CFL Game Notes -

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👁‍🗨well, if you go by stats..the Bombers are in for a tough time in Regina.. Ugly, ugly stats

Chris Jones is 46-35 as a HC

Mike O’Shea is 40-42

Sask is 35-19 over Wpg in the Labour Day Classic.

29 of those games have been decided only in the last 3 minutes.

The meetings since 2002 have generally not been all that close - only 5 of the last 16 games were decided in the last 3:00 - Saskatchewan comes into the game with a better record (5-4 vs 5-5) than Winnipeg for the first time since 2014

- QBs: Saskatchewan will start their 4th straight different QB in the Classic, with Zach Collaros; Matt Nichols will start his 3rd in a row  (Nichols started once for Edmonton vs Calgary and threw for 203 yards); Matt Nichols has yet to be held under 300 passing yards; he has 341 & 364 yards in his two Winnipeg LDW starts (16-17)  (Nichols started once for Edmonton vs Calgary and threw for 203 yards)

- Zach Collaros has also yet to be held under 300 passing yards in an LDW game; his three 300+ games were with Hamilton

- Zach Collaros becomes the 38th player to start a Labour Day Weekend game for the Riders; Nichols is starter #39 for Winnipeg

- Winnipeg snapped a Saskatchewan 11-game win streak in their 2016 LD Weekend meeting but dropped to 1 win in 13 last year

- The Riders have outgained Winnipeg in the last 7 LDW meetings by over 100 yards per game (Avg: 388 to 275)

Breaking Down Who Wins LDW Classic: There have been 54 previous games in this LD matchup and here is how it has broken down based on which club came into the game with a better record. The Bombers are 5-5 this year compared to the Riders at 5-4.

WPG came in with better record: 29 times (Wins: SSK 18, WPG 11)

SSK came in with better record: 15 times (Wins: SSK 11, WPG 4) Note: Teams came in with even records 10 times

As the Riders were seeking in 2017, the underdog has often won this LD Weekend matchup. The Bombers have only 4 upset wins as underdogs i.e. the team lower in the standings heading in.

___________________________________________________________________________________________ Other Team Notes – Winnipeg at Saskatchewan:

- Charleston Hughes: Leads the CFL with 12 Sacks (7 more than any other player) and comes into this game with a streak of 7 straight games with at least one. That is the longest consecutive games streak in his career, his previous long run was set at 6 in a row from Jun 28/14 to Aug 9/14.

- Most consecutive games with a QB Sack: Over the last 25 years, here are the longest streaks with at least one QB Sack. Charleston Hughes has tied the most by any Saskatchewan player and is 3 short of the highest on record since 1994

👁‍🗨Joe Montford and Philip Hunt are the two players ahead of Hughes, each with 10 game streaks.

- Sam Hurl 100 GP/ U of Calgary: Hurl will suit up this week for CFL game #100 in his career and it will be start #56. He is a prominent member of a remarkable 99 players that have come to the CFL from the Dinos - of those 99 individuals Hurl will become the 20th player of this group to make it to 100 career regular season games.

- Nichols 9-3 .750 coming off a loss: Despite a second straight loss last week, Matt Nichols has had a remarkable run since July 2016 in the next start after a Blue Bombers loss as he will be doing again this week. In his last 12 starts after a Winnipeg defeat the club has gone 9-3 for a .750 winning %.

- Avoiding 3 losses in a row: The Bombers have not lost 3 games in a row in the same season since the final three weeks of 2015. They have gone a span of 46 games with just 5 streaks of 2 defeats in a row and none longer than that.

5 of the last 6: The Riders have beaten Winnipeg just once in the last 6 games. This is the best Bombers' 6-game run against their Saskatchewan rivals in the last 13 years.

Opponents' 502 net yards: The Bombers yielded just 325 net yards per game over their first 8 contests and through Week #9 ranked #4 in the CFL. Since then, they have given up 502 yards per game (493 & 511), the highest in the CFL since Week #9. The main area where this has come is on 1st down plays. First 8 games: 6.3 yards per play, Gm #9-10: 8.3 yards per play.

Riders Sacks Allowed: Saskatchewan allowed 9 Sacks in their first 4 games. Since then in 5 games they have yielded just 3. Expect some 2-&-Outs: The Riders are #1 forcing opponents 62 times into a 2-&-Out. Winnipeg is #3 with 53 forced 2-&-Outs.

- Jovon Johnson: Sat out last week's game and that snapped his consecutive games played streak at 73 in a row.

Andrew Harris: Was held to just 13 yards rushing last week on 7 carries. That tied his lowest yardage since Oct 7/15 vs EDM.

- Josh Bartel Inside the 10: Bartel has 6 punts pinning opponents inside the 10-yard line this year, one off the CFL lead. He is #2 overall with 60 since 2012. Winnipeg's Justin Medlock in many less games is #3 since 2012 with 36 including 7 in 2018.

- Offensive & Defensive TD Same Game: The Riders' Nick Marshall scored a touchdown on offence and defence in the same game two weeks ago with a 3-yard rush and a 67-yard INT return. That specific Offence/Defence TD pair had not occurred since Tyrone Walls for Edmonton on September 4, 1972 a span of 46 years. There have been only 4 such pure occurrences in the last 50 years. Last week, Marshall scored another offensive TD on a short run and actually leads the club in touchdowns with 4.

The nearest since 1972 was Milt Stegall on July 15, 1999 who caught a 37-yard TD pass from Kerwin Bell and returned a blocked punt/fumble 52 yards for a score.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by Mr Dee

51 minutes ago, TheBandit said:

The bombers have lost 3 in a row. The riders have won 3 in a row. The riders scored TDs in all aspects of the game. Pull your head out of the sand. Our team is not better. Our team has a better running game. End of story.

Bombers had the better of the play.  The rest you can shove up your ****

2 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Routinely gain 5 or more yards on net punting almost every week.  Best in the league.

Punting ...I'll agree....managing to return the ball to the 20 yard line...punt after punt, when the opposition is starting at the 35 to 40....not my idea of great special team action

3 minutes ago, wpgallday1960 said:

Bombers had the better of the play.  The rest you can shove up your ****

AND it really showed in the final score where it counts lol....give YOUR head a shake

13 minutes ago, Mike said:

I hate Nichols.

He is absolutely terrible. 

People like @White Out continually show how little they get football by going on and on about the D. How much longer can they continue to get blamed for letting up after the O goes 2 and out for the 4th straight time. No D would be good enough to continually stop an O that gets the ball back every 45 seconds.

Ah yes, the last resort of the blow hard. "I know more than you". 

 

btw this D hasn't been good enough for what, 5 years now? Yep. This is difficult problem hey? Real vexing. The difference between us right now is I'm willing to see what Streveler will do, and you keep harping on Nichols like he's our only problem. 

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by White Out

2 minutes ago, Stickem said:

AND it really showed in the final score where it counts lol....give YOUR head a shake

Point taken but I get so frustrated when the Bombers lose because of bone head mistakes.  To be fair the Bomber defense collaped when they needed to hold.

2 minutes ago, White Out said:

Ah yes, the last resort of the blow hard. "I know more than you". 

I mean, I was a believer in Nichols too but you have to admit he is rough this year.

We need a win next week it's starting to get dangerously salty in here.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by bustamente

47 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

There once was a guy a couple thousand years ago that missed on his picks as well. Ended up he was killed by his choice. 

Disappointed, I was hoping for a limerick.

2 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

I mean, I was a believer in Nichols too but you have to admit he is rough this year.

I have no issue with it. I've stated it numerous times and even before this game. I would be totally fine to see what Streveler has. Matt has had a poor season. But I'm also focused on our idiot head coach, our terrible D and terrible D coordinator, and our inconsistent play calling that Lapo has to own. Not to mention our D which collapses by routine every week in the 2nd half, and has been doing so for 5 years (just in case you drink enough KoolAid served by a couple posters who think its an offence problem due to output)

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by White Out

1 minute ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

Disappointed, I was hoping for a limerick.

or at least a haiku.

I mean... everything sucks. Being a fan of this franchise just makes me tired.

There once was a team from the Peg,

Whose fans would give arms or a leg,

For just one Grey Cup,

But alas, just our luck,

Once again we are left with the dregs.

2 minutes ago, White Out said:

I have no issue with it. I've stated it numerous times and even before this game. I would be totally fine to see what Streveler has. Matt has had a poor season. But I'm also focused on our idiot head coach, our terrible D and terrible D coordinator, and our inconsistent play calling that Lapo has to own. Not to mention our D which collapses by routine every week in the 2nd half, and has been doing so for 5 years (just in case you drink enough KoolAid served by a couple posters who think its an offence problem due to output)

Streveler should be coach. 

4 minutes ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

Disappointed, I was hoping for a limerick.

There once was a guy named Matt,
Got the call to throw out to the flat,
The pass sailed,
the defense failed,

....

....

Riders still suck.

1 minute ago, White Out said:

I have no issue with it. I've stated it numerous times and even before this game. I would be totally fine to see what Streveler has. Matt has had a poor season. But I'm also focused on our idiot head coach, our terrible D and terrible D coordinator, and our inconsistent play calling that Lapo has to own. Not to mention our D which collapses by routine every week in the 2nd half, and has been doing so for 5 years (just in case you drink enough KoolAid served by a couple posters who think its an offence problem due to output)

I know you always like to blame the defence (it's your thing). But the offence had so many opportunities to change the complexion of the game but they failed.  I still beleive the defence kept us in the game by continually giving the ball back to the offence but it couldn't capitalize on the opportunities.   

Just now, B-F-F-C said:

I know you always like to blame the defence (it's your thing). But the offence had so many opportunities to change the complexion of the game but they failed.  I still beleive the defence kept us in the game by continually giving the ball back to the offence but it couldn't capitalize on the opportunities.   

Well.. we've had an atrocious defense for 5 years now so...it's a good place to start

 

1 minute ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

There once was a team from the Peg,

Whose fans would give arms or a leg,

For an eleventh Grey Cup,

But alas, It not luck

The Riders still suck.

Your creative. And many thanks for the inspiration to revise! 

8 minutes ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

Disappointed, I was hoping for a limerick.

There once was a guy from Kent....who had a long one that bent....I'll leave it there before I get into trouble

12 minutes ago, White Out said:

Well.. we've had an atrocious defense for 5 years now so...it's a good place to start

 

Well I'm responding in the game day thread. So I assumed we were talking about the performance of todays game.  

Just now, B-F-F-C said:

Well I'm responding in the game day thread. So I assumed we were talking about the performance of todays game.  

Right, but you said its my thing and what I always do. So... yeah. There's that.

31 minutes ago, Mike said:

You have tunnel vision my friend

Probably have a bit but I saw that there's plenty of blame to go around.

I thought Nichols was awful but did like that he at least found Tompkins and managed to get him the ball for a TD. The poor throws, INTs, holding the ball too long and the panic in the pocket is not good for a pro QB making his kind of money.

I thought our tackling was poor today. 

I thought our coverage on STs was poor today.

I thought our coverage on D, especially late, was poor. We never seem to win a 50-50 ball. We are constantly out of position.

I thought our lack of adjustment on O to what Sask's D was doing was very poor by Lapo.

I thought Hall's lack of adjustment to what Sask's O came out and did was also poor.

40 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Routinely gain 5 or more yards on net punting almost every week.  Best in the league.

Medlock's a keeper.

4 minutes ago, J5V said:

Probably have a bit but I saw that there's plenty of blame to go around.

I thought Nichols was awful but did like that he at least found Tompkins and managed to get him the ball for a TD. The poor throws, INTs, holding the ball too long and the panic in the pocket is not good for a pro QB making his kind of money.

I thought our tackling was poor today. 

I thought our coverage on STs was poor today.

I thought our coverage on D, especially late, was poor. We never seem to win a 50-50 ball. We are constantly out of position.

I thought our lack of adjustment on O to what Sask's D was doing was very poor by Lapo.

I thought Hall's lack of adjustment to what Sask's O came out and did was also poor.

I wonder what Hall thinks of Loffler.  I feel like he's a huge hole in our D and our coverages are designed to cover for his lack of ability in coverage.  It doesn't work.  There's never any support over the top.  At best we go into quarters where in a deep route you are still giving up 1 on 1 matchups.  They have to cheat to the deep routes in their quarter of the field because there's nothing behind them.  Run a slant against that and it's 7-8 yards every time, especially when we blitz Bighill and JSK so much.  That's tough for DB's.   Every play is at best 50-50 if they make a perfect read and get decent position.  Then toss in PI and all that crap.

I wonder if Hall would even start Loffler if it were up to him.  I'd like to see what we could do with a legitimate safety.

Fogg and Sayles shouldn't be starting either and Alexander and Randle are just barely holding their own. The entire secondary is a fail this year, as it was last. 

2 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I wonder what Hall thinks of Loffler.  I feel like he's a huge hole in our D and our coverages are designed to cover for his lack of ability in coverage.  It doesn't work.  There's never any support over the top.  At best we go into quarters where in a deep route you are still giving up 1 on 1 matchups.  They have to cheat to the deep routes in their quarter of the field because there's nothing behind them.  Run a slant against that and it's 7-8 yards every time, especially when we blitz Bighill and JSK so much.  That's tough for DB's.   Every play is at best 50-50 if they make a perfect read and get decent position.  Then toss in PI and all that crap.

I wonder if Hall would even start Loffler if it were up to him.  I'd like to see what we could do with a legitimate safety.

I don't think Hall likes Loffler. These guys are going to cost him his job. Last year it was Hurl. Walters hasn't done Hall any favors and that leads to your other point. The worst news today may have been that Maurice Leggett would not be driving West.