Things to Do when the Rider Season is Over

What they got was Caleb Evans who with the benefit of a competent offensive line, did what was necessary for the Als to capitalize on offensive and special teams miscues by the Riders.

The Riders lack of spirit, for lack of a better term, shows a team that has talent but no idea of what to do with it. The Riders lost quarterback Mason Fine to a hamstring injury that then left Jake Dolegala as the starting quarterback.

For those fans who had been clamouring for Dolegala to get in, the results were less than inspiring. The inability of the Riders to sustain an offense seems due to the offensive line being unable to block effectively for the run, never mind the pass in addition to a quarterback who reminds me of Michael Bishop, great on the long ball, unable to hit the short pass.

The Riders seemed at a loss to know what to do against Montreal and with Montreal using a back up quarterback and running back to lead the charge against the Riders, one wonders if Montreal has better depth or better coaching than what the Riders have been demonstrating.

The Riders remain in third place in the west, one game ahead of Calgary, but with games coming up against Calgary and two against Winnipeg, the Riders are poised to start a slow slide down the standings while Calgary rub their hands together in preparations for a home and home against the winless Elk.

The Riders traded punter Kaare Vedvik to Hamilton for quarterback Antonio Pipkin, who one must assume is going to handle the third down plays, seeing Shea Patterson now assume the back-up duties. Pipkin has a lower center of gravity than Dolegala, who handled the short yardage team and managed to cough the ball up a couple of times, including one for a touchdown.

You would not want Pipkin to start in a perfect world, but he fills a niche right now on the Rider roster with Fine expected to be out for two to three weeks. Vedvik had been surplanted by Adam Korsak who after a hot start seems like he has been cooling off or perhaps is just taking something off his punts to better allow his coverage team to get down the field and cover the punt.

The question in Riderville is whether the Riders can recover, and if not, how to address the situation in the offseason. Rider fans may be doing some wishful thinking to suggest the Riders could get a 2-1 record in the next three games, but reality is likely to be a far crueller mistress.

The Riders have not demonstrated any ability to sustain an offense, at lease along the ground, and the Riders inability to move the ball on short yardage situations seems to have seeped into the run blocking for other plays.

The Riders should enjoy this game and Labor Day for attendance before the bottom falls out of fan’s patience for watching a team that is not very entertaining.

The CFL started off last week with the spectacle of Edmonton opening up a 22-0 lead on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before falling 29-29. It was poetic of Edmonton to lose their 22^nd straight home game in such a fashion, but after the game Elk President Victor Cui stepped down “by mutual consent” with the club.

The hiring of Cui has been maybe the only smart decision made by the Elk so far this year and while his promotional stuff has been OK, it has been the only sustained sign of life seen on the sidelines of Commonwealth Stadium. Cui may have felt handcuffed by the contract of Elk GM, Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Chris Jones who is on the second year of a four-year contract.

The Elk are paying off a former coach in Jamie Elizondo and GM Brock Sutherland, and may not have the room under the football administration cap to fit in payments to Jones to pay out his contract if he is released by the club.

Jones had switched up some of the role on his team, moving offensive coordinator Stephen McAdoo to defense and promoting quarterback coach Jarious Jackson to offensive coordinator. He also promoted Canadian Tre Ford to starting quarterback, something that was intended to take advantage of his mobility.

The Elk offense went to sleep in the second half as Edmonton demonstrated their inability to hold a lead. Edmonton even knocked out Winnipeg starting quarterback Zach Collaros with a neck injury.

The injury opened the door for back up Dru Brown who put on clinic in passing and running and served noticed the Bombers will not be skipping a beat with Brown. The win also demonstrated Winnipeg appears to have the depth to weather injuries in key positions as the season turns into the stretch.

The Edmonton board of directors appear to have given Chris Jones a vote of confidence, which may or may not reassuring, but the Elk are facing limited options as their season slowly runs out of time and opportunity.

The sense of wonder one felt at watching Edmonton hit a new low was dashed by the sight of the empty seats something that does not send a healthy image about the league. The Edmonton Board Of Governors released a statement urging fans to buy tickets, with left unsaid that if they wanted a change in the situation to not buy tickets.

It was a condescending reply that went to the heart of the frustration being felt by Edmonton fans wanting to cheer a team for any reason. The Elk board of governors are relying on some weird rah-rah approach that does nothing to acknowledge the situation on the field or the fans frustration.

Calgary at BC on initial look was shaping up to be an intriguing game, but the return of Vernon Adams Jr. as BC QB sparked the Lions to a 37-9 win. The Lions hit several deep passes in style, while bottling up the Calgary running game and making the Calgary passing game the weakest feature of their team.

Considering Calgary upset the previously undefeated Argos and one would have thought Calgary was poised for a run, but like an old man on erectile dysfunction medication, was unable to maintain a presence in front of the Lions.

BC had lost to Winnipeg but had Dane Evans as their starting quarterback while Vernon Adams Jr. recovered from an injury. With a knee brace, Adams looked like the best quarterback in the west.

The BC defense will be critical in how far the team goes in the post season. If the Lions can maintain the level of tackling excellence they demonstrated earlier in a win over the Riders, the team is well positioned to make a move for first.

The last game of the week was Ottawa at Toronto and this turned out to be an entertaining game as Toronto won 44-31. Ottawa is probably on their fourth quarterback of the year in Dustin Crum who has a talent for throwing as well as running.

Chad Kelly provided notice he is in the running for Most Outstanding Player with 21 completions in 28 attempts for 417 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. The Argos running game seems to have passed the baton from Andrew Harris to A.J. Ouellette who looks like he follows the Andrew Harris training blueprint.

The Toronto defense again looks like the key to the team and their defensive line and linebackers are poised to create problems wherever they are lined up. What is interesting to watch for the Argos is how much a lack of focus may lead to lapses on either offense or defense.

The Argos at this point may be pushed by Montreal in the east, but it is reasonable to assume that if Toronto just treads water, they will finish in first place. This certainty lies in contrast with BC and Winnipeg who will push each other in the race for first in the west and this type of competition may help to hone the western teams to a better performance in the playoffs.

The week starts with Edmonton at Hamilton and with the vote of confidence given to Chris Jones might make a difference in providing some certainty to the Elk. If the Elk are hamstrung by the football administration cap in moving to get rid of Jones, then seeing Cui move on is not likely to make any difference.

Edmonton might have learned something in their loss to Winnipeg in blowing a 22-point lead, but Edmonton looks like a team that will question itself no matter who is at the helm taking snaps.

Edmonton is facing a Hamilton team that is on their fourth quarterback of the season but is now under the tutelage of Scott Milanovich, the former Montreal and Toronto head coach who takes over as offensive coordinator.

It is doubtful you will see much of a change in the Hamilton offense as Hamilton tries to provide some security for their quarterback and rev up a pretty sleepy offense. Milanovich will likely want to see how well Hamilton can execute on offense and what they can do well, not do well, and tailor the offense to meet the abilities of their quarterback.

It should be a close game, and fascinating to watch just to see if Edmonton can blow this game in some new and exciting way. Hamilton wins this 24-21.

Winnipeg goes to Calgary and in Calgary they are asking the question if this will be the end of the Stampeders 18-year streak of making the playoffs.

I doubt it, especially after seeing the schedules for the two teams, but Calgary’s run for the playoffs does not begin here. Winnipeg can also read a schedule and when they saw BC is in Saskatchewan, the pressure is on Winnipeg to beat Calgary and not allow BC to slip ahead.

Winnipeg will face a game Calgary team, but has enough depth to outlast whatever threats are launched by the Stampeders. Calgary has a running game, but not enough in the passing game to make teams respect both the pass and the run.

Winnipeg will do neither en route to a 29-22 win.

Montreal goes to Ottawa for what could be an interesting game. Montreal played the Riders without quarterback Cody Fajardo and running back William Stanback and held the Riders in check. I would expect Fajardo to return this week in this divisional game that could help Montreal open up their lead over the third-place team in the west to six points.

Ottawa is coming off a better than expected performance against Toronto, suggesting Ottawa is a team that is not just learning what it is capable of, but believes it can go into any game and be competitive and win.

This will pit how well Montreal’s defense can stack up the Ottawa offense while Montreal’s offense attempts to pick their spots against Ottawa, likely through the air.

Montreal is not inspiring any comparisons with Toronto, BC or Winnipeg with their defense, but they seem at least game to try to corral Dustin Crum.

Ottawa will be looking to stay in the race for the playoffs in the east and this will make for a closer game with Montreal pulling away with a 25-21 win.

Finally, the Lions go to Riderville to shoot more holes into the sinking Rider fortunes. The two teams met a couple of weeks before with the Lions providing a clinic in tackling in their defensive secondary and after stumbling against Winnipeg, they rebounded against Calgary and would like to clinch the season series with the Riders with a win in this game.

The Riders will try to give Jake Dolegala any sort of help and I would think Shea Patterson will also see some action, but the Rider problems stem from their offensive line and their lack of fire and probably ability to keep their quarterbacks upright.

The Riders may keep it close, either at the start or perhaps in garbage time, but BC is just better and will win 27-18.

by Greg Urbanoski

Things to Do when the Rider Season is Over

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