SOMETHING IN THE AIR WITH THE ROUGHRIDERS
Team’s passing attack showing signs of life after some not-so-stellar weeks
What do the Saskatchewan Roughriders call the production of two touchdown passes?
(a) June
( b) July
(c) August
(d) All of the above
Notable by its exclusion: (e) September.
The Roughriders, having accepted that the forward pass is here to stay, have adapted to the ever-evolving game of Canadian professional football and erupted for four (4!) aerial touchdowns during September.
Saskatchewan has doubled its TD -pass totals of each of the previous three months — with one game remaining before October.
Who knows what might happen when Saskatchewan faces the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday at Percival Molson Stadium?
Considering that the 8-5 Roughriders are to face the 3-10 Alouettes, could the visiting side fatten its season total of touchdown passes to 11?
Twelve? Thirteen?
Fourt…..
(OK, let’s not get carried away here.)
The metamorphosis of the
2018 Roughriders into a team that is actually competent through the air has elicited the type of responses one might expect, considering the circumstances.
Powerful world leaders, from Lesotho to Kiribati to Madagascar, have conveyed their words of congratulations. (“Fake news” is the word from the United States.)
Birds, anxious as they are to witness something that is truly special, are flying north for the winter.
It once appeared that the Roughriders’ offence was going south, without any prospect of improvement. But the dark days are gone, and the bright days are here.
On Saturday, for example, Zach Collaros threw three touchdown passes — two to a member of his own team! — as the Roughriders edged the host Toronto Argonauts 30-29 at BMO Field.
Saskatchewan had gone 15
CFL games without throwing multiple TD passes until Collaros snapped the drought in Saturday’s first half, with Jordan Williams-lambert being the recipient of both scoring strikes.
Collaros was subsequently intercepted by Trumaine Washington, who took his second pick of the day 62 yards for a touchdown, but no matter.
Overall, Saskatchewan’s passing attack is demonstrating signs of life, as is the offence as a whole.
Earlier this season, it seemed like egg-toss enthusiasts were more apt to air it out than the Roughriders’ quarterback of the day.
With Collaros sidelined by injury, offensive co-ordinator Stephen Mcadoo was so mortified by the mere notion of (eek!) throwing the ball that he called for an ultimately futile running play on second-and-seven with 10 minutes left in a July 28 Sominex Special against the visiting Calgary Stampeders.
The Roughriders were trailing by 12 points at the time, but no matter. Tre Mason ran up the middle, an eruption of three yards resulting, and the automatic Brett Lauther kicked a field goal. (We dutifully report that Calgary won 34-22.)
So much has changed since then.
Exhibit A: On Sept. 2, with the Roughriders clinging to a 24-23 lead over the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan was in a second-and-three situation on the visitors’ 42-yard line. Instead of calling for a predictable run, Mcadoo decided to go deep. Collaros found Williams- Lambert for a 39-yard gain that was soon followed by a touchdown. Saskatchewan won 31-23.
Exhibit B: On Sept. 15, the Roughriders not only gambled on third-and-two, but Mcadoo also dialed up a deep pass to Kyran Moore. Collaros was on target and Moore made a nice grab for a 40-yard gain that put Saskatchewan in ideal position for … cue trumpets … an interception. (Well, you can’t have everything.)
Exhibit C: Saskatchewan had a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive that did not include a running play on Saturday. After a firstdown incompletion, Collaros completed his nicest pass of the year (for a 23-yard gain by Naaman Roosevelt) before hitting the same receiver over the top for 40 yards. Collaros then threw a 12-yard scoring strike to Williams-lambert, who ran a corner route. The Roughriders’ pivot had missed a similar pass (intended for Roosevelt) in the previous game, but Saturday’s payoff pitch was perfect. Grey Cup ticket packages are now available by calling 1-800-9...
(Managing editor’s note: Can someone please give Vanstone a needle?)
Exhibit D: Once conservative through the air, the Roughriders have pushed the ball downfield in recent weeks. Saskatchewan’s passes have travelled an average of 12.4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage over the past four games. Before that, the average was 9.1. Also, just 36.4 per cent of Saskatchewan’s passes over the first nine games covered 10-plus yards. The percentage over the last four games: 50.4.
Exhibit E: Is that“e”a sin“exciting” or“Entertaining ”? At times, yes.
That is a refreshing change from earlier this season, when it was “E” as in “Eech!”