Although I was mildly satisfied with Durants performance, what brought me out of my trance was his stat flashed on the screen for 3 INT's. Never going to win in this league throwing up three chicklets like that. Still lacks judgement and patience to play the QB position in this league.
Oh and by the way, did LaPolice go to the can during that first and goal at the Montreal 1 yd line? I think before he went to the can he said to Durant " call the same three plays, run up the middle" Geez, brutal play calling. Maybe we should get Dressler to call the plays, he can do everything else.
Riders get rid of Paul Lapolice while you are at it.
overall Lapolice’s play calling was pretty good they went air raid on montreal in the first half and it paid off but they failed once again to make any half time adjusments they failed to look ahead and assume that montreal was going to adjust to them.
Durants 3 picks were tough but its part of being a young QB he made some very nice confident throws tonight and I thought he made some great decisions on running the ball.
This game may bring up an L but there were alot of positive stories this game. Were coming to the halfway point and the riders still need alot of work and after watching reid destroy BC last night, I think our run D has got to improve and that may mean bringing in a new LB or two.
I don't think you guys have anything to be ashamed of. You exposed our secondary big-time, passed for a ton of yards and multiple passing TDs, you stayed in the game until the very end, your D held Calvillo to under 200 yards passing and sacked him 4 times, and were it for turnovers and Taylor's punt-return TD, you would probably have won.
Yes, Sask offense was flat in the third quarter, but you had no problem driving down the field and scoring in the fourth quarter AND getting the two-point convert.
I think Durant played great. 3 INTS are never good but that first one wasn't his fault he was hit as he threw the ball and then it was tipped. The other two were his fault and that is unfortunate but it will happen with a young QB.
Also Terminator that 1yd line stand, Jyles was the QB not Durant.
You can't blame this loss on Durant at all! He played inspired football. Yes, he threw three picks, but one of them was a wacky deflection. He made lots of great throws and ran at the right times. And if you didn't stand up and cheer when he converted the two points when most guys would have just hit the turf and given up you don't have a pulse! That was supreme effort and showed me something. What cost the Riders the game were the two returns (the guy's name escapes me, but one was for a TD and the other one set up the Als TD at the end of the first half which was very damaging) and the failure to convert the first and goal from the one- that was HORRIBLE PLAYCALLING!!!! That one's on the head coach. All in all a very exciting game, on the road, on just a few days rest, against the best team in the league, and if 3 or 4 plays go differently Riders win. It's a good time for the bye week and if we can beat the Bombers twice in a row we'll be in good shape down the stretch.
Speaking of the Bombers I was surprised that they crushed the Lions. They looked fantastic, didn't they? GO RIDERS!!!!
Well here is my first post......As a Die hard Rider fan, I can remember thinking at the begining of the Season that this year was going to be a Rebuilding year as Edmonton got better (a la Hall, lumsden, ect...) Calgary defending champs and Ourselves and BC fighting for third (but BC had taken a step ackwards in my mind with loss of key players). So here we are almost at Labour day, and you know what? We are doing not too bad, stealing a win in Calgary, giving that win right back via crapping the bed against Edmonton.
Durrant has had flashes of brilliance but still throws that ill time ball and or hangs his receivers out to dry for crushing hits. Who in the past were the best QBs in this League??? More often than not they were mobil QBS (flutie, ham, Allen, ect...) so why is Durrant not running the ball more? How ever in saying that he has ran more in the past two games....but overall if you look at last year he did that way more often keeping the Defenses off balance. Somehow its like he has been told to stay in the pocket...why?? But overall he has come along way and not having him look over his shoulder at Jyles helps.
Our HOGGIES on the O-Line is whats going to make or break this team, the injuries is whats killing us. Without great pass blocking or creating holes, no Qb is going to be affective. However with Big Gene back the line is starting to look better.
Our Defense? Well we are are weak at LB....(shoulda got armour, maybe trade a Canadian Receiver for one, a la Fantuz if he does not sign....I can hear ppl screaming at me right now) CHick and BAGGS and the D LINE look awesome no complaints there.
Our Receivers, well TSN panel, hit the nail on the head by the performance of all the Canadian Talent there. Quickly becoming fans of Dressler and Bagg
OKay here is my issue with this team.....We have no idea how to play special teams on either punt protection or returning......we suck period. Get rid of Kavous (sp??) as a coach. We are constantly loosing field position which is where we are always starting deep on our own end ( I would love to see the stat to our avg starting position after punts and kicks)
And finally on coaching, what is being said at half time because we look so lost in the second half??? I would love to be a fly on the wall to listen to what Miller is saying.
So we played well enough to win lastnight, and if there was ever a good L that would be one. Hopefully banged up bodies heal over the bye and we better get prepared for Winnipeg's Reid because he was a machine last night.
Well there is my two cents little long winded but hey after reading these boards for so long I had to speak up..........Rebuilding year....still having a shot in the Western standings , not bad if you ask me.......... :thup:
The interception that I had a problem with was the last 1. Clermont released his block and was waiting for the screen pass but Durant tried to force it to another player. Rookie mistakes but overal I was pleased with the Riders performance. The play calling at the 1 was brutal but that was not Durants fault.
Durant played good and again showed poise and intelligent play.
The worst thing about the gaffee at the one was I predicted it when we had first down, it was a prediction I wasn't happy making and even less happy when we did it.
Durant will be a top player in this league for several years. Anyone who can't see that isn't much of a football expert. He is basically a rookie and is going to have his ups and downs but it seems quite apparant to me that he has a great football mind and is capable of producing. 8)
We clearly need to address our special teams and while our play calling can be brilliant, we are getting guys ridiculously wide open, we can, at the same time, be quite predictable. Once we get over that hump we may be unstoppable. :rockin:
All in all not bad the riders will get it together and peak at the right time. I would like to see a few changes the return game is not good enough also the short yardage has come up short afew times this year. Good to see the d played a solid game.
all in all it was an entertaining game we were in it till the end, the O-line is coming along and giving Durant an opportunity to do well, his performance still is that of a Qb that is young and inexperienced, wait till he has half of Calvillio's experience (remember Calvillio in Hamilton) The defense, what can you say, they are doing well, they give the offense all the oppertunities to win any game that they play , thats all that I want from any unit on the field is the oppertunity to win, as for special teams short yardage included ???????????????? ( my moma said if you have nothing nice to say don't say nothing so im saying nothing )
if we keep progressing over the next 8 weeks as we have over the last 2 well be there will be good things happening during playoffs for us
( protect your QB at all costs and put the fear of god in there's )
It was our game for the taking and we didn’t take. The play calling on the goal line stand was extremely disappointing not to say discouraging. Again our special teams were our biggest let down. I admit we kept plugging away and I still believed we could pull it out until Morris gave up the single - who’s coaching this guy? For that matter I think we need a new special teams coach - we have not improved one little bit in that area and if we don’t the season will be very long indeed.
With the exception of the turnovers, our O probably had the best game of the year. I was surprized how many long balls were thrown, and completed. I too questioned the three running plays “up the gut” on the 1 yd line. I wish we’d run the option more often on that play, to open up between the hashmarks.
Regarding Special Teams, I’ve wondered why is there are none of our players between the Kick Returner and the defending team? Other teams seem to get into position so that their players aren’t hit as they receive the ball.
