In 2008 the Calgary defense struggled early on defence due to the number of rookies in the line up, particularly at the halfback position. In fact, that was probably their weakest component throughout the season. Not much changed at the start of 2009 with Calgary introducing new linebackers, a 3 new defensive linemen, and of course, new halfbacks.
Now we're past the mid-way point in the season, couple that with injuries, and 80% of the defense looks different from day one. And much like last year, the weakest component remains the halfback position. At the start the linebackers were in desperate need of help against the run but new additions in the middle have helped. At halfback the two starters at the beginning of the year, Tate and Amadi, are now out. The experiment continued with new additions Eubanks, who has performed well, and tonight Dean Webb who was torched every other play for monster gains and touchdowns all night long.
Eventually continous changes are going to kill this team, plain and simple. And why do we have to start rookies in the middle of the season, was Amadi really that bad? Is finding quality halfbacks that hard? Or maybe we have some players within who can step up.
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The Calgary Stampeders have acquired receivers Romby Bryant and Arjei Franklin from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a deal for receivers Jabari Arthur and Titus Ryan, plus defensive lineman Odell Willis.
Calgary also gets a third-round pick in 2010 and the rights to an unnamed negotiation-list player, while fourth and sixth round picks in 2010 also went to Winnipeg.
You expected Calgary to deal with the loss of Thelwell and Rambo no closer to returning. here is the break down of the trade from our perspective.
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Stamps Offence Lifeless
Did you know that if you rag on the ref long enough in a game because he spends the entire game by your head coach, you complain non stop, and then with a minute an a half left you do an acting job to get a call, that it actually works? Just like the boy who cried wolf (I'm guessing he gets eaten in a gory death by the wolf?) Quinton Porter did a fantastic acting job, grabbing his head in pain, jumping up right after and smiling as he extended a drive that would have given Calgary a chance to tie tonight's football game.
The penalty was unnecessary roughness--hit to the head. Replays clearly show very little contact to the head....I guess I just don't know the rules. Nonetheless, all the complaining by the Hamilton coaching staff caught on TSN all night long paid off with the bogus call at the end. Did it change the game? Yes. Completely. Was it the reason for Calgary's loss? Not a chance.
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The Stampeders moved into first place in the West division for the first time this season after achieving a rare feat: win back-to-back Labour Day games. The Classic shifted to Edmonton after Calgary came out strong Monday with a convincing 32-8 win.
The Edmonton Eskimos looked to recapture their winning form in Friday's contest at home. In true CFL fashion, the first game was a monster dud, albeit it went to OT (Ham v. Tor with less than 40 points total). The second game, however, in true CFL fashion again, went down to the wire.
If you recall it was Aug 13th, when Edmonton came back with seconds to spare to squeak a 3 point win over the Stamps. Fred Stamps played hero that day, and he got things going earlier for the Eskimos in Game Two of the Labour Day Classic.
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It was punt after punt for an entire first half. I don't get how so many CFL games are SO boring this year. It seems the Stamps don't mind the boredom either, they freely participate in piecing together incomplete games. In fact, when Calgary figures out how to string together 60 minutes, they'll probably be back Grey Cup form. Until then, fans have to watch full halves of at least one element of the team underperforming.
On Saturday against the lowly Toronto Argonauts, the Stamps and Argos went INTO the 3rd quarter scoring ONLY three points each. That's 3-3 folks, one field goal each for 30 minutes of play. How? I don't know. Was it really a defensive showdown? More like offensive sputter. Although Calgary's D did stand up tall, both offences has their struggles that left arm chair coaches shaking their heads.
Thankfully the second half provided some fireworks.
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A short post tonight as we're having hardware problems.
All in all, when you score 35 points you should win the game. Calgary had trouble on one front. THE RUN GAME.
On offense they had no run game, on defense they, once again, couldn't stop the run.
Couple in shotty special teams play that gave Edmonton life at all the wrong times, and you have a last second loss for the Stamps who drop to 4-3 now.
Lots of questions to ask on defence as nothing seems to be happening from the front four to the middle linebacker.
Monster First Half For Calgary
Coming off their recent loss against Saskatchewan, the Calgary Stampeders looked to regain their Grey Cup winning form against this year's Hamilton Tiger Cats, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The latest Bombers QB, Mike Bishop, started game number two, and with his limited playbook, couldn't generate any offence in the entire first half.
Calgary on the other hand opened the game with a field-goal score and promptly recovered the ball on a forced fumble. In fact, the Winnipeg offense didn't step onto the field until the mid-way point of the first quarter.
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I've said it all year (which doesn't mean much since it's game 5), but the Saskatchewan Roughriders would be a MUCH better team if they actually had a quarterback. They had on Kerry Joseph, but since then, not so much. To say Darian Durant is the answer to all the Green questions is pretty lame, a championship would arrive routinely if they secured someone--well--better.
Having said that, the Stamps do have a solid QB, yet there were times you wouldn't know it Saturday. The offense grossly underperformed, especially in the third quarter, while the defense looked weak agaisnst the pass in the fourth and first quarters.
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