The Big Goose Egg

The Big Goose Egg...the blow out...the zip - nada - no cigar for you game.

Delete the depth chart.  Drive over it with your car.  Burn it - flush it.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers having been defeated at the hands of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in back to back match ups over Labour Day put together a game plan and executed it to their full potential.  Good on them.  Kudos.  The Roughriders on the other hand?  Well, I think my team went into IGF a little full of themselves and over confident that since we did beat them twice that this rematch was going to be a piece of cake.  One only needs to reflect on the passed two very close wins to realize it was only a matter of time until this team and fan base plummeted back to earth with a deaf defying thud.

All season long the Roughriders defence and special teams have produced wins.  We all watched wondering what would happen if they had a bad game or what would happen if our offence put a game together for once.  Then injuries started to happen.  Holley, Roosevelt, Williams-Lambert and then the latest injury to Dan Clark all made us question if we could keep up to our counterparts in the West.  More goes into it than just some injured players, after all teams like the Calgary Stampeders who barely have a receiving corps left manage to keep winning...well, except for last week.  In no way is this paragraph an excuse but it is one of the question marks.  If these players are ready to return they certainly help out the confidence level of our quarterback.

Our quarterback.  Historically, when you look at Roughriders quarterbacks they've been notorious for having up/down games.  Lancaster who we've put on pedestals in Rider Nation would stink up Taylor Field when he was off.  Darian Durant would have terribly off games.  I'm not comparing them to Collaros but when this is what our quarterbacking has been like previously why do we insist on expecting someone to light it up?  Maybe we are just a wishful hopeful bunch and a bit jealous - why can't we have that?  None of that is on Collaros.  Neither are the drops by receivers.  When a ball hits you in the numbers you need to catch it.  Collaros can only throw the ball - he can't catch it too!  

Don't forget the back up aka the most popular player in Rider Nation.  Or is he?  Last year Brandon Bridge looked very promising and we all expected that he'd take the next step this year.  What happened?  This year he can't seem to make a read and is too quick to give up and scramble.  According to ex players I've listened to this makes the O Lineman panic and scramble too because they don't know where to protect anymore.  I'll take their word for it.  

This leads me to trust.  I know I keep harping on our O Line.  Remarkably, they do a good job and haven't allowed many sacks this season.  However, when you look at the time our QB has in the pocket...1 Mississippi 2 Mississippi etc there isn't a lot of time to go through your reads and make a decision.  Teams like the Blue Bombers and Eskimos have great offensive lines and it shows in the production of their quarterbacks.  When you can stand back there, go through your reads, file your nails, order pizza and then decide who to throw to...you're going to be far more successful.  Instead, you have to decide or run for your life.  Someone like Collaros should be able to get the ball out quicker but someone like Bridge is doomed.

So who is responsible for this?  I don't know how many times I've yelled "move the pocket" this season.  It's happened a couple times or there's been a play action call and it's worked.  Why don't we run these plays more often?  It sets defenses off and allows more time to make throws.  Instead we've been treated to screens and outs and our receivers are never near the yard markers so they almost always go 2 and out.  Stephen McAdoo is the guy in charge.  He's the Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach.  I don't understand why last year we saw more variety in our play call and this year we have less.  Was it the experience of Kevin Glenn?  Is it some sort of Grey Cup game plan where you don't show your cards unless you have to?  Mr McAdoo, please help us out here!  Design something to help us succeed!  We know you can do it!

There's also been some criticism that Roughriders Head Coach Chris Jones is preoccupied with his defence and puts his trust in Stephen McAdoo.  Of course he should!  Chris Jones should be applauded for building the defence that he has.  It's so fun to watch!  Wouldn't be fun to watch the offence score too?!  I personally don't think he's ignoring it or oblivious to the fact our offence hasn't produced this year.  I think that he's believed in them.  Just like we keep believing in the team, Jones believes this offence can do it and on a good day they can but on a bad day like Saturday we couldn't.  I know that Jones is likely busy evaluating the team and watching the film to digest exactly what happened and what this team needs to do.

For us fans?  It's time to shake it off.  Move on.  It's a new week and a new opponent.  The Saskatchewan Roughriders visit Calgary to take on the Stampeders in week 19 of the CFL.  It sure would be nice to get this win.

Don't forget to check out my "Power Grouping" for Week 18 and join in the conversation on ABC Rider Fans on Facebook.

As always, Go Riders!