SASKATCHEWAN’S OFFENCE IN A STATE OF NOTHINGNESS
Defence, special teams stepping up but scoring a challenge for struggling Riders
So, Saskatchewan Roughriders fans, how was your Saturday night?
If I had told you before the game that your green Riders would hold the Calgary Stampeders’ Bo Levi Mitchell to 187 passing yards and would have more yards in net offence, would you be surprised they lost?
Well, they did, 34-22, for the record.
The defence played stellar football, the special teams were OK, and the train just left the track on offence.
As the great Sergeant Schultz said on the classic TV show Hogan’s Heroes, “I know nothing. I see nothing.”
“Nothing ” sums up the Riders’ offence.
Head coach and general manager Chris Jones’ formula is to win games on defence and special teams. It is a decent philosophy, but one that is flawed with little to no offence.
Winning games can hide issues. Even though the Riders entered Saturday’s game with a 3-2 record and a two-game winning streak, the production on offence has been abysmal for three weeks. No, four. No, five. No, six.
The common theme is that this team was a drive away from advancing to the Grey Cup last year. One question: Was this due to Brandon Bridge being the quarterback? Ummmm, no.
With the pending return of quarterback Zach Collaros, one would think that the offence will produce considerably more.
To be fair, the Roughriders would rank second in the East Division in points scored. Is that a resounding compliment or what?
Now people are relieved that Collaros’ concussion issues have apparently subsided, so a spike in offence is expected. Some of these people wanted the Bridge show to start the season. How does that movie look, folks?
Rob Vanstone and Kermit the Frog singing opera would be better to watch. (As Kermit once crooned, “It’s not easy being green.”)
This team had a quarterback controversy to start the year? Said who? Colonel Klink while looking for his lost monocle?
Yeah, OK, and the East Division is the power in the CFL too, I guess.
Offensive co-ordinator Stephen Mcadoo is taking heat as well. As much as Bridge is limited, creativity must be shown — and soon, regardless of who lines up behind centre.
Was the play-calling inhibited by Bridge’s skills, or was Bridge handcuffed due to a lack of confidence in him? Either way, this combination was not at all working. Over to you, Mr. Collaros.
Has anybody seen the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offence lately? That’ll give defensive co-ordinators around the league fits, watching the formations and schemes Paul Lapolice has drawn up. Those will challenge any defence in the league and create headaches for the opposition.
Yet another question: How does Nic Demski look in Winnipeg, anyway, while playing multiple positions? (Not one of those positions, by the way, is cornerback.)
The headaches fans get from Saskatchewan’s offence are a tad different.
Football is the ultimate team game. The 34 regular readers of this column know my opinion on the quarterback position. I even wrote a column on it! The premise: Win a Grey Cup with poor quarterback play? Good luck with that.
This team will have to prove me wrong.
Against average to poor teams, you might be able to get away with quarterbacking that is marginal at best. So far, however, the Riders are 0-2 against good teams (Calgary, Ottawa Redblacks).
Next up, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Thursday Night Football theme of Long Live The Night! Or is it, This Is Going To Be a Long Night?
Simple formula: Can Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly generate enough points against a top defence? Can Saskatchewan generate enough points against a middle-of-the-road Edmonton defence?
A bye week begins after Thursday’s game. Another loss on Thursday and that home playoff game — and the accompanying million dollars toward the club’s bottom line — will be dangerously close to going bye-bye. Oh, the memories.
OTTAWA AT TORONTO (THURSDAY, 5 P.M.)
Taman: In order for the Argos to salvage their year, this is a game they must win. Argonauts by three.
Vanstone: Argos’ quarterbacking is a mess, sans Ricky Ray. Redblacks by eight.
SASKATCHEWAN AT EDMONTON (THURSDAY, 8 P.M.)
Taman: Riders’ offence rebounds and scores a touchdown. Riders’ defence stellar again and creates turnovers. Roughriders by two. Vanstone: As was written (presciently) after the loss to Montreal, the Riders tend to win when people are down on them. So ... Roughriders by three. Brett Lauther with a game-winning field goal in the waning seconds.
HAMILTON AT MONTREAL (FRIDAY, 5:30 P.M.)
Taman: This is a battle for second place in the East! I’m not joking! Tiger-cats by seven.
Vanstone: Poor Johnny Manziel. Peyton Manning couldn’t save this crew. Tiger-cats by 23.
B.C. AT CALGARY (SATURDAY, 7 P.M.)
Taman: Calgary’s offence needs to pick it up. B.C. must get better soon to stay in the West race. Not this week. Stampeders by six.
Vanstone: Not even Brendan Taman could get this one wrong. Stampeders by nine. (Oh, and do check out last week’s records. Y’er welcome.)
Records after Week 7:
Vanstone 20-7 (4-0 last week); Taman 17-10 (2-2).
FANTASY PLAYERS TO WATCH
Taman: In a sign of total sportsmanship (and stupidity), I will sacrifice my usual stellar selections and select Terrell Sutton
— a Montreal player! He’s a good running back and all, but ... I just feel sorry for Rob by making this pick so that he can win.
Vanstone: I am going to emulate Brendan and go with the “bingo free space” routine — selecting a player who is facing Montreal. Let’s go with Hamilton receiver Jalen Saunders.
Review of Week 3 fantasy picks: Destruction! I picked Edmonton’s Duke Williams, who had four catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday’s 44-23 victory over Montreal. Rob selected (snicker) Ottawa’s Greg Ellingson, who had three receptions — one for each of Rob’s readers.