Riders in first, Vaccinations for Rider games and first black player in the CFL

While the basis for selection into the Plaza of Honor includes longevity, contributions to the community, I think the Plaza of Honor Committee should look at Jackson just because his story tells the story of Saskatchewan during a racially charged time and how sports works as a vehicle for social progress.

One season may not be enough to justify the inclusion of Jackson, but considering what he achieved, and all the firsts associated with that, it would be nice to see Jackson acknowledged for something he might not have thought about at the time – breaking the color barrier in Canadian football.

So the game against Ottawa was game 3 for the Riders and with a home schedule front loaded for the team, the opportunity is there is there to run the table. The first game was a sell out, at least if you define a sell out as tickets sold, not necessarily bums in the seats.

The news afterwards that the Saskatchewan Health Association had found an outbreak of Covid in Pil; Country, where I sit, seems to have a dampening effect on attendance. After sitting in Pil Country for the frist, I have sat in different sections with tickets from people who were not comfortable in coming to Mosaic when no vaccinations were required.

Winnipeg was the first municipal;ity to require vaccinations for attendance at Bomber and Jets games. While I am loathe to give Winnipeg credit for anything, they do deserve credit for recognizing something that has escaped people in Saskatchewan.

The average age of season ticket holders skews older and while many have gotten vaccinations, many like taking their children or grandchildren, most of whom have not been vaccinated. So exposing your child or grandchild to a potentially deadly illness is not in the dancecard for many season ticket holders who may be happy to provide the Riders with a financial boost this year, considering they are hosting the Grey Cup next year.

The attitude in Alberta and Saskatchewan is more of an ostrich burying its head and hoping the pandemic will go away if no one pays attention to it. However, with airlines looking for vaccinations before flying, and other stadiums and concert facilities asking for vaccinations prior to entry, then it is a matter of time before the Riders and the Regina Exhibition Association bite the bullet and take the next step.

While there are those who will whine about their freedoms being infringed, as a former member of Her Majesty`s Canadian Armed Forces, I would humbly suggest that while those who are opposed to vaccinations are entitled to their opinion, their attitude is costing people`s lives. Businesses are also entitled to do what they can to keep their staff and customers safe and if that includes limiting access to those who have been vaccinated, then that is their right just as it is the right of any red neck to refuse getting a shot.

The Labor Day game will be likely the biggest game of the season and marks the fourth Rider home game of a seven game schedule. Bringing in such a requirement for that game, considering there are people from Winnipeg coming and you can imagine how they will mock Saskatchewan for not caring about the health of its fans, seems like the right thing to do.

Edmonton is the only other municipality in the CFL which does not require any vaccination for entry to football games, but if Edmonton forfeits its game to Toronto because it does not believe in vaccinations, then maybe the hit in the standings and the pay book, considering forfeits by a team will result in not one getting a game cheque, will move the discussion along. Consider if the Riders get a bunch of infections prior to Labor Day and then have to forfeit – would such a loss be enough to change the minority opinion against?

Well, that is a discussion for another day. In the meantime, the Riders have completed their first first three games undefeated despite having suffered injuries to Micah Johnson and Jordon Williams-Lambert in the Ottawa game. Ottawa demonstrated that to have any success, it will need to rely on coaching acumen, defense and special teams and hope the offense can operate when it can with basically a no name line up.

Ottawa played a lot of zone and remember the name of Avery Williams. He is the middle linebacker for Ottawa and helped key the defense that essentially shut down the Rider running attack. The zone defense forced the Riders to take a lot of sideline shots with a receiving corps full of Canadian draft picks and practice roster players.

Cody Fajardo had his best passing percentage in a game against Ottawa and he did enough to move the club and cash in when he could. Fajardo was helped by an offensive line that kept him free from hits for another game and has emerged as a pleasant surprise this season along with the defensive line.

Jonathon Woodward keyed the Rider defensive line push who recorded six sacks. In contrast, Charleston Hughes is looking for his first sack in Toronto. The Riders in three games have 14 quarterback sacks (first in the league) five interceptions (second in the league) and have basically answered a bunch of questions that revolved around the defensive line in particular to pressure.

The Riders other mystery spot was the offensive line. With the absence of Brendon LaBatte, it seemed like the Riders offensive line would be more of a paper mache style of pass protection, but some interesting adjustments by offensive coordinator Jason Maas, including tempo passing to reduce the expose of Fajardo to hits has paid off.

The young Canadians, including Logan Ferland, who should be the rookie of the year for starting on the offensive line and holding his own, have done a fantastic job so far. But let`s not get too cocky because Winnipeg will be coming in with their defense which is basically the strength of that team. If the Riders get a split with Winnipeg, never mind a sweep, and keep Fajardo upright, then the Riders will be in a very good spot heading into the second half of the season.

While the offensive line has been very good, the running game has not been in the same category, although that may change as the season progresses. It doesn`t seem like William Powell has lost a step, but then he is working with an almost entirely new offensive line and it will take time for that chemistry to kick in.

The only area where the Riders have under performed has been in the area of special teams returns. Marcus Murphy has been returning kicks for the last three games, but has not inspired any get out of your seat moments like Marcus Thigpen did, which must drive a special teams coach like Craig Dickenson crazy.

Expect the Riders to look at other options in returning kicks – Murphy has has some unsettling moments in handling the ball and any time he can return the ball without bumbling it is a happy occasion. But the Riders record under Craig Dickenson is now 16-5 and his winning percentage is right up there with Eagle Keys.

The Riders have nine players on the six game injury list, none of whom will be back against Winnipeg, but they do have a number of players on the one game injury list who will be eligible to return. The Riders depth is a credit to the work of assistant GM Paul Jones who came out of Edmonton and has found a fresh lease on life providing the Riders with great players.

That depth will come in handy this year and may be the difference in the Riders winning the Grey Cup. Uh yeah, I know Grey Cups are not awarded after the third regular season game, but if the Riders keep this up, they will find themselves playing in Hamilton for the Grey Cup in December, maybe against Montreal or Toronto.

So with Edmonton being infested with Covid, their game against Toronto has been cancelled for Thursday, and if the Elks cannot come up with a replacement date, they will likely forfeit and that will help the Riders in the standings as well as act as a cautionary warning. In 110 years this team has only won four Grey Cups and is in no position to pass on another just to satisfy the wishful thinking of provincial politicians.

So the CFL weekstarts with an interesting game between Hamilton and Montreal for Montreal`s home opener. Hamilton spent the last two weeks out west losing to Winnipeg and the Riders. That maybe wasn`t so bad, the the complete lack of offense from Hamilton, picked as a Grey Cup favorite, has to make Hamilton fans somewhat antsy.

Jeremiah Masoli will attempt to correct the ship when they go to Montreal, where the big question is whether a lack of discipline will be addressed. Montreal lost to Calgary due to taking stupid penalties at inopportune times and while no one doubts the talent on the Montreal roster, the question of their maturity is a valid one.

If Montreal wins they go to 2-1 while Hamilton drops to 0-3. Montreal has the guns to get the job done, but Hamilton has a paper thin offensive line and that will be the difference in Montreal winning 27-14.

BC goes to Ottawa and this is also an interesting game. While this is Ottawa`s home opener, their win against Edmonton has already made them a success story this year, but now Ottawa has to figure out if Matt Nicholls with his arm trouble and leg brace has enough to make Ottawa`s offense anything more than an afterthought.

BC has its own problems with Michael Reilly having elbow problems which makes consistent passing a problem. BC fell; big to the Riders in the season opener before coming back and nearly winning, then beating Calgary before losing to Edmonton. Ottawa has the defense to beat BC, and probably the special teams, but there is a valid question as to whether the offense has what it takes.

I would think this would be an entertaining if frustrating game with two struggling teams and I would think BC should win this one 19-17 but I would not be surprised if Ottawa won by a similar score.

Finally we have the Calgary at Winnipeg game on Sunday night that repeats the western semi-final of 2019, except there is no Bo Levi Mitchell. Calgary beat Montreal behind rookie QB Jake Meier. Cal;gary is 1-2, but their team is young and while they have the coaching, it is not clear they have the contuity in the lineup that makes winning such a habit in Calgary.

Winnipeg is coming off an embarrasing loss in Toronto that interrupted the Grey Cup parade the Bombers had planned for this year and they have a big series with the Riders to get ready for. Playing Calgary should be a good tune up for Winnipeg and the game is at home, where Winnipeg tends to do well.

So while I hope for a tie I have to go with Winnipeg for this one because it sets up next week beautifully and it is even better when you beat Winnipeg on Labor Day.