Demolition of B.C. the kind of divisional win needed
41-8 demolition of B.C. just the kind of divisional victory coach has been seeking
Welcome to the latest Leader-Post-mortem, which is suitable for framing.
After all, it documents a landmark in the history of the Chris Jones-led Saskatchewan Roughriders — a meaningful victory over a West Division rival.
Following Sunday’s 41-8 conquest of the visiting B.C. Lions, Jones — the Roughriders’ second-year head coach who moonlights as the defensive co-ordinator — applauded his team’s physicality and execution on defence.
“I called the exact same game plan, without deviation, as the week prior,” noted Jones, referencing the Roughriders’ 30-15 loss in Vancouver on Aug. 5.
Although Jones still emphasized three- or four-man pass rushes on Sunday, he was more apt to aim extra attackers at the Lions’ quarterback than he had been eight days earlier.
TAYLOR FIELDS QUESTION
TSN SportsCentre’s Derek Taylor, whose analytics are a gift to CFL fans, was kind enough to answer my inquiry about the Roughriders’ pass-rushing tendencies.
According to Derek’s data, the Roughriders rushed with three men 19 per cent of the time in Vancouver, compared to 22 per cent in Regina.
However, there is a difference when you consider the reduced utilization of the four-man rush — 45 per cent of the time on Sunday, a decrease from 62.
Saskatchewan rushed with at least five attackers 33 per cent of the time on Sunday, compared to 19 per cent on Aug. 5.
Jones’ defence was somewhat more aggressive but, as he also noted during Sunday’s session with the media, the execution of the base packages was significantly improved.
Consider the oft-maligned three-man rush, for example.
In Vancouver, seven of the Roughriders’ 37 pass rushes were with three men. The results: Four completions for 80 yards, one incompletion, one Travis Lulay scramble, and a sack by Willie Jefferson.
Fast forward to Sunday: Jones sent three men on 11 of his team’s 49 pass rushes, per Taylor’s information. The results: Four completions for 56 yards, two incompletions, three sacks (by Tobi Antigha, Ese Mrabure and A.C. Leonard) and two interceptions (by Ed Gainey).
Much, much better.
GO-TO GAINEY
Of the Lions’ 42 passes, 25 were caught by somebody.
The leading targets: 1. Chris Williams, six receptions; 2. Emmanuel Arceneaux, five receptions; 3. Gainey, who had four of Saskatchewan’s five interceptions.
And get this: Gainey caught more passes than every Roughrider except Duron Carter, who had five receptions for 45 yards and one touchdown.
DO THE HUSTLE
Without much fanfare, Gainey actually played a key role in all five Saskatchewan interceptions.
On the first offensive series of the second half, the Lions’ Jeremiah Johnson took off on a 50-yard run before being pushed out of bounds by Gainey at the five-yard line.
Gainey was among the Roughriders’ players who attempted to tackle Johnson near first-down territory, but the Lions’ tailback found daylight toward the left sideline. Gainey, who was a yard or two inside of Johnson when he found open field, made up ground and eventually prevented a touchdown.
Two plays later, with Antigha applying pressure as part of his monster day, Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings was intercepted by Derrick Moncrief. Gainey deserved an assist, considering his never-give-up approach to the Johnson run.
PROOF POSITIVE
The Roughriders’ dominance on defence is underlined by the Lions’ offence’s low PPP — Positive Plays Percentage.
The PPP was invented by this statistical nerd as a means of evaluating the consistency with which the Roughriders execute on both sides of the ball.
Per this formula, a win is awarded to the offence or defence on each play from scrimmage.
A positive outcome for the offence is defined here as a touchdown, a first down, a firstand-10 play that gains at least five yards, or a second-down play that creates at least a third-and-short opportunity.
The Lions’ PPP was 36.8 — the lowest by any offence that has faced the 3-4 Roughriders this season. In the teams’ previous meeting, B.C. achieved positive results on 61.7 per cent of its offensive plays — the best of any Saskatchewan opponent to date.
On Sunday, the Roughriders’ offence had a PPP of 56.6. With Kevin Glenn in the game, however, the PPP was 62.5.
The seven-game PPPs — Saskatchewan 55.3 per cent, Opposition 50.0.
I would also like to inform you that the response to the newly created PPP has been overwhelming.
But it hasn’t, so I shall contritely sign off.