The Drive Home

For those who don't know, I live in Saskatoon and am a Saskatchewan Roughrider season ticket holder.  This means that we drive 3 hours to every home game as well as 3 hours return trip.  Lot's of fans drive farther.  The drive to the game is usually filled with nervous anticipation, strategy talk and excitement.  The drive home? Well, it varies depending on how the game went.  One thing that is for certain - 3 hours gives you a long time to think especially after a loss.

Let's start with the Riders Offensive Line.  Every play the line back pedals and while that is expected a certain amount that leaves next to nothing for a pocket for the quarterback.  I don't know what the problem is here.  Are they under sized?  Are they old?  Are they not athletic enough?  Are they not smart enough?  I've heard fans say that their performance was better in the last few games but this is a problem that plagues us and this Roughriders team and has for several seasons now.  It doesn't matter who the quarterback is - they need to protect and if they don't no QB will be productive.  People also talk about whether the O Line knows what the QB is doing or not and that's why plays collapse but to me they should be able to do their jobs and do them well regardless of who is standing in the pocket.  Once I saw a Calgary defender drive Thad Coleman into Brandon Bridge.  I'm not laying blame and certainly the Stamps deserve credit, but should it be that easy?  Every team knows that all you have to do is apply a little bit of pressure and the O Line collapses faster than a flip up tent from Canadian Tire.  Brendan LaBatte was the unsung hero in Week 6 but the man can't do it alone.  This team needs improvement on the line first and foremost.

We all know that since Week 2 when Zach Collaros was taken out of the game due to concussion the Roughriders have had to go with back ups Brandon Bridge and David Watford.  There's been the carousel much to the chagrin of Riders media, which also worked effectively by the way.  Brandon Bridge himself is a curious subject.  He has such tremendous arm strength but to me he's a bit like Bam Bam from the Flintstones because he doesn't realize the strength he possesses.  Sure he can over throw a missile down field but then he also launches missiles when attempting screen passes.  When I re-watched Saturday's game ( I know I'm a glutton for punishment) I again noticed the mechanics of a Bridge throw.  It's awkward, he releases and there's no follow through.  I wonder if this is something that is being worked on with his Quarterback Coach?  Now, if you are a receiver how do you catch balls throw in this fashion?  They more often than not go through the hands and hit you in the chest with great force.  We often say things like "the receiver should have had that" but are they actually catch-able balls?  So I've thought long and hard (about 2 hours worth of driving) that the coaches are trying to teach him how to adjust his throwing pressure.  They are only giving him plays in which he can succeed.  He will keep getting these plays until he learns them.  I'm sure it's a similar situation for Watford however this is his first year in the CFL and less would be expected from him whereas Bridge has been in the league 4 seasons now.  

On this same subject, I was trying to relate the situation to something in my own life.  I am a piano teacher of students aged 4 - 84.  Every student walks in wanting to play Fur Elise by Beethoven.  It's not going to happen at least for 3 years.  I have to teach and instruct in layers of knowledge and give songs and pieces which gets them to the next level so eventually they can play the things they want.  When they don't accomplish the skill, they get asked to do it over and over again until they can prove to me they know it.  This also describes the Roughriders offense.  They can't play Moonlight Sonata yet because they haven't learned how to perform Alouette, Gentille Alouette.

We're an hour away from home and now I'm thinking about the O Line and Quarterback combined.  The play is off...you're trying to make the read...your O Line is collapsing...dump the ball off.  Ball security is of number one priority so the next play instead of throwing you're going to relieve some pressure and hand off to your running back.  Maybe you have to do that several times because things are just moving so fast your can't go through your progressions.  Do you run?  Do you force a play?  The crowd is booing the decisions.  It's gotten really messy really quickly.  You can't execute the plays because everything is moving so fast.  Some points you just have to run to try to make something happen.  It's not good.  Not good at all.  

We usually arrive home by 1am after a 7pm game.  It's exhausting and all my thoughts continue to roll around in my head all night long.  I know we are all frustrated with the production of the offense on the Saskatchewan Roughriders and I also know that the coaches are doing everything they can as well.  Rider fans are known for extreme emotions and often it's polarizing.  "Plan the parade" or "Fire Jones".  None of us are very rational during trying times but I personally try to be logical.  We did lose against the number one CFL team.  The Calgary Stampeders were indeed the best team in the league going into the game being 6 - 0 now 7 - 0.  What did we think was going to happen?  I actually thought the game was going to be far worse! If we take away the fumbles in the first quarter the Riders are right there competing for the win.  I know we can't change how that quarter played out but we can give the team total credit for not giving up.  The Riders did have momentum going into the second half and they kept chipping away at the deficit.  

Today, Zach Collaros was able to practice and whether he'll be playing in Thursday's game against the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium is another question but these are mine...  Can our Offensive Line protect him?  Can Zach get time in the pocket?  Can they pass protect AND run block?  Can our offense execute plays competently enough to put us/the Riders in a position to win? 

The devastating news of the day was the release and criminal charges of Jerome Messam.  This is so upsetting, shocking and disappointing.  I'm not going to go into detail because the news can be found everywhere on the internet as well as the ABC Rider Fans Facebook page.  The Roughriders aren't commenting and that's fine with me.  With the charge being voyeurism I've decided I don't want to know further details.  

The bright spot for Monday was that the Riders signed streaker tackler Marcell Young, that Nick Marshall was practicing and that Duron Carter was back on offense.  We will all have to tune in to the game on Thursday to see how these changes shake out.  This will be the Riders 4th Thursday night game for those keeping track.  Edmonton is often a difficult city for our Riders to play in.  I'm hoping for a competitive game.

As always, and in spite of everything - Go Riders.