2014 CFL Regular Season Thread

[tvp2003]

I have a hard time believing Edmonton would lose to the Riders just so they can turn around and play them again in the Western semi. Besides, with the way they trounced BC I'm guessing they would have no problem playing them instead of Saskatchewan.

[old-fart]

Sask is pretty easy to game plan against - stop the run. Not one of their QBs is scary if forced to throw the ball. When Edmonton basically sold out to stop the run in the second half, Sask did nothing offensively. Expect the Edmonton D to play the run huge, and the check down dump offs to the running backs. If Reilly isn't playing, expect a low scoring game that will be boring as all hell.

Honestly, as a long time fan of the CFL, I'm really seeing a decline in interest. This has been a very bad year for the CFL and unless something changes, I see a continued decline going forward. Once mid-September hits and hockey season actually starts, interest in this 3rd tier league drops significantly in basically every CFL city except one. Even Hamilton cares more about hockey once it starts up than the CFL. The poor reffing, the blatant disregard of the SMS by one team, the generally poor play, the loss of any actual good player to the NFL... it all leads to a general lack of interest and I see attendance will continue to decline until the CFL is finally put out to pasture.

[Flickered Flame]

Ed Hervey on Reilly's foot injury - we have reason to be concerned.

[The Familia]

Originally Posted by old-fart

Sask is pretty easy to game plan against - stop the run. Not one of their QBs is scary if forced to throw the ball. When Edmonton basically sold out to stop the run in the second half, Sask did nothing offensively. Expect the Edmonton D to play the run huge, and the check down dump offs to the running backs. If Reilly isn't playing, expect a low scoring game that will be boring as all hell.

Honestly, as a long time fan of the CFL, I'm really seeing a decline in interest. This has been a very bad year for the CFL and unless something changes, I see a continued decline going forward. Once mid-September hits and hockey season actually starts, interest in this 3rd tier league drops significantly in basically every CFL city except one. Even Hamilton cares more about hockey once it starts up than the CFL. The poor reffing, the blatant disregard of the SMS by one team, the generally poor play, the loss of any actual good player to the NFL... it all leads to a general lack of interest and I see attendance will continue to decline until the CFL is finally put out to pasture.

Wow. One bad season and it's game over for the CFL? I'll agree with you that this year has been rough. Low scoring, too many penalties, sloppy play, superstars retiring, expansion year with a diluted talent pool, and too many rookies have all made for some bad games this year. On the other hand lots of positives. New, renovated, and under construction stadiums in BC, edmonton, sask, winnipeg, ottawa, and hamilton give a new image and new revenue for teams. New CBA will help. The league has survived in some form for 100 years and has weathered far bigger storms than this year. Tweek the rules and flags, keep developing the rookies, market the league better, and get a tenth team and the league will be fine. Ebb and flow of sports. Every league has up and down years. The league will thrive and be fine for another 100 years!

[MissTeeks]

News Talk 770 Stamps‏@Newstalkstamps5m5 minutes ago

As @630CHED , @cfl_esks will start Matt Nichols at QB in WS vs @BCLions . Mike Reilly to dress.

[waner]

Originally Posted by The Familia

Wow. One bad season and it's game over for the CFL? I'll agree with you that this year has been rough. Low scoring, too many penalties, sloppy play, superstars retiring, expansion year with a diluted talent pool, and too many rookies have all made for some bad games this year. On the other hand lots of positives. New, renovated, and under construction stadiums in BC, edmonton, sask, winnipeg, ottawa, and hamilton give a new image and new revenue for teams. New CBA will help. The league has survived in some form for 100 years and has weathered far bigger storms than this year. Tweek the rules and flags, keep developing the rookies, market the league better, and get a tenth team and the league will be fine. Ebb and flow of sports. Every league has up and down years. The league will thrive and be fine for another 100 years!

I think it is more than one bad year and don't think the league is going to fold but it does seem to have some major issues that weren't there even 10 years ago.

I am not sure about what the overall numbers say but anedoctally I can say me and most of the people I know have gone from watching every week going to Grey Cups to probably 8/10 barely following the league anymore. The general buzz around the CFL seems to have dropped off in more than just my small group of friends/acquaintances.

The league seems to have lost all of its marquee guys and is increasing losing players to the NFL. The real problem now seems to be the lack of quality QB's in a QB driven league. The best QB is BLM and he has started what 12 games in his career? Most outside of Stampeder fans couldn't pick him out of a line-up. The most recognizable QB is Durant and he sucks and is propped up only because of loser Rider fans overrating him and everything else about their loser franchise.

I think the CFL is at risk of falling into the 2nd tier of after thought sports that many of its haters have claimed it has been in for years. In the East it is already there. With the lack of star players for the league to sell and the continued moronic moves the league makes (ie fixing games for one franchise, one guy owning two teams and doing an awful job at it, stupid game times/days) the league isn't in trouble of folding but is in need of a real big change and improvements.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

News Talk 770 Stamps‏@Newstalkstamps5m5 minutes ago

As @630CHED , @cfl_esks will start Matt Nichols at QB in WS vs @BCLions . Mike Reilly to dress.

I'll believe it when Nichols comes out for the first series. At a minimum I expect Reilly to come in off the bench if Edmonton's O isn't moving the ball effectively

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

News Talk 770 Stamps‏@Newstalkstamps5m5 minutes ago

As @630CHED , @cfl_esks will start Matt Nichols at QB in WS vs @BCLions . Mike Reilly to dress.

Considering the Esks play the Riders, how reliable is this informarion?

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Bent Wookie

Considering the Esks play the Riders, how reliable is this informarion?

Here's the original tweet:

630CHED @630CHED · 1h 1 hour ago
The Esks have ended the guessing game. Matt Nichols will start Sunday vs Sask in WSF. Mike Reilly is expected to dress for the game.

[MissTeeks]

CFL announced the East and West All-Star teams:

http://cfl.ca/article/shooting-stars...tars-announced

7 Stamps made the West All-Star team: Jon Cornish (RB); Stanley Bryant (OT); Brett Jones (C); Fred Bennett (CB); Brandon Smith (HB); Jamar Wall (HB); Rob Maver (P)

[waner]

BLM had more yards, more TD's and less INTs than Reilly. He had a much better record as well.

Why would Reilly make it over him?

[MissTeeks]

Number of All Stars by team:

Montreal - 11
Hamilton - 10
Edmonton - 9
Calgary - 7
Toronto - 6
BC - 5
Saskatchewan - 5
Winnipeg - 1
Ottawa - 0

[old-fart]

So the Stamps, the best team in the league by a country mile and winners of every single series have the 4th most all stars. I can sort of understand why Montreal and Hamilton placed so many considering there were only really 3 teams in the East (Ottawa was putrid), but how does a team that lost all 3 games against the Stamps, a team that finished 3 wins behind the Stamps, have more all stars?

Meh, not really a big deal. Like Power Rankings allstar nods are just opinions.

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by waner

I think it is more than one bad year and don't think the league is going to fold but it does seem to have some major issues that weren't there even 10 years ago.

I am not sure about what the overall numbers say but anedoctally I can say me and most of the people I know have gone from watching every week going to Grey Cups to probably 8/10 barely following the league anymore. The general buzz around the CFL seems to have dropped off in more than just my small group of friends/acquaintances.

The league seems to have lost all of its marquee guys and is increasing losing players to the NFL. The real problem now seems to be the lack of quality QB's in a QB driven league. The best QB is BLM and he has started what 12 games in his career? Most outside of Stampeder fans couldn't pick him out of a line-up. The most recognizable QB is Durant and he sucks and is propped up only because of loser Rider fans overrating him and everything else about their loser franchise.

I think the CFL is at risk of falling into the 2nd tier of after thought sports that many of its haters have claimed it has been in for years. In the East it is already there. With the lack of star players for the league to sell and the continued moronic moves the league makes (ie fixing games for one franchise, one guy owning two teams and doing an awful job at it, stupid game times/days) the league isn't in trouble of folding but is in need of a real big change and improvements.

Good post, but a few comments I would make:

The CFL is already a Tier 2 league (and has been for decades) and I think most rational people would agree. When I make more than most of the players, it is a Tier 2 league. When there are only 9 teams (8 for the better part of the past many years) and 6 of them make the playoffs every year, it is a Tier 2 league. When you are playing games in a university stadium in one of those places, and are considering a similar move from an indoor facility in another place, it is a Tier 2 league. When there are only 9 teams and 2 of are owned by the same damn guy, it is a Tier 2 joke of a league. When one of the cities has had multiple attempts to try and get football to work - the nations capital no less - and it continues to fail and fail and fail, and continues to bring in owners that are either morons, caricatures, or outright loony, it is a Tier 2 league.

In every single CFL city except one, as soon as NHL training camps open the CFL takes a huge back seat (I'm including Hamilton as a city that cares more about the NHL than the CFL). The only place in Canada that the CFL is number one in is Saskatchewan. Every other province either has an NHL team to capture their attention (or multiple NHL teams), or has neither NHL nor CFL, and will default to hockey faster than a fart in a hurricane. Overall interest in sport in this country goes NHL by a huge margin, NFL, MLB, NBA and then probably the CFL. Now that I think about it, the CFL is at best Tier 2 in Canada, but in North America is it likely Tier 5 or 6 - or worse. Nascar has more fans than the CFL and all they do is turn left. Why are the games in the fall scheduled on Friday night and Saturday for the most part? Because the CFL can't compete with the NFL on Sundays.

Like you, I don't have hard numbers but I suspect attendance is down overall in most CFL cities. Winnipeg saw an increase due to the new stadium, but took a hit later in the year. I suspect we'll see reduced numbers there next year. In my circle of friends, most have no idea who is playing on the weekend, what the scores of recent games were, what the standings are, etc. These were all friends that either used to have season tickets or would at least watch the games on weekends, and make plans for the playoffs (Grey Cup party or what have you). Younger fans don't seem to be engaged at all. I see no one in my office wearing a jersey, yet many wearing hockey jerseys on game days. I see more cars with NFL flags on the stupid little antennas than I do CFL flags. I can't recall the last time a friend asked if I wanted to get together to watch a CFL game - actually I can, it was the '08 Grey Cup.

I'm not saying the league is going to fold overnight, and I do think that because it is an institution in this country to some degree it will continue to be propped up by the government, but I do think in 5 years when people look back at the taxpayer money that is being spent in Winnipeg, Hamilton and Regina and then look at what the return on that money is for 9 games a year that are not sold out...there will be questions.

Maybe I'm wrong - maybe the CFL will really catch on and be able to compete with the NHL and other major sports leagues like MLB, NBA and NFL.

Maybe, but I seriously doubt it.

[Fire]

The CFL needs to make changes to create more offense. I have no idea what they could do, but this season was quite bad for entertainment.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by Fire

The CFL needs to make changes to create more offense. I have no idea what they could do, but this season was quite bad for entertainment.

It would be sacrilegious to most traditionalists and probably should only be viewed as a last resort, but what about going to 4 down football in the CFL? You want more offense, it starts with keeping the offense on the field.

/I don't think it would ever happen, by the way and I hope it never does.

[dash_pinched]

I think the only guy that stands out to me missing on getting an all-star nod was Keon Raymond, he had a fine season.

Edit: I guess he's more of a LB than a DB these days and there's some stiff competition at that position.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I was surprised Keon didn't get an all-star nod as well, he was fantastic this year.

I also hope we never see 4 down football up here. I think as these young QBs grow Abba mature that the league wide offence will pick right back up. This was an odd year as the were so many young QBs starting as well as veteran QBs getting injured. With Reilly, Mitchell, and Colaros I think the CFL's quarterback future is in good hands.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

It would be sacrilegious to most traditionalists and probably should only be viewed as a last resort, but what about going to 4 down football in the CFL? You want more offense, it starts with keeping the offense on the field.

/I don't think it would ever happen, by the way and I hope it never does.

That was the thinking when the Americans added a fourth down to the game way back in the early days of the game.

The problem is that it doesn't actually lead to more scoring because teams can play a more conservative run-based game, which leads to fewer longer and slower possessions. If your running game averages 3.5 yards per carry, you'll hardly ever need to throw the ball with four downs, but you'll have to throw the ball virtually every other snap with three downs.


This is the first year in many where the average number of total points scored per game in the CFL was lower than the average number of total points scored per game in the NFL.

I only went back to 2009, but here are the numbers (average total points per game):

• 2014 : CFL = 45.48 | NFL (through week 10) = 46.68
• 2013: CFL = 52.40 | NFL = 46.82
• 2012: CFL = 51.81 | NFL = 45.51
• 2011: CFL = 50.28 | NFL = 44.36
• 2010: CFL = 52.92 | NFL = 44.07
• 2009: CFL = 51.26 | NFL = 42.93

Scoring this season was down by almost a touchdown per game over last season, but it's only a little over a point less than the NFL to this point.

[tvp2003]

I would blame it on the lack of QB talent and depth. The amount of injuries -- and resulting number of teams playing untested, inexperienced quarterbacks -- was astounding this year. With two other guys (Ray and Burris) likely nearing the end, and another potentially done due to injury (Lulay), there are way too many question marks at the QB position across the league.

I would give it another 3-4 years for teams to sort that out (not only developing a starter but having a decent backup) -- once the offenses can get back up to speed against the defences I think you'll see scoring pick up.