The Saskatchewan Roughriders do it all – unless you count winning. In reality, there are actually a few areas where the Riders are deficient. Elements involved in these categories are why you see this anomaly of a year from the CFL’s most loved and hated franchise.
It’s naive to think there won’t be times of rebuilding and retooling, but this newer generation of Rider fans only know how to do one thing and that is win. That’s what’s been sold on the farm so to speak.
Fans expect to see home victories and playoff berths year in and out. I can only imagine the impact on the organization if the Riders have a few years of this in a row. Not good.
So bad, in fact, that you’d barely recognize the team from opening day to season’s end. Coaches, players, and team personnel: no one is safe. That’s what Winnipeg and Ottawa, and even Hamilton to a lesser extent, have been going through in their building processes.
So which Riders problems does the team need to work on to turn this thing around?
Turnovers
The determination to rip the ball out on tackles and jump routes to create turnovers, and the care required to protect the ball, are key factors in wins and losses. This group of defenders has failed more than they’ve succeeded.
In 85% of CFL games, the team that wins the giveaway/takeaway ratio wins the game. There just isn’t any greater factor in a team’s standing than turnovers.
When you win that battle, the smaller battles are easier to win. Fundamental tackling, which all professional football players should have built-in, has even presented problems at times for veteran players. The Riders have let their opposition break what should have been sure tackles and gain first down yardage, an issue for defensive coordinator Greg Quick’s defence all year.
But back to turnovers. The Riders came out on top of the turnover battle just twice in their first eight games of 2015. Emblematic of the way things have gone for sure. This stat, but not alone, helped stifle any hope for a great season.
Solid Play at Critical Times
It has not been easy to count the number of times the Riders defence has given up big plays, allowing opponents to complete receptions or runs for more than thirty yards. In all games, except for the two wins, the Riders have been crushed by big plays at critical times.
The offence is no less guilty, losing fumbles on the opponent’s side of half and giving up interceptions returned for touchdowns. They’ve got to be nearing club records in those categories this year. Second and third down conversions have miraculously not been sore spots, but have cost momentum at times.
Another area that touches this category is veteran leadership on defence. With all due respect to the CFL’s leading tackler and Rider rookie, Jeff Knox Jr., there is no way he should even be leading this team in tackles. That responsibility should belong to one of Macho Harris, Tyron Brackenridge, or Terrell Maze.
The fact that a rookie is hustling and more aware of his positioning than multiple all-star caliber veteran players is not a success, but one of the major failures of this football team.
All of these issues have seemed to come at critical times in games and kill swings of momentum that should have seen the Riders flourish; instead, their poor timing has cost them victories. Even clock management issues have seen the team leave points on the table.
Timing has not been great; this is usually something that teams work out in practice. It’s so tough to tell if a team practices well until you see how they perform on game day. The Riders have not practiced well often enough to win games.
Forget the Feelings
Fans and media have questioned the team’s personnel decisions all year. Who is playing? Who isn’t? Why did you make (insert random) personnel change? Moves from the GM’s office, both early and late this year, suggest the coaches aren’t sure who they want playing where. Of course injuries force these moves at times, but every team has to deal with that.
It started in the off-season where the team elected to remain quiet on some personnel moves, such as Neil Hughes. That player announcement, which we all eventually heard was a retirement, should have been done before Christmas last year. Sorry, Neil, it is hard to say that without feeling the sting.
What we have here is an indication that the club is hesitant to pull the trigger when there are feelings involved. Granted there are new people in the general manager and head coach roles, but they’re professionals in the big show.
There are still a few 2013 Grey Cup Champions on this roster and some of them should be gone if not for the darn feelings. They brought in many players for that once-in-a-lifetime run to the Cup; just as many need to be shown the door now.
The Riders would be wise to remove all of these encumbrances like feelings, and make the hard decisions. The sooner the better. No excuses. The active roster is a big part of the business of winning. It’s not a country club with a lifetime membership. That’s what the Plaza of Honor is for.
Take More Risks
The risks taken on the field have been way down as well. It’s one of the things fans most look forward to each season. What kind of tricks do they have up their sleeves? What scenario warrants using the tricks and which teams will fall for them?
I can’t remember a fake field goal or punt and there has been little razzle or dazzle in the offence. Fewer defensive back blitzes, too, which are necessary risks at times. The playbooks on both sides of the ball have been very vanilla, and that’s easier for their opponents to both defend and carve up.
I suppose that’s life with two new coordinators in the mix. One year, a run-happy offence. The next year, a pass-happy offence. Is it just me, or am I alone in my thinking that these coordinators with widely known reputations can’t really surprise anyone they are up against?
Whatever it is, the Riders organization has lots of work to do and with only three games remaining, very little of that work will actually be on the field. These areas are where I see the most dysfunction and they are exactly where I’d start if I was given the task.
I hope interim general manager Jeremy O’Day has been given the authority, by club president and CEO Craig Reynolds, to start cleaning house. I don’t know enough about Reynolds and the current Rider board of governors to speculate. I suppose today’s trade of quarterback Kevin Glenn to Montreal, for a fifth round draft pick in 2016, was an appropriate start. One of these awful years is acceptable, but you’ve got to rebuild and retool and start winning again to make it all worth while.
Main Photo:
