Edmonton Vs Toronto #2

7/14/2008 9:30:18 PM

One thing I like about this team is that so far, we've been very entertaining�this game was certainly no exception. In my professional career, that was probably the most complete team effort resulting in a win, that I've ever been a part of. Every team that I've been a part of has at some point in each week stressed the importance of us playing the game using all three facets. Offense, defence, and special teams must all be playing at a high level in order for it to be a complete victory. On Thursday, we had turnovers caused by our defence as well as a defensive score. On special teams we had almost 200 return yards also took one to the house. Finally, offensively we were able to get 4 touchdowns, 3 of which came via the ground game which had taken much heat as of late. Every single player in that locker room should have felt like they contributed to that win. I can tell that they did feel that way because at the run down the day after, I found record numbers of film watchers awaiting me once I got in to go through my own post game routine. You'd be surprised at how much a loss affects many people's desire to watch their own performance until they absolutely have to.

They say that winning masks a lot of deficiencies, but I didn't see that in our first day today. I saw guys being accountable and owning up to mistakes that they made in spite of such a complete effort. I saw guys watching each other intently knowing that in order for us to get where we need to be, it will require a championship effort each night from each and every one of us.

Toronto may be somewhat out of sorts by comparison to their usual steady ways, but they are by no means down and out, or a bad team. In their own backyard, I know them to be one of the most difficult wins to come across in this league, and I fully expect them to come out seeking redemption for their last home performance against the Ticats. They have tremendous talent all over the field, and some playmakers that given momentum can take the game out from under you. However, if we expect to be the team that the league looks too as an example of total performance, total team execution, and total team dominance. Those are PRECISELY the wins that we'll need to go in and get.

Side notes from this week in the league;

• Jesse Lumsden poses an interesting set of problems for a defence. You must get to him before he builds his speed up, or it's simply too late.
• Winnipeg may have looked better had they not run into a team that was so driven. I'm not sure if B.C. made one mistake while the game still mattered.
• Nobody enjoyed that win more than Prefontaine.
• Yet another CFL rule that should be examined showed up in the Hamilton Game.
• Clermont is a tough guy.
• Somewhere, Troy Westwood is laughing his head off.
• It wouldn't shock me to see Prefontaine decide the next game for us in Toronto.
• We've got a few candidates already for rookie of the year, should be interesting to watch.

©

Kp8.