Thursday 22 March 2012

Could Brandon London Make The Deep Receiving Core A Four Headed Monster Attack

Entering the 2011 training camp, very few diehard football fans knew the name of Brandon London.

In-fact, a friend of mine who is a passionate New York Giants partisan, became excited upon hearing that London was apart of the Montreal Alouettes roster.

Having come from a football family, as his father, Mike is the head coach of the University of Virginia; Brandon knows what it takes to be successful at the professional level and in life.

There is no denying London has been blessed along his football journey. He has achieved a rare feat of winning a Super Bowl (with the Giants) and Grey Cup in his young career. The question is which ring is nicer looking?

This season, entering his second training camp, the team can pencil in Brian Bratton, S.J. Green, and Jamel Richardson as starters in the receiving core. That would leave one open spot.

I firmly believe that London will have an inside track on earning the fourth position. Moreover, listed at 6’4, and 210 pounds, he is a matchup problem playing against smaller defensive backs.

In 2011 Green, and Richardson statistically dominated opposing defenses. Factor in Bratton’s solid production, London was no slouch as he finished with 38 receptions, 475 receiving yards, and one touchdown.

With Kerry Watkins retiring during the offseason, it will be imperative for London to take the next step in his Alouettes career to assert himself as the fourth starter in the lineup. He will be facing competition from the likes of Bo Bowling, Eric Deslauriers, Felton Huggins, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (if he decides to play in the CFL), and Adam Mims who the team has very high hopes for.

We already know what Bratton, Green, and Richardson can do. Let’s not forget during the three year Grey Cup run, the offense was at its best when all four receivers on the field had a say in the football game.

As mentioned in the Bratton article that he could join Green, and Richardson in becoming the first trio of receivers since 2009 to have 1,000 yards each. Could London make it four pass catchers with 1,000 yards, a feat not achieved since 2005.

But if London could surpass his totals from last year, it would make life much easier on Anthony Calvillo, and his cohorts.

The team will face a stiff test in the first few weeks of the season. They will be playing arguably the most aggressive, and athletic secondary in the Calgary Stampeders, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

For those keeping score at home, the Alouettes have a bone to pick with both clubs, as they essentially ended their hopes of winning the East division last year with two late October losses.

The Alouettes have been blessed to have depth players such as London waiting in the wings for their opportunity to be a full time contributor.

This year, could be the season where London would make the receiving core a quartet threat.

Follow me on Twitter @MoeKhan19

Listen to me every Friday morning on The Midnight Snack from midnight-2am, every Tuesday night on Gamepoints, and various shows on TSN 990.


Photo credit: http://www.cfl.ca/

2 comments:

  1. now mr. khan can you please fill me in on a couple of points you made!! thank you!! #1 derrell johnson-koulianos explain "if he wants to play in the CFL"? #2 still not sure on brandon london!! does he have watkins speed? because I would say no!! but I like his height of 6'4"!! #3 won a GC? when? as what? #4 you wrote he's entering his 2nd TC so how could he win a GC ring unless he received a ring for being on the PR in 2010 when the als won the GC? #5 why do the als keep signing eric deslauriers? #6 C aaron hargreaves a 6'4" WR/SB formerly of BBs is a free agent why doesn't GM popp sign him to replace danny desriveau since #80 is our only C receiver on the roster?

    ReplyDelete
  2. My provisional draft list: I would like to see montreal draft any/all of these players come draft time!! but of course it's only a 1 in 8 chance that the als will get any of them!! my 1st choice at pick #11 of the draft: DE christo bilukidi from georgia state 6'5" 290 lbs!! of course DE tyrone crawford from boise state would also be nice but w/out a 1st round pick that's out!! other DL would be: DE from U de laval arnaud gascon-nadon and justin capicciotti from simon fraser U!! my 3 receivers would be in this exact order: #1 johnny aprile queens U #2 ismael bamba sherbrooke U #3 simon charboneau-campeau sherbrooke U!! later picks maybe RB nathan riva western U and from acadia U QB jack creighton!! creighton would be just like our #10 who was a QB in the CIS!! REMEMBER THIS LIST SUBJECT TO CHANCE UNTIL THE DRAFT!!

    ReplyDelete