Does this sum it up Rider fans? September has been a nightmare for this football club and what has been a bad month of football came to a terrible end in Montreal on Sunday as the Riders lose their 4th straight game 17-12 to Montreal in what frankly was perhaps the biggest yawner of the CFL season.
Former Rider Chris Szarka perhaps said it the best on the Rider Roundtable after the game when he says the offence has lost all its creativity. He's right. George Cortez's offence has become stale for whatever reason. The goal-line stand by the Alouettes in the first half made that crystal clear. That's two games in this four game losing streak where the defense has come through with a goal-line stand and when I think back about it, it may be that goal-line stand in Winnipeg that started this ball rolling.
Just some thoughts
--Can someone please tell me what has happened to the offensive line? Did Chris Best mean THAT much to that unit? His injury has been catastrophic to that group. The o-line was the best part of this team during the first few games of the season and now they are the biggest liability.
--Kory Sheets needs to get back in the lineup and hopefully he will on Friday in BC because there is no running game. Nine attempts in a game won't cut it, but it appears the team lost faith in Chris Garrett. He hasn't shown much in his two opportunities.
--Where is the creativity? Where's the screen pass to Neal Hughes? Where's the end-around to Weston Dressler? Where's the quarterback draw? Where's the shovel pass?
--Why was Geroy Simon being used as a blocker as the final offensive play of the game for the Riders? The CFL's all time leading pass receiver is being used as a blocker when you need a touchdown? I don't understand that one.
--What will Drew Willy be able to do if he can't get protection. Willy doesn't have the experience or the mobility to succeed with the o-line playing the way they are. If Willy were to go in and fail, would the calls for Tino Sunseri start? Like it or not, this team's best chance to win is with number 4 under center. As Chris Getzlaf told Carm Carteri, they were a half second to a second away from making a lot of big plays on Sunday afternoon, but they couldn't make them because Durant was hurried into the throw thus disrupting the timing. Yes, Darian made some bad decisions and some bad throws as well, but this can't be pinned on him and him alone as some want to do.
--Cris Carter's kid can play this game. Duhon Carter made some impressive catches
--Jerald Brown's interception in the 3rd quarter might have been the catch of the year in the CFL.
Like many of you, I'm very frustrated over what is going on. I thought the team was on the verge of breaking this streak in Montreal because they were right there. I don't think they win in BC on Friday because of the short week. I hope I'm wrong.
To the NFL
--The Seahawks are 4-0. LOVE IT!
--The Steelers are 0-4. LOVE IT!
--Peyton Manning is out of this world right now. He is enjoyable to watch
--The Jacksonville Jaguars may be 0-16 this year. They are not enjoyable to watch
Are you ready for the NHL season to start? I'm certainly not going with EA Sports prediction of the Blues to win it all.
What are Kavis Reed and Ed Hervey saying to one another in this photo??
Can we just give Zach Collaros the rookie of the year award now? Would Toronto have this record if Ricky Ray was still in there? I think the answer remains yes.
Can't wait for the baseball playoffs. I will write the Jays autopsy later this week. There's a good mixture of new teams and established teams. It will be great!
Here's a look at the Blackhawks Stanley Cup ring. A nice piece of jewellery dont'cha think?
That's all I got. Have a good week!
15 comments:
Montreal played with more of a sense of urgency. The o-line was the strength of the team in July. It will be in October.
I'm certainly no offensive coordinator but with the pass rush that seems to be coming EVERY play, we are running plays that take way too long to develop. What about some quick hitters, screens, move the pocket, etc. It's almost like the offensive playbook has been transcribed to KLINGON and nobody can understand it. And those long passes out to the flat where the DB is on the receiver IMMEDIATELY just are not working. I shake my head. Defense is hanging in there though.
Nice job on phone in show yesterday. There are some whackjobs out there. I think the one I laughed at the most was the one who said the players are "bored".
Remember where you heard this first. IF the Riders continue this swoon and are beaten in the WSF, Paul Lapolice will be the new head coach, Khari Jones will be moved up to OC and Gary Etcheverry will return to DC. You do not want to be around Hopson right now.
That's a nice piece of bling the Hawks have!
Patrick
Why is Simon blocking? Teams are blitzing 6 or 7 defenders and there are only 5 linemen. You need to use the RB and a SB to pick them up. If not Simon it would be Getz or Dressler, so which one of them would you pick Scruffy?
Durant doesn’t have time to throw? That’s what a blitz is intended to do - compress the time the QB has to read the defense and make an accurate throw. It’s a foreign concept in Riderville because Hall has never used that type of defense in his 20+ years with the Riders. The only way you get teams to stop blitzing constantly is to make them pay for blitzing you (which seems to happen when the Riders actually do bring pressure).
Willy doesn’t have the mobilty and experience to face the pressure?
Kevin Glenn doesn’t have mobility, but according to Chris Jones he is the hardest QB to consistantly have success blitzing against because he gets the ball out of his hands before pressure gets there. Willy is more athletic than Glenn and he does have a quicker release than Durant. As for the experience factor, you have just made the greatest point as to why Willy should see some playing time when Durant struggles (I am not one who thinks Durant should just be pulled to see things from the sidelines). The only way you get experience is to play. Durant is in his 5th year as the starter, at what point of experience do you become experienced enough to handle the blitz?
Mitch. It's the over-throwing and under-throwing of Darian Durant when he DOES have a little time. That's the stuff that drives me bonkers. And throwing to the end zone on first down with 20 seconds to go in triple coverage is a brutal throw. I am the last guy who'd ever want DD to sit but he's proven to be unable to produce. Time to give #5 a chance. Can't be any worse, right? 4 losses in a row.
Not sure about Etch, but I would love to see Lapo come back.
Durant has to go. Is he paying you to keep defending him?
Nothing better than the rantings of a Rider fan after a loss. It brings great entertainment to a lot of people.
Barry
The Seahawks D against the Denver O will be fun to watch.
To the guy asking Simon blocking and who to have stay in. How bout this? A bubble screen to Dressler or a quick hitter to Simon or a screen pass to the running back. There are ways to combat the blitz, but Cortez for one reason or another doesn't see it. How about a quarterback draw?
Willy came in and ran three plays from the three. He failed! Its not the first time this has happened. Durant is the man!
I would love to see Lapo back here.
I agree with Barry!
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