It’ll Be an Interesting Game in Regina This Friday

The bottom line for Rider fans is that Friday should not be the Schindler’s List shuffle for the Saskatchewan Roughriders or the Transformers Age of Extinction the Calgary Stampeders would like to see.

From Monday when word first got out about a Weston Dressler for Henry Burris deal which was turned down by the Riders to a Matt Nichol for Rob Bagg deal to Thursday when Calgary quarterback Drew Tate said his offensive coordinator is to blame for the poor performance of the Calgary Stampeder offense, all I had to do was sit back and watch gob-smacked as this game rapidly is becoming more and less the sum of its parts.

So if we start from the premise that Henry Burris is not coming back, Darian Durant will be in the huddle in three weeks for the rematch with Calgary, the Riders have added a hopefully potent defensive lineman, have lost talented but troubled Taj Smith for the season, and have people coming off the injured list, what should we expect?

If you are doing Pro Line, pick a Calgary tie with Saskatchewan. The Riders should not get shut out again and I expect at some time to see both Tino Sunseri and Seth Doegge in the game at quarterback. Doegge is starting because he is the more likely to run, which is what the Riders will need against this Calgary team.

Calgary’s offense did not light up the lamps as their noted head case, Tate, pointed out this week. The Stampeders would like to rush Jon Cornish, but the Riders have a fresh batch of defensive linemen to swing through. The Riders would like to rush the interior of the Calgary defensive line and have moved Xavier Fulton off the roster for Levy Adcock. With Chris Best being injured, the Riders have not been able to mount much of a running attack, but if Fulton is also playing with injuries, then he should get off the roster and Adcock put in to provide backside protection for the quarterback and for run support.

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The Riders will be continuing to search for an offense, although there seems to be an end date in sight with Durant’s return. Smith’s injury, the result of an apparently legal but late hit, has put Smith mercifully off the roster because he has been contributing for the last month and also has his legal problems adding to his mental stress.

Chris DePalma goes in and Rider fans may remember him from a memorable 54 yard touchdown catch where he absolutely juked one guy out of his socks on the sidelines. DePalma has not been in much game action since, as the Riders tried to get their offense in sync and then out of the sink.

The Riders only have one offensive lineman listed as a back-up, but they have nine defensive linemen. The approach to this game to stopping Cornish is stopping him in his backfield or the line of scrimmage, if Cornish gets past there; the Riders seem set to concede the yardage.

To that end, there are nine defensive linemen listed on the roster. Some can even line up at linebacker, which makes things even more interesting in seeing if we can stop if not at least slow down Calgary’s attack.

I’m going for a 24-22 Calgary win on Friday night, but I will not be disappointed with a Rider win. Calgary is just way too cocky and too easily shoot their mouth to make you think they take the Riders seriously. That is what worked for our team in the past and I hope will work tomorrow, but even a loss is not the end of the world. First, let’s get a single point off a punt or even a missed field goal. After last week, anything like that represents progress as we prepare to enter the Eastern Conference playoff structure.

The early game on Friday is Winnipeg at Ottawa. Winnipeg really needs a win and Ottawa reminded me of the Riders of 2000, pretty good between the twenty yard lines, lousy in the Green Zone. The confusion shown by Henry Burris on the last play of the game was the final stake in the coffin of bringing him to Saskatchewan for many Rider fans.  With Durant coming back, let’s take our lumps and not mortgage the future. Winnipeg wins this game because they really need it; Ottawa has psyched itself out of winning anymore games.

Edmonton at Toronto – this matchup Saturday pits two coaches for formally worked together and now find themselves doing whatever. The Gatorade shower for Eskimo Coach Chris Jones last week was a little cheesy, how many titles get won in September and since Jones has won his first game, he needs no shower for that. This game pits Edmonton`s running with John White and Mike Reilly against Toronto`s finally rebuilt receiving corps. Each coach has interesting insights into the other, but I would go reluctantly with the defensive coach and Chris Jones being able to batter Toronto down. Edmonton 25-Toronto 22.

BC at Hamilton – as one person put it, both teams feature cats so my cat cannot lose this game.  However BC is psycho and Hamilton is just trying to get off their feet and compete. Neither team is an advertisement for stability. BC 21 at 20 Hamilton.