bearpants

Can't really agree with that. The talent level in Saskatchewan is REALLY low right now. Riders have pretty much the number one offence in the league in most categories, can you explain how the talent level is low? There are 44 active members on game day. Offence is only 12 of them. Your defence is an abomination, and your STs and depth are not far behind. Hence...the talent level is low. I will agree that your starting talent on offence seems to be clicking right now, and I will even go so far as to say your defence has some talent as well but has way too many guys who are not CFL calibre being forced in due to ratio and poor recruitment. Too many scrubs to overcome.However, I earnestly believe that the D talent does not fit the scheme and that your secondary is poorly suited to the changes in the game. The Riders were a very physical secondary over the past few years and were built to be so, it just doesn't fit with the new rules. It's happening in other places too. Players that were once all star calibre secondary players but relied on physicality to do so are now being exposed. Unfortunately for the Riders...that's your entire secondary in a nutshell. Your LBs are some weak sauce, with or without Emry, and your ratio problems are forcing you to play scrubs on the DL that are creating zero push and not collapsing the pocket for Chick and Hall. Chamblin seems to be taking big time heat for this defence, and it does fall on him to find answers, but realistically Taman never put a defensive group of players on the field that is good enough. I will freely admit that your offence is playing lights out right now. It's the only reason the RIders haven't been getting completely blown out thus far. There are some deep systemic problems that are rearing there ugly heads right now, right from the GMs office on down, and the offence has been the lipstick on the pig. This gets worse before it gets better. I know...I watched this movie over and over again through the 2000's. Not to worry though, I am sure O'Day and Lapo will do their best to start a rebuild next year. There isn't anything in your post that isn't a fair statement and I generally agree. The just of my post mostly referred to Lapo being an offensive guy and our offense is pretty solid, although I imagine they will cool off a bit. At the end of the day Chamblin's biggest mistake is he refuses to adapt to the news rules and he is too stubborn to admit he can't run a effective defence, both will see him gone either during the season or at season's end. Lapolice for example only would simply hire a DC and let him run things, it seems simple but obviously it isn't because Chamblin won't do it. Just my personal opinion but I always like the head coach to be a offense guy and leave the defence/ special teams to the coordinators, things seem to work better that way and there is less meddling by the HC. The way Oshea defended Kuale last year indicates he was meddling a bit in him playing when clearly he was brutal and should have been gone. Jones clearly meddles in the EDM defence, which is fine as long as it works, which it does as they have been very good. I think it more indicated that O'Shea will not throw his players under the bus publicly... unlike a certain coach you are familiar with... but I get the frustration... it is a bit of an insult to fans to back a player that everyone can see is incompetent...

I think the general consensus is... special teams was terrible AGAINST CALGARY and probably cost the game... not, our special teams is terrible all around... that was an atrocious effort...

The only colour guy in all of football right now that actually does a good job of breaking down plays and giving insight is Mike Mayock... unfortunately he hasn't worked the CFL in some 20 years....

I was always adamant the Bombers "signatures" were the worst... but I never really got a good look at those water-melon specials... after watching some of that Rider game, I'm starting to reconsider... Just to be clear, ours are the worst imo. But the Rider ones aren't far off. I agree... they are both horrific... at this point I'm honestly convinced Reebok did this as a social experiment to see if us prairie idiots would literally buy anything with Bomber/rider logos on it...

Testing... Thanks Rich

In the OP it said Picard was sick today.Yes I know. Your point? It's not surprising that with Picard sick they would need another guy snapping the ball and that Neufeld would be that guy. What's with your snarky comments lately Jacquie? I was just stating a fact, that Neufeld was playing centre in practice. It's a notable development, even if Picard was sick. yep, Jacquie is the one being "snarky"

I thought I had also read (possibly from @CFL_News) if that were the case expect Jeremy O'Day to be the GM also...

I've never been able to figure out how to post gifs... can someone post step-by-step instructions? Maybe that will help get these going again... I've always loved the game day gif threads but have never been able to figure out how to contribute...

I agree form a Bombers vs Stamps perspective... but having great players, especially great Canadians, is always good for the league...

Actually rider fans do have some reason for optimism... they lost by 4, 2, 3, and 3... but there is also reason for pessimism... they don't appear to be getting any better... best part is they could be 4-0... but actually are 0-4

I think there's really two ways to look at this game... negative: we blew this game by making mistakes... clearly this is not a championship team positive: we hung in with the best and would've won if not for a few key errors... we're on the right track I guess it just depends on your overall outlook or personal philosophy...

Tough to disagree with that one... even Elimimian can't stop Cornish dead once he gets moving...

Why can't I "like" posts more than once! this deserves 1000 likes

makes sense, I believe he's over 30 now...

F***!!! I pick the breakout player of the week... but of course he doesn't score! ... And Nichols over threw him, wide open, in the end zone...

I was always adamant the Bombers "signatures" were the worst... but I never really got a good look at those water-melon specials... after watching some of that Rider game, I'm starting to reconsider...

This sounds like another case of accepting mediocrity as progress... the old saying is "you're either first or you're last"... getting the big show is nice, but once you're there, winning is all that matters...

Hard not to agree... if that 2001 team had gotten the job done (they really should have)... we would all be a lot more patient today

It wasn't much, but watching Stoudermire in TC at halfback... he wasn't particularly impressive... seems to have more potential at rec...

it's not even a matter of being that good... if teams kicked to him 3 or 4 times a game I believe he might have a shot at getting at least 10... but as Mtl showed last night, teams have already stopped kicking to him... Not sure how old you are. Gizmo was the most explosive kick returner I've ever seen, bar none. Kicking away from him was just basic smart football. He turned a lot of games around for the Esks. IMHO Banks doesn't compare at all. Haha, are you suggesting I said Banks is better than Gizmo?? that's quite the stretch considering neither of us even mentioned Gizmo... I'll I'm saying is talent isn't even a factor b/c teams will not kick to him (which is literally what I said the first time)... same logic applied to Gizmo...

Spencer Wilson... he's been playing guard for 3 or 4 years in Calgary... reading up on him it sounds like he played some tackle in junior... damn Stamps, just seem to have so much depth everywhere!

it's not even a matter of being that good... if teams kicked to him 3 or 4 times a game I believe he might have a shot at getting at least 10... but as Mtl showed last night, teams have already stopped kicking to him...

Funny, I said the exact same thing to the wife while watching the game last night... pretty good chance she ignored me... Also, I thought I was in the minority in loving those Als signature jerseys... but it sounds like there's other fans out there...

Nah, I'd rather have an oline that could block. Picard hasn't been very good, he's either getting beat, holding, or doing stuff to get fined. I think there's a good reason Sask dumped him. This is why we signed Picard, we needed some attitude completely agree... everyone knows Picard is not the future... if he can rub off on guys like Goossen, Chungh and even Greaves and Neufeld in the year or two that he's here... that's what we want...

So just out of curiosity ... what's your relation to JV? I'm going to go with uncle! No relationship what so ever... I'm from Puyallup where he went to HS and we both graduated from U of I. Would ;you believe O'shea informed me over a Corona? No... but mostly b/c this sentence doesn't make any sense...