Collaros masterful against Alouettes B2
In adherence to the post-mortem theme, Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Zach Collaros used a scalpel to dissect the Montreal Alouettes’ defence.
With surgical precision, Collaros completed 29 of 41 passes for 394 yards, with one touchdown (and two completions to the one-yard line) and an interception, to lead Saskatchewan to a 34-29 CFL victory Sunday at Percival Molson Stadium.
The basic numbers, as impressive as they are, don’t tell the entire story about Collaros’ best game as a Roughrider.
This stat stands out: Only nine of Collaros’ 41 passes travelled 10 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage — but he completed all nine of his throws in that territory (including eight in the range of 16 to 25 yards).
Collaros was also effective when the Roughriders went with an empty backfield — a six-receiver formation they used much more frequently than usual.
Without a running back nearby, Collaros was 13-for-15 for 119 yards. The Roughriders used an empty set 15 times (three in the first half; 12 in the second). Overall, this formation was used 24 per cent of the time.
The approach, in general, was for Collaros to accept the snap and urgently distribute the ball. Twenty-six of his 41 throws were released in under two seconds. His average release time (ART) was 2.06 seconds.
Contrast that to Montreal’s Johnny Manziel, whose ART was 3.24 seconds — not just because of his propensity and ability to buy extra time by scrambling.
The Alouettes rarely called for quick routes, even though their offensive line is a sieve.
Thirteen of Manziel’s 16 passes travelled 10-plus yards. Johnny Football’s average throw was an astronomical 19.3 yards.
Saskatchewan averaged 12.4 yards per throw over a four-game span leading up to Sunday, when the number dropped to 7.2.
The Roughriders were less aggressive in terms of throwing downfield, but flawless when doing so.
ZACH ATTACK
The Roughriders’ offence had its most efficient game of the season, according to the patented Positive Plays Percentage (PPP).
The PPP is a means of evaluating the consistency with which a team executes 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, a second-down play that creates at least a third-andshort opportunity, or a successful third-down gamble.
Saskatchewan’s PPP on Sunday was 64.2. This year’s previous high of 53.7 was registered July 19 (in a 31-20 victory over the host Hamilton Tiger-cats) and Aug. 19 (in a 40-27 conquest of the visiting Calgary Stampeders).
Last season’s peak PPP was 65.0, posted in a 38-27 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on July 27 at Mosaic Stadium.
Saskatchewan’s overall PPP this season: 46.5 (compared to 52.8 last season at the 14-game mark).
The opposition’s PPP: 47.6 (51.5 last season).
CLOCK TALK
The Roughriders exhausted the final few seconds of both halves on Sunday. Only once was it a sound decision.
Asking Collaros and friends to line up in the victory formation late in the fourth quarter was the obvious move.
But why take a knee right before halftime?
Leading 24-17, the Roughriders had forced a two-and-out. After a punt return, Saskatchewan had a first down on its 39-yard line with 38 seconds left in the second quarter.
Tre Mason rushed for 11 yards on the first play, after which 30 seconds remained.
The Roughriders — emphasizing the rush while hardly in a rush — then allowed seven more seconds to elapse (why?) before Marcus Thigpen ran for five yards, creating a second-and-five situation at midfield. Sixteen seconds remained.
With a first down or two, the Roughriders could have been in range for a field-goal attempt by Brett Lauther, who misses once per month.
Instead, the Roughriders — with a razor-sharp Collaros running the offence — turtled and allowed the rest of the second quarter to expire.
It was not the soundest clock management, but the Roughriders got away with it — this time.
NICK OF TIME
Nick Marshall has rushed for two touchdowns in back-to-back games against Manziel’s team.
On Oct. 19, 2013, Marshall — then the University of Auburn Tigers’ quarterback — ran for 100 yards (including two majors) and threw for two more scores in a 45-41 victory over Johnny Football and the Texas A&M Aggies.
On Sunday, Marshall — the Roughriders’ short-yardage quarterback — ran for two oneyard majors.
Manziel’s final pass of the game, a deep ball to Eugene Lewis, was successfully defended by Marshall at Saskatchewan’s 34-yard line with 3:21 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Montreal was forced to punt, after which the Roughriders registered three consecutive first downs and ran out the clock (the right way). Also worth noting: Mason, who scored the winning touchdown for Auburn in the aforementioned game against Texas A&M, rushed 13 times for 86 yards on Sunday.
Mason scored his first CFL touchdown, on a 27-yard run, with offensive linemen Thaddeus Coleman and Dariusz Bladek making key blocks.
MAKING THEM COUNT
Roughriders receiver Devon Bailey has been targeted only once in each of the past two games, but has nonetheless been a major contributor to backto-back victories. His past two catches both moved the chains at an important juncture.
On Sept. 22 in Toronto, Collaros found Bailey for 13 yards on second-and-10 with 2:08 left in the game. Three plays later, Lauther connected from 56 yards away for what turned out to be the game-winning field goal. Saskatchewan won 30-29.
In Montreal, Collaros looked to Bailey on the second play of the final possession. Bailey ran a hook pattern, with Montreal allowing a generous cushion, and made the grab for a six-yard advance on second-and-five, with 2:10 left.
The Roughriders went on to register two more first downs and salt away the victory.
SHORT SNORTS
Montreal’s first touchdown was a 47-yard pass from Manziel to Adarius Bowman on a double reverse flea-flicker. Bowman began the pattern by intentionally looking disinterested, and convincingly so. With defensive backs Ed Gainey and Matt Elam concentrating on other receivers, Bowman suddenly took off downfield and was wide open.
Kyran Moore had at least one passenger for 20 of his 23 yards on a third-quarter reception. He carried Chip Cox for the first 13 yards before three other Alouettes joined in to eventually make the stop. The play began on Saskatchewan’s 12-yard line, so the determined run was highly beneficial in terms of field position.
Chad Geter missed a tackle to allow Montreal’s Stefan Logan to take off on a 74-yard punt-return touchdown. Two other Roughriders — Sam Hurl and Paul Dawson — over-ran the play. Spencer Moore and Kevin Francis were then left grasping at air as Logan sped by.
Charleston Hughes had his league-leading 14th sack and, according to these eyeballs, had four quarterback pressures for the second successive week.