Modejonge, says in an article in the Journal that Maas may have now lost the room. One player said what they did in the 2nd half vs the Lions was “insanity”.

If true it doesnt really surprise me all that much. After the playoff debacle last year I tried to look at things from a player perspective. From that vantage point watching your head coach make a mindbogglingly stupid decision would have been completely deflating. It would have also made it extremely difficult to have faith in his decision making moving forward..
If you cant trust your coach to make smart decisions its over.

Maas has to go...no question in my mind.

 

[BlackDogg]

The Esks have the dumbest GM and coach in Edmonton.

And that's saying something.

Esks must be Latin for Oilers.

 

[Valhallis]

Anyone listen to any post-game interviews or anything? I couldn't be bothered after watching that mess of a game. Is there any accountability to be found? I'm guessing no. It's revolting that in a Grey Cup hosting year with Mike Reilly at the helm our hopes and dreams are left in the hands of Bo Levi in week 20 of the season. I may just give this CFL week a pass.