Assuming we re-sign our key FAs (Bighill, O-line, Harris), what do you see as our biggest needs for improvement next year? Two of the biggest for me are:

- Big time slotback that can go up and get it. Adams is a good weapon at WR but we need someone that can play inside. Love Dressler, but he's getting up there in age and shouldn't be the go to guy anymore.

- Return game - blocking and returner. Nelson looks like a keeper but I don't know what's up with our blocking. No one has had a chance back there.

1 hour ago, bearpants said:

Discussing Streveler: Wins don't matter... as longs as he's inspiring the team...

Discussing Nichols: Who cares if he wins every game... have you seen his passing stats?!?

Nichols loses and its always somebody else's fault.

Streveler loses and it's all his fault.

 

59 minutes ago, Noeller said:

For several reasons, I want Nichols to to have a monster year where he goes off for like 5000+ and just tears the league a new *******. Now, having said that, I don't think this "ball control" offense that we've been employing the last few years is necessarily conducive to big yardage totals. Having said that, as long as the wins are there and it's entertaining football game in, game out, then I'm all in....

The ball control O is okay but Lapo sure doesn't go for the throat...

I think this year could have been a bit of a disaster if Durant hadn't retired and freed up cash for Bighill...  Im hopeful for next year but I don't see a real step forward/potential grey cup if Bighill leaves and Hall remains...

1 hour ago, NorthernSkunk said:

Nichols loses and its always somebody else's fault.

Streveler loses and it's all his fault.

 

Our Grey Cup drought may well have ended if Streveler could have  hit a routine, unchallenged 20 yard pass to a wide open Harris on a play we setup for nearly 3 full quarters.  The sooner people get on board with him being nothing more than a change of pace QB the sooner we can all get along again. 

3 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Just because he lifted a tent in your pants doesn't mean he lifted the team as much as you think he did. 

Nichols is still a better qb than Streveler and the results show that. Yes Streveler did well for a rookie and showed a lot of potential, but he's still young and has to keep progressing. I think he will personally but you just never know. 

That knee injury really impacted NIchols effectiveness this year - it meant he couldn't run. And before 2018 started, running was an aspect to his game that he stated he wanted to improve.

But comparing the two QBs - which results are you talking about? Win vs loss? If so, then you also need to tag Nichols for those two losses vs Sask where he single-handedly handed wins to the Riders by repeatedly throwing the football to the wrong team. Those two losses are more directly attributable to QB play than are most of Nichols wins. The only win that Nichols could possibly take credit for was the 29-21 win vs Stamps Oct 26 and even then, it was Bighill that made the game changing play.

How about measuring QB performance by scoring output? Streveler passed for 11 TDs and ran for another 10 - significantly outscoring Nichols who played way more but only managed 18 TDs. Strevelers passing efficiency percentage also is up there with Reilly and Masoli whereas Nichols is very average. Then you need to look at who is a rushing threat - Streveler runs with the big dogs - Masoli and Reilly - whereas Nichols ran 15 times the entire season for a total of 52 yards. That stat really demonstrates his unidimensionality and underscores his overwhelming averageness.

46 minutes ago, White Out said:

Our Grey Cup drought may well have ended if Streveler could have  hit a routine, unchallenged 20 yard pass to a wide open Harris on a play we setup for nearly 3 full quarters.  The sooner people get on board with him being nothing more than a change of pace QB the sooner we can all get along again. 

If Nichols, our starting QB, with years of experience, already warmed up in the game, could have hit a wide open Adams in the end zone we might have beaten Calgary too. Blaming the loss on a rookie QB throwing his first and only pass in his first playoff game after coming in cold from the bench is ridiculous.

1 minute ago, TBURGESS said:

If Nichols, our starting QB, with years of experience, already warmed up in the game, could have hit a wide open Adams in the end zone we might have beaten Calgary too. Blaming the loss on a rookie QB throwing his first and only pass in his first playoff game after coming in cold from the bench is ridiculous.

So is saying that we would have had a better record with a rookie and that Nichols held us back but here we are... 

Well next season Nichols will be on thin ice,   if he goes through a stretch of doing nothing then I can't imagine him winning that starting job back unless Streveler really shits the bed.

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

Well next season Nichols will be on thin ice,   if he goes through a stretch of doing nothing then I can't imagine him winning that starting job back unless Streveler really shits the bed.

 

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

Well next season Nichols will be on thin ice,   if he goes through a stretch of doing nothing then I can't imagine him winning that starting job back unless Streveler really shits the bed.

If history is any indicator, Nichols will likely be about the same as this year- for better or worse. The only real question is what O'Shea will do about that, if anything.

1 hour ago, JCon said:

So is saying that we would have had a better record with a rookie and that Nichols held us back but here we are... 

Nope. It's saying that Streveler wasn't the only QB who missed a wide open receiver in WF. FTR: Bo missed one too.

I hold Nichols to a higher standard too. He's the experienced vet. He's the starter. He's getting the big bucks. For me, that leads to greater expectations than just managing the game and not giving the ball away.

2 hours ago, Doublezero said:

That knee injury really impacted NIchols effectiveness this year - it meant he couldn't run. And before 2018 started, running was an aspect to his game that he stated he wanted to improve.

But comparing the two QBs - which results are you talking about? Win vs loss? If so, then you also need to tag Nichols for those two losses vs Sask where he single-handedly handed wins to the Riders by repeatedly throwing the football to the wrong team. Those two losses are more directly attributable to QB play than are most of Nichols wins. The only win that Nichols could possibly take credit for was the 29-21 win vs Stamps Oct 26 and even then, it was Bighill that made the game changing play.

How about measuring QB performance by scoring output? Streveler passed for 11 TDs and ran for another 10 - significantly outscoring Nichols who played way more but only managed 18 TDs. Strevelers passing efficiency percentage also is up there with Reilly and Masoli whereas Nichols is very average. Then you need to look at who is a rushing threat - Streveler runs with the big dogs - Masoli and Reilly - whereas Nichols ran 15 times the entire season for a total of 52 yards. That stat really demonstrates his unidimensionality and underscores his overwhelming averageness.

Not the first time this argument has been presented, fact is many (maybe half?) of Streveller's TD's were the result of finishing off longer drives that Nichols orchestrated.  Numerous times he came into the game with the ball already in the red-zone and within 2 plays put it in the end-zone.  Nothing wrong with that but it does distort the reality that he created many of these scoring opportunities, he simply finished them off.  This is about as close as you will get to a 1-A and 1-B QB scenario in the current CFL, just be thankful they have both options and O'Shea has loosened up enough to make the best use of their individual talents.  I really look forward to next season when LaPo takes this combo. to the next level.

Edited December 13, 20187 yr by Throw Long Bannatyne

2 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

If Nichols, our starting QB, with years of experience, already warmed up in the game, could have hit a wide open Adams in the end zone we might have beaten Calgary too. Blaming the loss on a rookie QB throwing his first and only pass in his first playoff game after coming in cold from the bench is ridiculous.

Maybe Adams shouldn't have given up on the route for no good reason?

1 hour ago, White Out said:

Maybe Adams shouldn't have given up on the route for no good reason?

Thought you'd blame Adams. Blame anyone but Nichols.

Only six more months of the Streveler/Nichols imaginary land debate

2 hours ago, White Out said:

Maybe Adams shouldn't have given up on the route for no good reason?

100% this and anyone paying attention knows it. 

10 hours ago, Noeller said:

100% this and anyone paying attention knows it. 

You're 90% wrong.

27 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

You're 90% wrong.

87.3 % of statistics are made up.

1 minute ago, WBBFanWest said:

87.3 % of statistics are made up.

I'm 50% sure of that.

Just now, Tracker said:

I'm 50% sure of that.

Don't worry.  4 out of 3 people don't understand statistics anyway.

17 minutes ago, WBBFanWest said:

87.3 % of statistics are made up.

 

15 minutes ago, Tracker said:

I'm 50% sure of that.

 

15 minutes ago, WBBFanWest said:

Don't worry.  4 out of 3 people don't understand statistics anyway.

You guys learn all this at riderfans.com ?

Yeah Adams totally dogged it on that route that Nichols over threw him. He keeps running it's a touchdown but instead he stopped moving and it was over his head.

Was it not windy on that play,  blowing hard enough that the announcers mentioned it.  To me I thought the wind took the ball more than what Nichols had accounted for..... Nichols and Adams seen the wind take the ball further and everyone knew the play was over......everyone on the field let up when they seen it was an uncatchable ball....

the point is... yes Adams dogged it and we missed a score, but it was early.

the biggest play in the game, bar none, was the play we setup all damn game long and Harris got wide.. wide open and was going to score a go ahead touchdown late in the 3rd quarter but Streveler blew it... because he's not a very good throwing QB. Do we want Nealon Greene 2.0?  Because this is how you get Nealon Greene 2.0.

20 hours ago, NorthernSkunk said:

Nichols loses and its always somebody else's fault.

Streveler loses and it's all his fault.

 

I'd like to see the quote where someone (anyone) on this website, ever, blamed a loss specifically on Strevler...

The real point is that the ball was overthrown to a wide open Adams. Adams wouldn't catch up to it no matter how hard he tried, but the Nichols apologist's need it to be someone else's fault.

Streveler missing his only throw of the game doesn't make him Nealon Green 2.0 or a bad QB, no matter how many times some folks want to make that the story.

Just now, TBURGESS said:

The real point is that the ball was overthrown to a wide open Adams. Adams wouldn't catch up to it no matter how hard he tried, but the Nichols apologist's need it to be someone else's fault.

Streveler missing his only throw of the game doesn't make him Nealon Green 2.0 or a bad QB, no matter how many times some folks want to make that the story.

Rich coming from the guy who says that Nichols never wins games but blames him for every loss. 

Adams runs, he gets that ball. Instead, he dogs it and misses his route. Now it's Nichols fault when players don't run the routes that they practice?