Do You Believe in Magic

So off we go to Deadmonton.

It was a strange and ultimately successful game for the Saskatchewan Roughriders beating the godless Edmonton Eskimos 24-17 to wrap up the 2014 regular season. At times a playoff game, at others an exhibition game, the two teams held out several players who will no doubt make an appearance on Sunday but if the first half was any indication, the intensity will be there.

Of notable note was the Rider running game, 172 yards in the first half, and 194 in total, which should set alarm bells racing around the league. Edmonton showed something strange as well with their inability to play well in the cold and the snow.

Considering the relatively crappy year weather-wise experienced in Riderville, if Edmonton and Calgary are both fair-weather teams, you have to think having Anthony Allen beat the crap out of you on the ground with Steve Miller doing his best Jock Saunders impersonation and either Kerry Joseph or Darian Durant adding a third option, the Riders are suddenly not looking that bad for the western final.

Practice week starts Wednesday with a closed practice and at that time we should know who the starting quarterback will be for the Riders. Then again, maybe we won’t find out. Keeping the Eskimos in the dark will add to defensive preparations, but the Riders are in the same boat wondering which Edmonton’s quarterback it is going to be.

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Mike Reilly has what is referred to as a lower body injury. It could be a broken bone in his foot, it could be an ankle, it could be something else altogether. Whatever it is, it was enough to keep him out against the Riders on Saturday night and considering he suffered the injury in the waning moments of a 33-7 win over BC, you have to think Chris Jones has just lost coach of the year honors to Tom Higgins.

Either way, the Riders chances have gotten better. If Reilly shows up, the Rider defense will go after him. If Matt Nichols starts, the same thing will happen. Edmonton’s third string quarterback went down with an injury and if the Eskimos start Reilly, they will have to activate their practice roster QB of whom less is known and expected.

But let’s go back to Chris Jones for a moment. Jones is a pupil of Don Matthews who was known for gambling big and playing head games. But in Jones’ first year in the league, a mistake like leaving Reilly in during the last minutes of a blow-out is a sure sign the arrogance of the Edmonton Eskimos has returned.

Edmonton has been on a mission on sending a message to the rest of the league that they are for real and should be considered contenders for the Grey Cup. The problem with emphasizing sending messages is you do not put the interests of your team first. Jones let his ego get away with him, the Eskimos followed, and we saw their ego take a hit in the first half against the Riders.

Yes Edmonton came back in the second half, but a five yard drive for a touchdown after a fumble is nothing to brag about. Armando Sewell shot off about showing the Riders what was real in the second half, but by that time the Riders had turned the game over to their backups who actually produced.

The Eskimos with Reilly are a different team than they are with Nichol’s and if Reilly can’t run, or doesn’t show up, that means the Riders can focus on John Williams. When it comes to Adarius Bowman, well, let’s see how he does in the playoffs before designating him as a clutch performer.

The weather forecast at this time for E-Town is minus four, which is reasonable, but again really early for confidence. If the Polar Vortex hangs around past Sunday, then the advantage swings to the Riders, because Edmonton, probably because it hasn’t been to the playoffs for so long, doesn’t seem to play well in the snow.

The Riders will have other missing parts back for the semi-final, probably Chris Best who will help anchor the running game and provide the nastiness we will need against the Eskimos. There is talk of maybe Taj Smith, but considering his underperforming 2014 and how well Korie Williams has filled in, I would be tempted to leave Williams in.

One aspect that worries me is the kicking game. Chris Milo demonstrated no confidence and his injury or injuries almost left the Riders short-handed for a kicker. The Riders have an American kicker on the roster and might be tempted to activate him for this game if he shows well in practice this week.

Terrell Maze will return to the defensive secondary which may see a lot of long balls from Edmonton is Bowman is back and the temperature is as mild as expected. Rod Williams showed up to play on Saturday and I am confident if he continues at this level, the Riders should have a handle on Edmonton’s passing game.

To pick a winner at this stage may seem to be a fool’s errand on Monday, considering we don’t know who the starting quarterbacks are going to be. But you read it here first, Saskatchewan 20-17 over Edmonton.

For the Eastern Final, we have BC at Montreal and BC pretty well staggered into the playoffs when I thought they had a chance to clinch second. Montreal choked against Hamilton who have been undefeated in their new stadium.

So two very inconsistent teams are matched up against each other and both are pretty close statistically. The difference I think will come at quarterback where Kevin Glenn has more experience than Jonathon Straight Outta Crompton. This will be a defensive game and I see BC coming out with an 18-15 win.

Now how is that for going out on a limb!

Go Riders!