RIDERS UNRAVEL IN A BIG WAY DURING DISGRACE AT TD PLACE
From quarterbacking to defensive line to secondary, game was a complete disaster
Brandon Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down ...
Before too long, Saskatchewan Roughriders fans will be humming along unless the offensive line can change its tune.
In the meantime, there is discordant wailing as a result of Thursday’s 40-17 CFL loss to the host Ottawa Redblacks.
The Rider Nation is lamenting that always-uncomfortable back-to-square-one feeling after the team neutralized its seasonopening, 27-19 victory over the visiting Toronto Argonauts.
The June 15 lidlifter allayed many of the concerns that had been hovering over the team, but only momentarily.
Then came the (cue hyperbole) Disgrace at TD Place, where so many deficiencies became painfully apparent.
Matador pass protection, despite the presence of three international offensive linemen. Memo to Riders boss Chris Jones: Make Americans great again.
Poor quarterbacking. A receiving corps that, sans Duron Carter, is unexceptional.
A neglect of the running game. Jerome Messam was handed the ball only seven times — and four of those rushes took place after Saskatchewan’s deficit had swelled to 19 points. As soon as Ottawa went ahead 33-14, offensive co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo called for back-toback hand-offs to Messam. Why bother?
The Roughriders squandered two second-and-two situations. Those would seemingly be tailormade for Messam, but he wasn’t handed the ball either time. Punt.
An invisible defensive line. The three-man rushes did not help matters.
Breakdowns in the secondary. At least Carter, moonlighting as a cornerback, returned an interception for a touchdown.
On a night like Thursday, it was doubtful that Bridge or Zach Collaros would have been able to connect with Carter for a major, so Ottawa’s Trevor Harris took it upon himself to do so.
Although many of Collaros’ passes lacked zip, he did fire a 32-yarder to Jordan WilliamsLambert for a touchdown.
Collaros also spread around the ball, hitting Jonathan Rose for another six-pointer. Rose plays for Ottawa. After Collaros left the game in the second quarter to undergo concussion protocol, Bridge took over and demonstrated that as a passer, he is an excellent runner.
Playing behind that offensive line, he has to be.