Lets start the predictions people!
I think if we come out ans Durant has a good game and our D steps up we can come out with a close win, lets hope
GO RIDERS!
It'll be interesting to see if the O-Line can compete. Already Smith, Geno, and Rempel out. We also saw in Hamilton that a new O-Line and a lack of running game can make for a long night. An inexperienced QB behind a patchwork O-Line and already deep down the RB depth chart ( Hughes and Cates out ) does not bode well.
BC are going to have adjustments of their own. They lost a lot of veterens this off-season. I don't know how well the new group will have adjusted to playing together.
But our weaknesses are at Linebacker, QB, O-Line, and we've got a DB experiment going. The BC D-Line and LB should be able to expose them, and Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson should be able to expose the others.
BC's weaknesses are -- well -- uh -- Sask's strengths are at SB -- but the Lions are doing quite well at LB, and the BC secondary is pretty good too. The lack of running game in BC might give our D-Line enough pressure to disrupt the BC offence.
It doesn't look too good on paper -- unless you put a 13th man on the field for Sask. Then anything can happen.
We're just the better team. We're going to win. By how much? Don't know, don't care.
Saskatchewan by 8. Go Riders.
riders by 6
Riders by 9 or 10 in a high scoring, rain visited, grudge match. Go fans, I can't make it tonight so be the fans you want to see on TV!!!
"What do Riders do??? RIDE!!!"
Kenny and team
What's wrong with Rempel?????
Edited, because I'm a troll who can't follow the rules. Too bad for me.
Trash talking after that game last night???
"Ride Em Rough"
Hahahahaha... no kidding! The Esks looked horrible last night against an even more horrible Blue Bomber team. So did Calgary on Thursday for that matter.
Question:
Who will be the impact players tonight, on both sides of the ball?
I can't help but think Kornegay will have a big game in his new role. I think Hugh Charles or Stu Foord are capable of having a big impact(blocking, taking dump offs and turning them up field) allowing our receiving corps to enjoy a 350 yard passing night from DD. I think Fantuz or Dressler will lead the crew.
I think Paris Jackson will have his usual success against us. On defence I look for the BC halfbacks to have one or two big plays, (ints, hits, knkdwn's???) just what those might be I don't know.
1st quarter looks a lot like I said it would. Lack of running game on BC has given our Defence licence to pin their ears back for a sack and a forced fumble. Our injured O-Line is showing.
BC's defence is gonna have to stop Durant. He's not getting rattled by all the turnovers.
Arland Bruce take note, Hugh Charles backflip was a cool celebration.
Can anybody explain to me why BC didn't attack our DB experiment? I didn't hear Donovan Alexander's name once, except when he was covering McCallum on that punt. Were we stacking his side of the line on every play -- forcing them to the short side where Omar and Eddie were taking care of business? I just don't understand how they didn't get Paris or Geroy on Alexander.
Has anybody heard anything on Belton yet? Our O-Line was okay. They weren't getting a lot of pressure, going with a coverage-oriented defence. Our special teams really misses Hughes and Leron Mitchell.
It wasn't pretty, but Durant really controlled the game in the first half. He was outplayed by Pierce in the second half, and I probably would have gone to Jyles for the 4th quarter, after getting no production for the entire 3rd quarter. The BC adjustments at half-time were able to completely shut the Riders down in the second half. We need to be able to play 60 minutes, and make adjustments of our own to be able to compete with the top-tier teams.
Good game-plan by the coaching staff, to take advantage of Murphy and Bates departures and lack of running game by pouring on the pressure. And a fantastic job by our front 7 -- pressure all day and they got inside Buck's head. 8 sacks or something ridiculous ( about half our last year's total ), and they had Pierce running for his life.
-- And Dressler is ridiculous. We need to see a contract extension -- soon -- or he'll want what he's worth, and Sask won't pay it.
Belated congrats to the Rider fans....Your team outlasted mine in the "Turnover Bowl".
Lions need some work.....don't know where to start... 
Pourous O-Line (Sure missed Murphy) Dropped balls, poor tackling.
Thanks, Sporty, you're a gentleman.
Until the second Boreham blocked punt, through most of the 4th quarter I was seriously pondering just punting on first down, take the yards and get our D back on there, rather than trying to handle that grenade of a ball ourselves.....
Durant Running the Offence:
19 Possesions
36 Sets of downs
17 First downs ( 10 Passing - 4 Rushing - 3 Penalty )
2 Touchdowns
2 Field Goals
2 Fumbles
3 Interceptions
8 Punts ( 2 blocked )
1 Turnover on Downs
1 End of Half
First Down + TD / Sets of Downs - End of Halfs = 54.3 % conversion ( 12 / 20 first half -- 7 / 15 second half -- 19 / 35 entire game )
Play selection -- 14 Pass, 15 Run ( 1st Down ) -- 15 Pass, 8 Run ( 2nd Down ) -- 29 Pass, 23 Run ( Game )
The second half going Punt, INT, INT, FG, Punt, Punt, Punt was less than impressive.
It looked like our defence dominated, but BC was just as effective. It was just that we would hit 45 yd passes instead of 15.
18 Possesions
35 Sets of downs
17 First downs ( 12 Passing - 4 Rushing - 1 Penalty )
2 Touchdowns
2 Field Goal Attempts ( 1 miss )
3 Fumbles
3 Interceptions
8 Punts
So BC gets the same 54.3% offensive efficiency. They went 7 / 15 in the first half and 12 / 20 in the second half ( flip-flop of Sask ). We were just able to take away the "big play" and make them move backwards with the 9 sacks.