Our two losses have come against teams currently ranked first and third in getting after the quarterback, maybe first and second by the time this week is over. If you pressure the QB, turnovers will follow. It happened on the sack/fumble and on the second pick as well. Saskatchewan played a textbook football game and they won doing it. Time to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves up and get ready for Toronto. Sucks to lose tonight but we'll be fine.

Tough crowd. Despite all of our shortcomings we were in this game most of the night. I was hoping very much we would pull it off but then I remember last year and see how far we have come. Lets not forget we were playing the Grey Cup champions so having a very young team with all of its injuries hold them to no offensive touchdowns and just over 100 yards passing has to be encouraging.  A loss to any other team would be so much easier to take.

 

I am sure the club learnt a lot from this game so let's just go and take it to Toronto.

 

I'm not that upset about this, though it did royally suck to see that pick six. Close game, tons of momentum changes, fun yet anxious game to watch. I like O'Shea's calm yet focused nature on the sidelines. It's refreshing to see and he probably doesn't know it but it helps fans like me settle down when the game is tight.    

A thought I did have was it might have been useful to throw in Brohm for a series and settle down Willy. Not to punish him for his play but settle him down and get him back to his calm nature.

Chick was a monster. Messam was a second half monster that has probably now provided other teams a strategy against our D. I assume we will tweak to prepare for that when we play Toronto.  

Considering that the first field goal was due to an interception, the D literally pitched a shut out in the first half.  This team has proved they can regroup, and I think they will.  

 

But watching Messam chew up yards and minutes when they had the lead - did give one an inevitable feeling.

Washington fumbled a kick return first of all, not a punt return. He actually faked a pitch to the other returner who IMO looked like it was indeed Aaron Woods, washington has always been the other guy back there returning kicks with woods on kick offs.. The riders kicked off, they didn't punt, they just scored a touchdown the play prior on the willy fumble...

 

Maybe the reason the riders kicked it to washington this time was because for the most part, woods was actually getting some pretty darn good kick return yards out there tonight, almost broke several of them. This time they kicked it to demond and for all the bitching about demond, his fumble only lead to 3 points. 

 

Wasn't exactly the TSN turning point considering we came back and were actually winning for a while until Willy threw that ill advised 40 yard pass across the field and got picked off for a TOUCHDOWN. 

 

Seriously, the complaining some do about certain players when in reality that play by washington wasn't really the play that broke our backs, the play that broke our backs was the willy cross the field pass that was intercepted for a TD.. you know the one, the one that gave the riders the lead near the end of the game. 

 

Even then, we still had a chance to drive down field near the end of the game and win it with a touchdown but nope, another interception. Yup lets concentrate on the guy who didn't cost us the game cuz piling on is fun but ignore the actual reasons we LOST this game. 

 

Im gonna say it, don't care if i take heat for it... Willy SUCKED in the second half, i can't put it all on him but those interceptions i certainly can.. and those interceptions cost us way more than a fumble that lead to 3 points. 

 

Ha, you freak out about the fact that I don't think Washington is our second best DB and then call out the guy who is literally carrying this team.  And I'm the negatron...  good one.

 

Willy had a 66% plus completion percentage until the last two minutes when we were trying to force the win.  We wouldn't have been trying to force things without that fumble on the return.

 

Besides those long hitch passes are classic MB... but enough with this 'Willy sucked' bullshit.

Our two losses have come against teams currently ranked first and third in getting after the quarterback, maybe first and second by the time this week is over. If you pressure the QB, turnovers will follow. It happened on the sack/fumble and on the second pick as well. Saskatchewan played a textbook football game and they won doing it. Time to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves up and get ready for Toronto. Sucks to lose tonight but we'll be fine.

Did not think the sacks were THE problem last night.

 

Our two losses have come against teams currently ranked first and third in getting after the quarterback, maybe first and second by the time this week is over. If you pressure the QB, turnovers will follow. It happened on the sack/fumble and on the second pick as well. Saskatchewan played a textbook football game and they won doing it. Time to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves up and get ready for Toronto. Sucks to lose tonight but we'll be fine.

Did not think the sacks were THE problem last night.

 

Sacks AND pressure. They go hand in hand with each other. If Willy has time to do his job this game isn't even close.

Willy: 3 INT's and a fumble.

 

Washington: 1 fumble and a bad decision to bring it out after the missed FG.

 

Neither guy is going to be on the player of the week list.

Oh hey....

 

 

Washington fumbled a kick return first of all, not a punt return. He actually faked a pitch to the other returner who IMO looked like it was indeed Aaron Woods, washington has always been the other guy back there returning kicks with woods on kick offs.. The riders kicked off, they didn't punt, they just scored a touchdown the play prior on the willy fumble...

 

Maybe the reason the riders kicked it to washington this time was because for the most part, woods was actually getting some pretty darn good kick return yards out there tonight, almost broke several of them. This time they kicked it to demond and for all the bitching about demond, his fumble only lead to 3 points. 

 

Wasn't exactly the TSN turning point considering we came back and were actually winning for a while until Willy threw that ill advised 40 yard pass across the field and got picked off for a TOUCHDOWN. 

 

Seriously, the complaining some do about certain players when in reality that play by washington wasn't really the play that broke our backs, the play that broke our backs was the willy cross the field pass that was intercepted for a TD.. you know the one, the one that gave the riders the lead near the end of the game. 

 

Even then, we still had a chance to drive down field near the end of the game and win it with a touchdown but nope, another interception. Yup lets concentrate on the guy who didn't cost us the game cuz piling on is fun but ignore the actual reasons we LOST this game. 

 

Im gonna say it, don't care if i take heat for it... Willy SUCKED in the second half, i can't put it all on him but those interceptions i certainly can.. and those interceptions cost us way more than a fumble that lead to 3 points. 

 

Ha, you freak out about the fact that I don't think Washington is our second best DB and then call out the guy who is literally carrying this team.  And I'm the negatron...  good one.

 

Willy had a 66% plus completion percentage until the last two minutes when we were trying to force the win.  We wouldn't have been trying to force things without that fumble on the return.

 

Besides those long hitch passes are classic MB... but enough with this 'Willy sucked' bullshit.

 

 

This is the real head scratcher, the Bombers were in the lead when Willy threw that cross field pick-6 so he shouldn't have been trying to force anything at that point.  Without a ground game he has fewer options to play conservatively so he went with a play he had used earlier in the game with success but this time he telegraphed it completely.

Anyone watch the TSN promo on Grigsby?  Sounds like the team really believes in him.  I wouldn't immediately rush to put the blame on him, but it does seem like he is struggling and that is most definitely not helping the passing game.  That said, Willy was just not on his game tonight. **** happens....

The George fumble was not on Willy... the pocket absolutely collapsed.  Goosen was spun around and Howard was still looking upfield, blocking nobody.  That was not Willy being careless...

 

The INTs came after Willy was shaken up.

 

If the refs don't make that ridiculous LOS call (I've seen them let Burris and Ray get away with way worse...) then Willy has a long completion to start the drive.  Instead they call the penalty and then the review burnt the next play as we were lining up.

 

 

 

 

Washington fumbled a kick return first of all, not a punt return. He actually faked a pitch to the other returner who IMO looked like it was indeed Aaron Woods, washington has always been the other guy back there returning kicks with woods on kick offs.. The riders kicked off, they didn't punt, they just scored a touchdown the play prior on the willy fumble...

 

Maybe the reason the riders kicked it to washington this time was because for the most part, woods was actually getting some pretty darn good kick return yards out there tonight, almost broke several of them. This time they kicked it to demond and for all the bitching about demond, his fumble only lead to 3 points. 

 

Wasn't exactly the TSN turning point considering we came back and were actually winning for a while until Willy threw that ill advised 40 yard pass across the field and got picked off for a TOUCHDOWN. 

 

Seriously, the complaining some do about certain players when in reality that play by washington wasn't really the play that broke our backs, the play that broke our backs was the willy cross the field pass that was intercepted for a TD.. you know the one, the one that gave the riders the lead near the end of the game. 

 

Even then, we still had a chance to drive down field near the end of the game and win it with a touchdown but nope, another interception. Yup lets concentrate on the guy who didn't cost us the game cuz piling on is fun but ignore the actual reasons we LOST this game. 

 

Im gonna say it, don't care if i take heat for it... Willy SUCKED in the second half, i can't put it all on him but those interceptions i certainly can.. and those interceptions cost us way more than a fumble that lead to 3 points. 

 

Ha, you freak out about the fact that I don't think Washington is our second best DB and then call out the guy who is literally carrying this team.  And I'm the negatron...  good one.

 

Willy had a 66% plus completion percentage until the last two minutes when we were trying to force the win.  We wouldn't have been trying to force things without that fumble on the return.

 

Besides those long hitch passes are classic MB... but enough with this 'Willy sucked' bullshit.

 

 

This is the real head scratcher, the Bombers were in the lead when Willy threw that cross field pick-6 so he shouldn't have been trying to force anything at that point.  Without a ground game he has fewer options to play conservatively so he went with a play he had used earlier in the game with success but this time he telegraphed it completely.

 

 

You know you're right...!  I forgot the 60 yard pass to Denmark and then the corner route to Kohlert... that was halfway through the fourth quarter right?  Like in the second half when WIlly sucked...?  

 

I get mixed up sometimes...

The run game has a ton of problems.  Its not all Grigsby, but the he is exacerbating the issues.  Our line can't block.  There's not a heckuva lot we can do right now about that due to all those injuries.  What we can do is put someone in that hits the holes faster and makes better reads.  For my money, that's Cotton but I am willing to look at anyone that isn't Grigsby.

 

On at least 7 carries, first contact was 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage.  Our Oline sucked on a high level last night.  One carry Grigsby was hit as he was getting the ball.  He's getting (lightly) booed on a play where it was pretty amazing he didn't fumble.

 

Saskatchewan has the best Dline (and Oline) in the league.  That should not be any excuse.  Our Oline has to start rising to the occasion.  Willy's fumble was the result of unrelenting pressure all night.  The interceptions were our mistakes, but Saskatchewan created that fumble.

 

Grigsby isn't making anyone miss and Cotton seems like the most dynamic player on our roster, but what happened last night?  Almost all of that is on the hogs.

I really don't get how anyone can say Willy didn't struggle last night.. sure he got pressured, yeah he got sacked but he was the guy that threw that pick 6 late in the game to give SASK the lead. It doesn't mean i think WIlly sucks, i actually think he's very good but... to blame the OC for that when none of us have any idea what the play call actually was is the real BS part. Willy threw that pass, that one was on him. He's a rookie qb, he's gonna make mistakes and unfortunatey last night, his mistake(s) cost us. 

The George fumble was not on Willy... the pocket absolutely collapsed.  Goosen was spun around and Howard was still looking upfield, blocking nobody.  That was not Willy being careless...

 

The INTs came after Willy was shaken up.

 

If the refs don't make that ridiculous LOS call (I've seen them let Burris and Ray get away with way worse...) then Willy has a long completion to start the drive.  Instead they call the penalty and then the review burnt the next play as we were lining up.

 

 

 

 

Washington fumbled a kick return first of all, not a punt return. He actually faked a pitch to the other returner who IMO looked like it was indeed Aaron Woods, washington has always been the other guy back there returning kicks with woods on kick offs.. The riders kicked off, they didn't punt, they just scored a touchdown the play prior on the willy fumble...

 

Maybe the reason the riders kicked it to washington this time was because for the most part, woods was actually getting some pretty darn good kick return yards out there tonight, almost broke several of them. This time they kicked it to demond and for all the bitching about demond, his fumble only lead to 3 points. 

 

Wasn't exactly the TSN turning point considering we came back and were actually winning for a while until Willy threw that ill advised 40 yard pass across the field and got picked off for a TOUCHDOWN. 

 

Seriously, the complaining some do about certain players when in reality that play by washington wasn't really the play that broke our backs, the play that broke our backs was the willy cross the field pass that was intercepted for a TD.. you know the one, the one that gave the riders the lead near the end of the game. 

 

Even then, we still had a chance to drive down field near the end of the game and win it with a touchdown but nope, another interception. Yup lets concentrate on the guy who didn't cost us the game cuz piling on is fun but ignore the actual reasons we LOST this game. 

 

Im gonna say it, don't care if i take heat for it... Willy SUCKED in the second half, i can't put it all on him but those interceptions i certainly can.. and those interceptions cost us way more than a fumble that lead to 3 points. 

 

Ha, you freak out about the fact that I don't think Washington is our second best DB and then call out the guy who is literally carrying this team.  And I'm the negatron...  good one.

 

Willy had a 66% plus completion percentage until the last two minutes when we were trying to force the win.  We wouldn't have been trying to force things without that fumble on the return.

 

Besides those long hitch passes are classic MB... but enough with this 'Willy sucked' bullshit.

 

 

This is the real head scratcher, the Bombers were in the lead when Willy threw that cross field pick-6 so he shouldn't have been trying to force anything at that point.  Without a ground game he has fewer options to play conservatively so he went with a play he had used earlier in the game with success but this time he telegraphed it completely.

 

 

You know you're right...!  I forgot the 60 yard pass to Denmark and then the corner route to Kohlert... that was halfway through the fourth quarter right?  Like in the second half when WIlly sucked...?  

 

I get mixed up sometimes...

Apparently. You know its ok to blame the QB for a bad throw though, I'm not saying Willy is awful, I'm just saying that one pass he made that lead to the pick 6 is on him. You are blaming everyone but the guy that threw the pass. This is where i get lost, you blame MB for the pick 6 but no credit to him for calling that play to denmark but crap on him because he called that pick 6 play? Can't have it both ways there can you? Doesn't really make sense to crap on MB for the late pick 6 but not give the OC any credit for the other things you mentioned. Is this how it works? If a play works, it's all because of Willy, if it  doesn't, its cuz of the OC? Cuz that's essentially what you are saying here.  

Total apologies, Goalie... I thought that when you said Willy sucked in the second half, I didn't realize that you were just talking about the last two minutes of the game.

 

I guess I misinterpreted your posts.

 

We're cool.

Anyone watch the TSN promo on Grigsby?  Sounds like the team really believes in him.  I wouldn't immediately rush to put the blame on him, but it does seem like he is struggling and that is most definitely not helping the passing game.  That said, Willy was just not on his game tonight. **** happens....

Seemed more that TSN wanted a story. Man did they over promote that one! I thought if they toned it down it was fine, but they didn't. Best athlete in the CFL? give me a break!

Grigsby is Dorzon bad as a tailback.  I'd dress him as a WR over Bryant though.  He played WR quite a bit last night and was good.

Grigsby as WR over Romby and Cotton as feature back....I'm in.

Sam McGuffie!

Moore should be back this week, Denmark, Kelly and Moore is as good as it gets.

Mike says no Moore...

Mike says no Moore...

Mike O'Shea?

 

Mike says no Moore...

Mike O'Shea?

 

 

John Gilchrist

Never seen such a winnable game be lost. Wow.

 

I liked this - but had to quote it. Road (I love Justin Goltz the greatest QB ever) griller - the sky is was always blue for you last year. All it takes is a few wins eh? Why do I like this post - 'cause last year, and even the year before that - no one would have have ever posted that about us. We were only valid for one win last year, and only a couple the year before that. We were playing the defending champs who are putting it together, and were in it till the very end. 

 

Great teams find ways to win - and though we all hate them, I gotta call a spade a spade. Sk is a great team. 

 

We weren't a team last year period. Justin Goltz - phhhhlease. We saw how that turned out. As I mentioned in the olineman thread - if I told you in May we'd be 5 and 2 right now - you'd have been soooo happy that the only way you'd be happier if J.Goltz was the starter in those 7 games. 

 

I think it's great - not that we lost, but that in one year, we've gone from a team that most nights didn't deserve to be on a junior football league field, to a team that played the defending Grey Cup Champs to the end and almost beat them.

 

We still have a looooooooooooong way to go but we're FINALLY on the proper road to get there! 

Grigsby is Dorzon bad as a tailback.  I'd dress him as a WR over Bryant though.  He played WR quite a bit last night and was good.

I suggested this to someone I was sitting with last night as a joke but I honestly think he would be better than Romby.

I watched the piece on Grigsby, was a little confusing but i guess it's pretty hard to argue against him being one of the best athletes in the CFL, they guy last year was playing baseball for the twins organization, this year he's playing football.. Can say what you want about the guy but... to be able to play 2 different sports like he has done tells you he is a damned good athlete. 4.34 40 time too, The guy is a damn good athlete, is he the best? That's hard to say actually.. but if that piece did anything, it showed that he is a damn good athlete... Not sure about the best but probably right up there with the best in the league.