Time to panic?

Wow, another week...another loss. Things just seem to looking bleaker and bleaker. What really is the issue?

Well, it is not the coaching staff or the play calling. The coaches have coached the same philosophy and practised the same plays all season long.

Is it the injuries? Yesterday we were without Congi, Bagg, Dressler, Hawkins, and Freeman. No, we've had injuries all year and have still won.

Having said that, is it time to panic?

No, not yet but this week is critical. We play BC and Edmonton over the last two weeks and need to show them that they will not come into Mosaic and win the West Semi Final. In order to do that, the players need to believe. Over the last three games, we have seen only 2 quarters of inspired football. 2 out of 12 is not going to cut it.

Psychologically, the players are not into it. Are they thinking about the playoffs? Are they disappointed that the plays are not executing thus not working?

In watching the last few games, the level of "compete" and the emotion is just not there. DD just seems to take every 2 and out or ball thrown in the dirt in stride. Fantuz, upon making a catch after 5 or 6 quarters without, looked relieved and almost surprised he caught one. These guys need to expect excellence and not show complacency. That is what is holding this team back right now.

The team has won with the same schemes and the same players but they cannot win without belief and passion. In 2007, Kent Austin used the word BELIEVE and it is inscribed on the Grey Cup rings. Until this team realizes that they can win and actually want to win, we'll be one and out in the playoffs.

What is important now?

A rough weekend for my beloved Riders. An embarrassing second half performance against the Stampeders  thus eliminating the thought of first place in the West. Not to mention, some serious injuries and questions about the defence.

But, does it really all matter? Yes, the loss was painful but we really gave first place away when we lost to Toronto. The injuries are the most significant, in particular losing Luca Congi. Now, I'm not a huge Congi fan because he seems to miss at the worst time and big plays result (against us). You may not know what I mean. Well, two incidents come to mind and amazingly both against Montreal in the Grey Cup and the season opener. In the first half of the GC, Congi missed a 42 yarder in the first quarter and it gets run back to the 30. 3 points here, means Sask 30 - Als 28. In the season opener, Congi misses a FG that gets returned 100+ yards for a TD. However, the Riders pulled out a victory. Regardless, Congi will be missed as we have no one to kick long field goals which will have a big impact on the Riders success.

The injury to Robb Bagg is significant but we have Grice Mullen and Cetoute to step in. I'm particularly excited about Grice-Mullen as he has tremendous speed so we'll be fine there.

But really, what is important now?

What the team needs to focus on is building momentum. First place is not as important as being "hot" leading into the playoffs. The Riders have shown that they can hang with anyone. They beat both Montreal and Calgary this year who are the best teams right now. But they also stunk it up against many this year. Thus, they need to focus on generating a run game for the bad weather that is coming, shore up blitz protection, work on tackling, and practice new special teams scenarios.

Back in 89, we were 9-9 leading into the playoffs and took out three good teams on route to winning the cup. In 07, we were better by record but still had to travel to get the job done. So first place is not the most important thing.

For the Centennial edition of the Riders, they need to be feeling positive heading into the playoffs and leverage the home crowds at Mosaic, McMahon, and Commonwealth. After all, who needs first place when every game you play is like a home game?

Go Riders!

10 minutes on the 2010 Grey Cup Champions

Poor Derrick Armstrong. He had a great opportunity to play with a championship team but for some reason, decided that the Edmonton Eskimos were better for him.

Derrick Armstrong was added to the Riders practise roster this week. He flew into Regina, put on his pads, posed for the team picture and was immediately claimed by the Edmonton Eskimos. I can't really blame him for not staying as he was not going to get to play right away for the Riders. Edmonton has an immediate need with one of their wideouts going down last week.

However, I really think Armstrong would have had a shot to make the roster at least next year. The Riders do need a tall wide receiver. P-Rod seemed like a good addition and I was excited about that but he obviously was not interested in playing football based on his lazy play. Armstrong seems to have some baggage but is a talented guy so I'm disappointed to see him go.

Not to mention the fact that Armstrong could have got a ring with the Riders this year. With a win this weekend against Calgary, all the momentum shifts to the Riders. Edmonton is done and I'm pretty sure I saw Ritchie Hall not only polishing his golf clubs put packing his bags when Tilman was hired. Edmonton will take a few years to get back to greatness. The Riders are a contender right now.

Armstrong will not get a ring but at least he has that team picture to say he was a part of the 2010 Grey Cup champs!

Inaugural post!

This is the inaugural blog for Rider Talk. So thanks for checking it out!

I’ve been a Rider fan all of my life and seen it all. I’ve been there through the brutal era which included 747 Adams, JJ Barnagel, and the Nealon Green experiment. And yes, I was there at the 2009 Grey Cup. FYI, it wasn’t the too many men penalty that lost the game. We gave it away in the
second half by thinking we had it won.

But, I’ve also been there when the Riders started to put things together , make the playoffs in 1988 after an 11 year absence leading to the Grey cup win in 1989! I still remember watching Fairholm (while being interfered with) catch that bomb from Austin and run for a score and nothing was better than watching my beloved Riders take the Grey Cup over the Bombers in 2007.

The Riders are in my blood and will be forever. I, like most Rider fans, live and die by this team. The passion runs so deep not because they are the only professional team in the province but rather out of wanting to stick it to everyone else for putting us down for so many years. People say Rider fans are the worst in the league because they take it too far. Well, quit saying that we’re banjo pickin inbredsl. We love this team and have a chip on our shoulder brought on by all the doubters and those that laughed at us during the lean years.

This blog was started so I can share my thoughts on the team and the direction we are going. So with that said, I hope you enjoy my thoughts on Canada’s team.

I’ve settled down from the loss to Toronto yesterday, partly because Montreal is handing it to Calgary. Nice to see Burris back to his old ways – 2 fumbles and 2 pics. The game is not yet over but Montreal knows how to finish. After all they won’t repeat what happened in week 1 against the Riders.

Watching the game against Toronto, you could just see we did not have it together. Toronto takes the ball down the field on the opening drive against our “bend but not break” defence. Why doesn’t the defence change their mantra to “shove it down your throat” defence instead? Maybe then we
wouldn’t have to bend so much? The D has been much better  over the second half of the season but they should not give up over 300 yards against Toronto. Toronto only has Cory Boyd, C Boyd and Boyd.

The offense was totally thinking about Calgary, not Toronto. When their first possession went 2 and out, I knew we were in trouble. I was proven right when we continued to miss the blitz pick up, the hot pattern, no Clermont (who was a stud the previous week) or even use the suspect run game. I
like Cates and am very concerned about the lack of run yards. I know he has 15 touchdowns but he should because we keep getting the ball to the 1 yard line. That said, he needs 20 touches to do anything.

DD was OK and I wonder if the ankle injury was a problem as he did not run until the second half. But in light of the offense’s lacklustre performance, we were still in the game. The D was able to stop Toronto more often than not and was causing turnovers. What killed us were special teams.
What I can’t understand is why we were not ready for the fakes considering Toronto really needed the win. I don’t blame them for taking the risks as their defence was not having an issue with our offense. In the second half it seemed like we really could not move the ball and their defence controlled the line of scrimmage and forced us into minimal yards and punting situations. So I can
completely understand why Toronto would take the risk deep in their end. They saw it, I saw it! We had no jump so we were ripe for the picking. What I don’t get is how Daly cannot see it. He did a very good job preparing the ST to cover Owens (I was worried on every kick with that guy) but did nothing to ensure Toronto did not make a big play like the 2 awesome fakes and the blocked FG.

Barin Simpson said that they had practised for the direct snap but yet failed to execute. Other teams are paid to make plays but when you know it is coming!!! Come on! Everyone in the building new it was coming!

I find it ironic that after the game, players are interviewed, take ownership and say all the right things. But I’d like to see the coaches (not Miller, I’m tired of listening to him) like Daly take the mic and own up to his lack of execution as a coach and how he let the team down.

Can’t wait for the first place showdown next week!