Dissecting the Roughriders’ victory over the Lions
The latest Leader-post-mortem may, from the perspective of the vanquished team, be a West Coast-mortem.
The B.C. Lions must be shaking their heads after the Saskatchewan Roughriders registered a 24-21 victory in Vancouver on Saturday night.
In the second half, the Roughriders simply shrinkwrapped the Lions’ offence — as we can verify by turning to the ever reliable 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.
By halftime, 14 of the Lions’ 28 offensive plays were defined as a success. The PPP, then, was an even 50.0.
In the second half, only nine of B.C’S 27 plays were successful, using this model. The PPP over the final 30 minutes: 33.3.
The Roughriders’ offence, meanwhile, cratered after a sparkling first quarter. Their PPP after 15 minutes: 78.6. Over the remaining 45 minutes: 32.5.
But, with the Lions’ offence staggering along at 33.3 over the second half, Saskatchewan was able to survive its inability to move the ball.
ZACH ATTACK
Despite the Roughriders’ offensive woes for most of the final three quarters, they were able to win for the third time in four games that quarterback Zach Collaros has started — and finished.
That is worth noting, considering that much was made of the fact that the 2017 Hamilton Tiger-cats were 0-8 with Collaros starting.
Saskatchewan’s strategy is more aggressive with Collaros behind centre, as the numbers over the past five games will confirm.
In the final two games started by Brandon Bridge, the Roughriders’ passes travelled an average of 5.31 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. The average over the past three games, with Collaros at the controls: 9.03.
SACK ATTACK
Roughriders defensive end Charleston Hughes has forced a fumble while sacking the quarterback in each of the past two games.
Saskatchewan recovered the ball on the Calgary Stampeders’ 30-yard line Aug. 19, when the Roughriders won 40-27.
The Green and White promptly marched for its only offensive
TD.
On Saturday, Hughes jarred the ball loose from Lions quarterback Travis Lulay. Tobi Antigha recovered the fumble and returned it 21 yards to B.C.’S 23. Two plays later, Collaros found Jordan Williams-lambert for a six-yard score.
Hughes has to be the runaway favourite for CFL defensive player of the year honours. After nine games, he has a league high 12 sacks. Nobody else has more than five.
The 34-year-old future Hall of Famer has already exceeded the Cfl-best 11 sacks he registered last season.
He’s also on pace to break the Riders’ single-season record of 22 sacks, set by Bobby Jurasin in 1987.
NIFTY 50
Since the beginning of the 2017 season, the Roughriders have thrown only two passes that have travelled at least 50 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Both passes were completions.
On Aug. 5, 2017 in B.C., Bridge found Duron Carter for a 46-yard touchdown on a pass that travelled 51 yards in the air. Carter caught the ball five yards deep in the end zone.
BC Place proved to be a goodluck charm again on Friday when Shaq Evans made a spectacular leaping grab for a 52-yard gain. Collaros’ pass covered 50 yards.
SHORT SNORTS
Christion Jones’ five longest punt returns as a Roughrider have all occurred on the road: 97 yards (Sept. 29 in Ottawa), 79 yards (Nov. 19 in Toronto), 61 yards (Oct. 20 in Calgary and July 19 in Hamilton) and 60 yards (Saturday night in Vancouver). Every return except the 60-yarder produced a touchdown. At home, his longest punt returns have been for 53, 52 and 40 yards.
Saskatchewan has six touchdown passes at midseason (four by Collaros, one by Bridge and one by David Watford). One fine day in 1991, former Riders QB Kent Austin threw six TD passes in one game.
At the midpoint of the 2018 season, the Roughriders have yet to get a touchdown from anyone playing wide receiver. Carter caught one TD pass before being released, but he had lined up at slotback on the play.
Naaman Roosevelt’s reception totals at the Roughriders’ ninegame mark: 62 (2016), 53 (2017), 31 (2018). Receiving yardage after nine games: 877 (2016), 738 (2017), 318 (2018).