WINLESS RIDERS HEAD INTO BYE
TORONTO — Brett Smith felt he made progress in his second start as the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ quarterback.
But he still didn’t feel satisfied.
On Saturday in Toronto, the 23-year-old pivot played better than he had in Saskatchewan’s 30-5 CFL loss to the host Edmonton Eskimos on July 31. But the end result was the same, as the Roughriders fell 30-26 to the Argonauts.
“Right now, what’s fresh in my mind are the mistakes,” Smith said. “I’ve got to go back, watch (the video) and critique myself to really get a good evaluation.
“I did feel a little more comfortable out there. I’m just disappointed.”
Smith began the season as the Roughriders’ thirdstring quarterback, but he was elevated to backup behind Kevin Glenn after Darian Durant ruptured an Achilles tendon in Saskatchewan’s regular-season opener June 27 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Smith took the next step up the ladder after Glenn tore a pectoral muscle in the Roughriders’ game July 26 against the Hamilton TigerCats.
Smith started in Edmonton, but couldn’t generate much offence against a stubborn Eskimos defence.
On Saturday, he was able to extend plays by eluding pressure and made some fine throws on the run.
He tossed the first two touchdown passes of his CFL career (two others were wiped out by penalties) and helped the Roughriders put up 403 yards of net offence.
Despite not having slotback Weston Dressler (who was a scratch due to a reported thigh injury) at his disposal, Smith finished with 23 completions in 35 pass attempts for 298 yards. He also rushed twice for 22 yards.
His 62-yard completion to Korey Williams on a broken play was the Roughriders’ longest pass play of the season to date.
“He was a lot calmer,” guard Chris Best said of Smith’s progression from his first start to his second. “He was in command of everybody.
“I thought Smitty did a good job. It’s too bad how the last drive worked out.”
The Roughriders were down by four when they got the ball with 1:35 left in Saturday’s fourth quarter.
Smith guided the offence from the Saskatchewan 39yard line to the Toronto 15, but passes into the end zone on consecutive plays fell incomplete and time expired.
What stuck most in Smith’s craw was the 50yard interception return for a touchdown by Akwasi Owusu-Ansah that erased Saskatchewan’s 16-8 thirdquarter lead.
It was the second straight game in which an opponent had scored off a Smith aerial. In Edmonton, Patrick Watkins picked off a Smith pass and returned it 47 yards for a TD.
“I really wish I didn’t throw that,” Smith said of Saturday’s wide-side out. “I don’t know what’s up with the dang pick-sixes right now, but we’ve got to get that fixed.
“I’m happy that the guys rallied around me. It felt like everybody on the offence and the defence was yelling, ‘Stay up. Don’t worry about that. Continue to play. We’re behind you.’ That really meant a lot to me.”
Smith bounced back on the next possession, escaping a collapsing pocket and finding Chris Getzlaf downfield for what turned out to be a 55-yard major.
Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin said Smith still is doing “some rookie things,” but Chamblin also saw some positives out of the young QB.
“He doesn’t lack courage,” Chamblin said. “That’s the one thing about him: He’s all out on every down and I think he’ll continue to grow.”
Smith will have to wait to continue his progression, since the Roughriders now are on their bye week. Their next game is Aug. 22 against the visiting Calgary Stampeders.