Dan Plaster
Hi Rider fans! The sun is setting on the end of the 2014 CFL regular season and it’s been a roller coaster one for your green and white. The second last game of the season is tonight in Calgary (13-2) against a Stampder club that is having one of the most dominant regular seasons in recent memory. Their only losses were on August 1st against Montreal and a month ago against the Lions. The Stamps are flying high and want to keep the ball rolling into the playoffs, which have been a nightmare for them. Since John Hufnagel took over the helm in 2008, this is their 7th straight season with 10+ wins, but they have only two Grey Cup appearances and a single win.
Calgary is number one in the CFL in almost every offensive and defensive team category:
– Turnover Ratio (+14)
– Sack Differential (+20)
– Sacks Given Up (21)
– Least Turnovers
– Points for and against
– Red Zone scoring percentage (83%)
– Yardage on 1st down (7.3)
– Least penalized
– Net Offence
– Rushing
I could go on, but you get the point. You know what all of this means once the calendar turns to November and the run to the Grey Cup begins…not a hill of beans. The proof for this Stampeder team will be in the playoffs, if they lose in the West Final at home again or in the Grey Cup in Vancouver, no one will care about a 15 or 16 win season.
The Riders were able to move the football in their loss week 15 loss to Calgary at Mosaic Stadium. Many will say that with a 24 point lead, Calgary let up on both sides of the football, allowing the Riders to tie the football game. That is a bit of a misnomer, once the Riders got within 14, the Stampeders tried to gear back up, but couldn’t stop Tino Sunseri and the Rider offence. The only thing that kept the game from heading to overtime was a last second touchdown drive.
Jon Cornish is banged up and will miss tonights game. He is the most important part of this Stampeder offence. They still win without him, but with him they are almost unstoppable on offence. In just eight games this season, he is still responsible for over 20% of their offence. He get a lot of help from a fantastic, and young Stampeder offensive line led by Dan Federkeil and Brett Jones.
Fast Facts:
– After an almost record breaking season, kicker Rene Paredes has struggled at times connecting with just 73% of his field goals this season and 43% from beyond 40 yards.
– The Stampeders have the most balanced offensive attack in the CFL; rushing the ball 51% of the time and passing 49%
– The most telling stat of how consistent their offence is, the Stampeders have scored on eight of their 44 drives that begins before their own 20 yard line. The Riders have just one in 46 drives.
– Their defence are second last in the CFL with just 76 forced 2 and outs.
The Riders are taking baby steps out of their late season hole. Their 24-19 loss at Mosaic Stadium saw many of the key factors to the Riders success begin to return. They got after quarterback Mike Reilly and were able to create turnovers. Offensively, there was signs of life under Kerry Joseph as they were able to move the football in the first half before bogging down in the second. The green and white still need a win to clinch third and stay away from the crossover playoff run, so there is still plenty to play for.
Youth will be served tonight as many of the Rider regulars are getting extended rest with the playoffs just around the corner. We will not be seeing the likes of Weston Dressler, Brendon LaBatte, Chris Best and Anthony Allen. Instead, Keith Toston and the recently signed Steven Miller will be seeing their first regular season game with the Riders, while CFL rookies Ryan Smith, Matt Vonk and Matt Webster are back in the line-up.
Without veteran offensive linemen Brendon LaBatte, Chris Best and Xavier Fulton, this will be a very young, but still talented Rider offensive line. Dominic Picard will be the greybeard at 32 years old, where the five other offensive linemen on the roster are all 26 years old or younger with the youngest being Matt Vonk, who just turned 24 in August. If anyone out there thinks this game means nothing, it was well pointed out to me that if you looked Corey Watman or Dan Clark in the eye and asked that, you would be convinced that this was a playoff game tonight. This group will have a great night tonight.
Fast Facts:
– This defence is still the best big play group in the CFL by their league lead in sacks and second in interceptions.
– Its also a patient and disciplined group as they are the second least penalized team in the CFL.
– The loss last week against the Eskimos was the first time this season that the Riders won the turnover battle but lost the game.
– This is a great team in the first half, scoring 29 more points than what they have given up, while the second half has been a struggle, getting outscored by 64 points.
– Corey Chamblin is 5-and-9 in coaches challenges and 2-and-6 in DPI challenges.
Five things to watch at McMahon Stadium tonight:
1. Continue to improve – The first steps towards regaining their early season form began last week against Edmonton, and if the Riders need to continue to build on those good things heading into the playoffs
2. Running games – Anthony Allen and Jon Cornish, the CFL’s number one and two rushers, will be out for tonight’s game. We will see a lot of the Riders Keith Toston and the Stampeders Matt Walter or Jock Sanders. Which ever back up wins this match up, will more than likely be on the winning side of this football game.
3. Big Plays – Prevent them and create them. Big plays become even bigger as the season is in its twilight and even bigger in the playoffs.
4. Protect the QB – The Riders kept Kerry Joseph clean last week, more of the same will be needed.
5. Get after Bo-Levi – The Rider defensive line came to life last week and made Mike Reilly’s life miserable. Bo Levi Mitchell is just as mobile as the Edmonton pivot, and it will be fun watching the Riders track Mitchell down tonight.
For the best Rider coverage, keep tabs on riderville.com, and tune in Tuesday nights for Rider Rewind and Thursday nights for Countdown to Game Day. Also, follow me on twitter @dan_plaster. See you in the stands.
