HOW TO PICK SASKATCHEWAN WITHOUT WEARING GREEN GLASSES

By: Luc Mullinder

Before you read about why the Saskatchewan Roughriders can win this game, let it be known that these ‘Primers’ are not written with half a hollowed-out watermelon sitting next to a laptop and “Corner Gas” on in the background.

The author wears no green face paint, and is not the owner of a gnome, Gainer doll or a Ray Elgaard autographed jersey.  As a matter of fact, the only CO-OP Rider Cereal or Chips I’ve ever had was when Andy Fantuz got the first EVER crate shipped to his condo, and we all raided it ‘cause we thought they’d be collectibles one day!

Wait, come to think of it…that’s a lie…I had a box of Darios, but the fellas and I smashed it after a hard night’s work at Gabbos (pre-Dewdney ban) and our seemingly annoyed designated diver refused to make the obligatory late night run to McDonalds.

#DDproblems #TheyWereGreatFromWhatIRemember

For those of you in Rider Nation who are placing office bets or debating your family members in Manitoba regarding the outcome of this game, there may be some uneasy feelings associated with your trash talk that may be preventing you from having one of those “drop the mic and walk off stage” moments.

Some may even be sitting there with negative connotations insisting that, “The Riders will be brought back to earth this week!” “We shoulda kept Drew Willy!”

There are a number of reasons to NOT be as confident in the Green and White like we’ve justifiably been over the last couple weeks.  The 2014 Winnipeg Blue Bomber team has looked good.  Drew Willy is playing well, Gary Etcheverry’s defense puts a premium on takeaway, and Mike O’Shea has done a great job of cultivating a winning atmosphere (thus far) in the locker room.

The Bombers have also won their games in an assortment of ways (including last drive scenarios) which has given them the priceless understanding, during adversity, to dig their foot in the ground and aggressively state, “We’ve been in this situation before, and we know how to react, and stay poised.”  The lessons they (Winnipeg) have gotten on the run in this developing CFL season are invaluable tools that create championship potential in organizations.

This is also a really tough week physically for the Riders.  Much has been made of the extended stay out east, and the fact that this will be the second time in a week that Saskatchewan will strap up.  To raise the caution flags even higher on Thursday, just when it seemed like our receiving corps looked like they were taking shape; Taj Smith got sat down for at least this week.  Obviously little by little, Smith’s situation will be fully explained.  Personally I don’t care.  The Riders have had to circle the wagons before and now they have to do it again.  Distractions are only effective if they are allowed to be.

With that said, here’s why you guys can pick Saskatchewan this week and avoid being called a “Homer” while you do it.  If it makes you feel any better, I’m picking SK for the same reasons in my pools, however I don’t have to wear any Winnipeg gear, or proclaim my love of Troy Westwood’s Pony Tail as a repercussion of my choice, so choose accordingly.  If the Saskatchewan Roughriders come out slow, letting the variables they’ve got no control over, affect their performance (ie: travel sched, CFL sched, hotel fatigue, minor bumps/bruises, crowd noise) this will be an extremely long and painful evening.

Starting fast will require the Riders to focus solely on the football aspects they’re able to control.  If they do shoot out of the gate, specifically on offence, they may jump on a plane with 10 days’ worth of dirty laundry, and a more importantly…a WIN.

Thursday’s game will serve as a measuring stick for both organizations.  The questions surrounding Winnipeg’s legitimacy are ridiculous, but they do have a tough schedule moving forward, and Mike O’Shea has his work cut out for him.  Anyone that can’t see that Wade Miller and Kyle Walters have begun to point the team in the right direction has more concussion issues than Buck Pierce.  The following may provide you with some insight into how to pick Saskatchewan without being accused of wearing your Green and White Goggles…

Finding Offensive Advantages 

Run the Rock…A lot
• This may be the key to the entire game!  Now it’s easier said than done.  Especially against a coordinator that bases his defensive scheme on strict fundamental values, one of which is a focus on being able to control AND cancel all gaps that offences look to expose and run through.  On film it looks chaotic; however there is always a purpose to the movement of players, the slanting at the snap of the ball, the way certain players are lined up, and the relentless way in which players launch themselves at a ball carrier, seemingly unafraid to miss.

Sometimes Winnipeg will isolate an offensive guard or center by lining up two bodies on top of one position.  This is an effort to force the double-teamed O-linemen to make a choice and the two defenders have an array of options in which they can use to react, which in turn works in conjunction with a scraping LB.

The one mistake a coordinator can make against this defensive strategy is to over-think it and get fancy.  This is not a team that you want to run stretched out zone plays against, and have your RB looking for shifty cuts.  Winnipeg will literally look to push an offensive lineman into a potential cut back lane (which is essentially what gap cancelling does) and erase that hole quickly.  The Riders will have more success if they just drop their pads and knock whoever ends up in their assigned gap, off of the line of scrimmage.

Cortez may look to utilize his single or double TE sets in order to facilitate extra push but if there’s ever a need for a killer mentality, it is against a D-line that will want to use speed and athleticism in order to force a team to abandon their ground game.  Success on the ground will be crucial, as it is in every game.  However, against this defence, it may be what the Riders need in order to avoid the Bombers’ best defensive weapon, discussed next.

Keep the Passing Game Short and Sweet

• The most creative aspects of the Blue Bombers defence come from the section of the non-existent and theoretical playbook that deals with the 2nd down and 6+ offensive possessions.  Etcheverry and his staff are fantastic at putting together confusing blitz looks, blitz alignments and zone coverages, when an offence has to put the ball in the air for longer chunks of yards.

“The Blitz” as it is referred to is designed to create turnovers, and it is most effective when time and distance are not something a QB has in his favour.  That’s why the Riders run game is so crucial.  The Riders need to keep Darian Durant and this patchwork group of receivers out of the 2nd and 6+ downs, and play within the 2nd and short to 2nd and 5 yard range.

The blitz looks will be far less confusing and creative if Saskatchewan can constantly find ways to quickly hit short yardage possession passes to Getzlaf and whoever is running the shorter routes.  Keeping Gary Etcheverry in his base defensive package as opposed to utilizing his “blitz” personnel is the absolute key in trying to win this first meeting with our neighbours to the east.  It is VERY possible with who the Riders will deploy on Thursday night.

The Riders Key to Defensive Success…Force them to do what they’re good at?!?!?!?!?

One Trick Pony
• Drew Willy and the Blue Bombers are enjoying a great start to the year! They’re actually 2nd in the league in passing yards, that’s awesome and it’s really nice to see a first year franchise QB having that success.  Unfortunately for Winnipeg, their biggest strength is probably also their glaring weakness.  All this team is good at is passing the ball.  Nick Grigsby is an elusive back, but right now his offensive unit is sitting dead last in the league in rushing yards gained.  This is where one may really see the game falling in favour to the green and white.  The Blue Bombers are 1 dimensional, and that is exactly what a Richie Hall defensive attack wants to turn the opposition into…A one dimensional football club.

If the Riders defensive front seven come out and violently take away the running ability of the Bombers, things will get interesting in Ridernation.  With all the success that Drew Willy and the aerial attack are having, the one major deficiency that’s visible to even the casual fan is their inability to stop defences, like Edmonton and Montreal that can rush the passer.  Right now there isn’t a unit in the league that is having more fun than the Riders defence and it starts up front with the pressure that T. George and company can apply.

If the Riders can get to Drew early, the mature exuberance he has displayed during tight games may turn into forced throws and bad decisions.  If that does play out, there’s an opportunistic “Wolfpack” sitting in the shadows waiting to pounce on footballs that are up for grabs.

The term “measuring stick” was used above, and that’s a good term to apply to Drew Willy and Nick Grigsby’s task at hand.  If Winnipeg is going to win this game, they will need to a) prove that they can run the ball and b) show us that Drew Willy is really as good as we hope he is.  The Riders may enjoy a sizeable advantage here, if they show up ready to go, from the opening coin toss.

So there we go Rider Nation.  You can all make your bets and predictions comfortably with your cousin in Brandon, Manitoba or your employer’s ‘other’ offices in Winnipeg.  There are some tangible things that the Riders can do in order to have some success on Thursday Night Football.
But keep in mind, the boys gotta show up!  Whatever distractions one can think of at this point need to be whisked under the carpet for some other team to deal with.

Travel Like Champions; Prepare Like Champions, Play Like Champions, and #EnjoyHooters Wings After A Win, Like Champions…

Cups up to the squad making a statement, and going 1-0 this week.  Hope this helps!

#ProPerspective