Just Wondering

Is this Rider team a "bad team" or a decent team playing somewhat badly at the worst times? Apparently they've lost 9 of their last 11 regular season games. Last year they pulled up their socks and won when it most counted, making it to the big game for a second straight year. Can they do that again this year? Maybe--maybe not. They lost Fantuz and Bagg, and some of the receivers they were counting on like Koch and Wheelright got injured. Bagg is gone for the season if not for good. Who knows if Fantuz will end up back here or when? A healthy Koch and Wheelright would help the passing game get revived after Labour Day and we all know that DD needs lots of help from his receivers. The other sore spot--the pass rush-has improved somewhat with the addition of Willis from Winnipeg. I think our linebacking and secondary are and can be pretty good with a more consistent and relentless pass rush--maybe one more dynamic D-end from being there. Dare I say it, one John Chick away from being there, ha-ha. Special teams are better than last year as is the coaching. Remains to be seen how the kicking game will shake out after Labour Day, hopefully better and more consistent. Not sure that this team needs to be gutted and totally made over. Just a few key players getting and staying healthy, and a few key player acquisitions. Maybe that will allow our OC and DC to get this team ready to play to win. This is just my opinion, but I happen to think that teams are NOT going to enjoy playing the Riders in the 2nd half of the season the way they have in the first half. I now open the floor for your comments and discussion. Just a fan who cares. GO RIDERS!!

Well I like you think our special teams are better than last yr, but with the new coach and his resume and seeing what he did a few yrs ago in Calgary, though twe would see a few more wrinkles, were still pretty vanilla here but executing better than last yr. Our D is getting better too, but here we lack the stopping power to change a game yet. I saw the boys play Calgary a couple weeks ago, the D had a chance to turn momentum of the game. With just over 8 min left in the game Eddy blasted a punt that went out on their 13 yard line and the next play Calgary was scrimmaging from their 42, and finished with a field goal, awhile later Calgary in the middle of the field to 2 penalties in a row and were 1st or 2nd and 25 and got all that back in one play. By making one or both stops had the makings of being game changers, and the D even though they are getting better still aren't finishing either. Our offence on the other hand is making slow progress in my mind, all because were still very vanilla here and showing marginal improvement, this is a concern and I don't blame our QB for this. I find were teaching in this area instead of coaching, and that has the makings of a long season. We unfortunaley need a plug and play reciever, and it would seem theres not many out there, and the one that traded last week, not sure we needed him here, we have enough problems to deal with right now. And yes I think we loook like a different team here shortly, a little to do with the players we have already, and a lot to do with players coming back from injury. I think its time our team showed the experience that was so bragged about on TSN, showing the number of yrs of experience our coaches have.

Cary Koch will certainly help our offense, but DB is not the man for the job, we need a inovative coach that designs plays based on a players talents and he is just outright not doing that! You can't farm with a cadillac so you better start using your vehicles for what there designed for! Start with that nice dressler reverse getting you crusing, durant designed run plays, send your wide recievers deep clear out the 10-15yrd area, throw a deep ball to

effrin, havn't seen him get 1 opportunity to stretch a defense or make a big play!