Chris Schultz of TSN says the Riders will win Sunday in Regina, even with Durant 50/50 at this point and walking with a boot on his foot, if Durant plays he will not be 100% and the Cats Defense will eat him alive!! I hope he plays. If Willy plays, It will be fun to watch him get sacked like Buck last week. Refs watch the holding on the Riders O line, they do it all the time, one of the reasons why they are winning, it's easy when you hold the defender and get away with it!
The Win streak ends this week Rider Fans enjoy it while you can!!
Riders will be in tough this home game against the Ti-Cats. Hamilton has a better team than there record shows, Burris is playing well, and they will be hungry.
As of Monday I don't think Durant will play. Mostly because Coach Chamblin seems to want players to get an extra week rest on injuries, even if they are healthy.
If Drew Willy plays it is about the best scenario possible for a back up QB coming in. The first stringer will probably be out only one game, it is early in the season, the home team is unbeaten and can "afford" to lose this game (if there is such a thing), especially as it is an eastern opponent. The Riders have a good running game and OL protection has been good (holding aside). The team also has a set of experienced receivers for the second stringer to rely on.Additionally he has had recent work in pre-season, plus about a quarter last week. He has had lots of time with the new OC and will have lots of time with him and the majority of reps in practice this week. Also the Rider defense has been playing well.
Willy has had respectable stats so far in his young career (high completion average (70%+), no fumbles, and an average int. rate for a new QB - 4.2%, and in 2012 had a low sack rate for a rookie, averaging only 1 more sack a game than veterans, 3 sacks compared to 2 per game for vets) and if Willy plays this is a good opportunity to start and prove what he learned last year.
Interesting to note that of the 3 games last year Willy either started or came in very early, they were all away games.
If Willy plays and falters, the Riders will also get a look at the third stringer who showed well in pre-season, Sunseri, so they will both get important learning time. If Willy plays and does well, and/or wins, the team will be even better and more confident.
giveaways/takeaway - Sask is +, Hamilton is - #1 rushing team - Riders....worst Rushing D - Hamilton
Sacks...well...Riders are at 4 surrendered (league best), and sacked Ray 5 times last week...A QB who was sacked once in the first 2 games. They also have 11 sacks, Hamilton has 7...and they only had 1 in the 1st 2 weeks, 6 last week against the Bombers, who don't seem to believe blocking is important.
Hamilton needs to expose the Rider's secondary deep to win this game, something the Riders have flirted with danger with in all 3 games. Hamilton has racked up a lot of yards in the air, which is impressive considering they have given up an average of over 4 sacks a game, including 7 last week.
This game comes to 2 things:
If the Riders start Willy, can the worst run D stop the best run? We shall see, because that will be Hamilton's concern. To do this they likely need to pull their LBs in...but what will Simon do with LBs hugging the line?
Can a 4+ sack per game OL give Burris the time? The Riders have good sack numbers, and if it were a tracked stat, I think would have to be in the top end of the hurried QB category, likely behind the Bombers.
Also...Holding isn't holding unless it gets called...and those who think that every team doesn't do it are kidding themselves...the Riders have been fortunate enough to this point that they have not crossed the line in the sand that the refs have established. Any good OL figures out where that line is.
It should be a good game. Even with the poor season the Ticats had last year, they did get a win at Taylor Field in Regina. It's the CFL anything can happen.
I like the Ticats, but I don't know if the roles were reversed that I'd come in chirping like that. I'm also not sure if any of the other Ticat fans really want to associate with BIGCAT, it appears thus far you're on your own BIGCAT. The rest of the Tiger Cat fans seem to have a bit more restraint and class
I think you aren’t giving the Rider’s O.Line enough credit, espcially with the gaping holes they’ve been making for Sheets. I also think you are giving our defense far too much credit after hunting down one of the their favourite targets in Buck Pierce. It’s not like they were sack crazed vs TO or Edmonton.
Either way, given he’s in a boot, I would think to rest him for one game would be smarter move to make, given the Riders lead the league and have a solid ground attack.
Nothing at all, just going back to a Rider fan, putting down Charles after winning the POTW award last week, claiming that anybody could put up a big number against the TiCat defense. :cowboy:
DepopulationInc is referring to week two stats in the CFL? Hamilton had count them 6 sacks against Winnipeg and Buck Pierce to go along wit the two they had previously for 8 in total after three games, Winnipeg is leading the sack race with 11 and two more from Saturday for 13 in total so Hamilton who was last is now in about third in the CFL for defence and is catching up big time, after Sundays game against Regina Hamilton will hold the CFL lead in Sacks and Defense with 14 or 15 and a couple of picks?
Remember everyone has the Tiger-Cats pegged as underdogs big time to Regina, I hear one caller on Regina radio say the Rough Riders would spoil Kent Austin's debut in Regina and beat the Cats 52 to 0 with or without Durant!! That's good motivation right there!!!
The CFL is built on tradition and is one of the selling points. To not respect the Stamps record is ignoring the great tradition and history of the league !
