Riders bounce back in BC

The score was closer than what the game was and if you include a Tevaughn Campbell pick six interception called back on a penalty, the score could have been easily in the 40s for the Riders. The Riders sent out the message that even though BC was coming off a solid win, they could be had in their own stadium and while I have been used to the Riders talking a good game, following through with an actual good game was a great experience.

Trevor Harris led the way with a rapid release game that is difficult to stop and passing over 400 yards. I remember Mike Kerrigan who was a similar style quarterback and all you could do to stop them was somehow change up their passing rhythm either by a steady defensive rush or physically beating their receivers in the first five yards of their routes.

The Riders passing attack is notable because we are missing three of our starting wide receivers and Harris is completing passes at a record pace with a cast that is the second and third string receivers. In the last two

years the Riders went through offensive linemen like grass through a goose but the result of all the injuries and guys being forced to play all over is this year our offensive line has come into its own. The experience being gained now by our receiving corps is going to make the Riders better in the future.

The injury to Ka’Deem Cary was an ugly one that may have just ended his career. Hearing him scream on the field and then being impressed by how he chose to walk, as best he could, off the field made me reflect on how fleeting an athletic career can be. There are no guarantees.

It also forced the Riders to go back to their earlier cuts and bring back running back Mario Anderson who was cut when Cary became available. Anderson has the advantage of knowing the offense and what is required and as the Riders look to hit their stride, continuity becomes important and so does spelling off AJ Ouellette.

The Riders are a better team with Tevaughn Campbell back at cornerback and the big question this week is if Jameer Thurman will be back at middle linebacker after suffering a toe injury against BC. Thurman will be important depending on who the Elks start at quarterback, Canadian Tre Ford who can scramble but not much else, or Cody Fajardo, which would mark the first time Fajardo has faced the Riders since leaving the team two years ago.

The Elk are coming off a bye week and while Elk Head Coach Mark Killam has been noncommittal about Ford as the starter, it may be in the Elks best interest to follow Ford all the way through until he either hits his next level and he gets better or falls through the floor and crashes. Edmonton does have a good running game, but their defensive line is for all intents and purposes, subject of much rumor and innuendo.

The Riders may want to jump out ahead and get used to punching other teams in the face to start the game instead of lightly jabbing each other. How the Riders offense performs will depend on who is available off the

injury list and how the Riders can adjust the ratio to allow for the best possible line up.

Edmonton will throw the kitchen sink at the Riders with the bye week in their favor by trying to get a gauge for what Ford can do if given the opportunity. If Thurman is out, there are others who can shadow Ford, but the Riders lose communication on their defense if that happens,

I won’t be at the game, being in Calgary to catch Steve Earle on his only Canadian appearance, I think while I am making this a one score game, it should not be as tight, and the Riders come away with a 31-24 win.

BC is home against Hamilton and the way the season has opened in the first third, it looks like BC will be the cross over team to the east this year, making this a potential eastern semifinal or final preview.

I have noted this on previous columns, but the oblique injury suffered by Rourke has not been fully healed. Nor is it likely to with Rourke playing once a week and getting clobbered for the most part.

Rourke did not through a consistent good ball against the Riders, nor were some of his decisions some of the best thought out. BC needs good home performances from their team and their Canadian quarterback to bring the crowds in, but one thing I thought about as I cruised various CFL fan pages was the thought that maybe BC traded away the better quarterback in Vernon Adams Jr.

BC is hosting the surging Hamilton Tiger-Cats who seem to have gotten the kinks out of their offense and defense, especially illustrated in their 30-15 win over the Ottawa Redblacks. Bo Levi Mitchell is passing like a man whose shoulder has healed, but I can’t shake the feeling something to going to come off the Ti-Cat go machine.

Hamilton is making the difficult cross country trip to BC but they are also carrying buckets of momentum from their four game winning streak that has them in a share for first in the east. Beating Ottawa twice is

expected, but now the Cats face the Lions who are definite playoff contenders and depending which conference they end up in for the playoffs, could be Grey Cup contenders.

This will have some unintentional playoff intensity as these two teams will realize they may face themselves in the playoffs, maybe sooner than later. I am going to go with Hamiton and a 28-23 win in a physical battle.

Calgary goes to Montreal to start the week and the Stampeders coming off a 41-20 win over the Bombers have served notice they are the early favorite for the Grey Cup. Calgary again exposed Winnipeg as old and slow and when Collaros was replaced by Chris Streveler, you could read on the Bomber fan pages the slow realization that Streveler is not much more than a third down quarterback.

Calgary has rebuilt in a year, but the question remains is what happens when the injury bug hits? Adams was having a most outstanding player season a year ago until he got injured, BC brought in Rourke and the locker room was split.

If Adams gets injured, there is PJ Walker but who knows what he can do in the Canadian game. If Calgary’s defense gets hit with injuries, can the replacements match the starters? Adams is also a streaky quarterback so there have been games when he reverts to some freshman quarterback.

Those are all hypothetical questions which if the Stampeders luck continues, may lead them to first place in the west. This week they are going to Montreal who welcomed back their quarterback Davis Alexander who tied the CFL record for longest winning streak for a rookie QB but left the 26-25 win over Toronto with a hamstring pull that has put him on the six-game injured list.

Montreal picked up McLeod Bethel Thompson who has played not bad, but not actually winning any games either. He gets his shot against Calgary, and I suspect they may have their problems against the Calgary

defense. Montreal’s defense has been good, but when you are on the field longer than your offense, there are bound to be break downs.

Montreal’s defense may well understand they will be asked to carry the team, at least until the offense gets its act together. Montreal is going to be short some starters in the receiving corps so combine my lack of faith in MBT along with a shortage of game breaking Canadian receivers, you would have to make Calgary a 26-23 winner over Montreal.

Finally, we have the Bombers and the Argos. The Argos showed some life last week in their 26-25 loss to Montreal in the last minute and they host Winnipeg who looked old and tired in their loss to Calgary. This week Winnipeg should be more evenly matched with the Argos although if Chad Kelly starts for the Argos, that should make them slight favorites.

A lot of my thinking is about the impact of injuries on the Argo defense and whether the team has given up or if they are waiting for Kelly to come save them. Toronto cannot afford to slip too far behind in the eastern standings, especially with the west with four strong teams contending.

The Bombers can move to a game behind first place with a win and with a BC loss, a win would open more space between the Bombers and fourth spot. The question for the Bombers after the back-to-back losses to Calgary are the Bombers as bad as Calgary made them look or is Calgary that good.

Take the Bombers at 28-26 as the Argos attempt to tread water in the east and the Bombers convince themselves they are still an elite team.

by Greg Urbanoski

Riders bounce back in BC

What's Trending