OUT OF THE TUNNEL: APPROACHING THE MIDWAY POINT
BY: RODPEDERSEN.COM STAFF
Welcome to the unofficial halfway point of the 2019 season. We say unofficial because all but two teams, (the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes) have played nine games. Also, with it being a bye week for the Green and White, it’s a natural fit as a half-year in review.
After the Montreal Alouettes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are the surprise of the CFL in 2019.
At the beginning of the season if we told Rider fans that their top quarterback would be injured early in the first game – coupled with a first-year head coach – that their team would be 5-3 at this point of the season, I’m sure 90% would love it (the other 10% are those that if they were given $5, they would complain they didn’t get $10).
There are a few factors that have helped the Riders have a great start to the 2019 season, so here’s a 10,000 foot view at some of them.– One of the biggest factors is the play of the offensive line. When they are on, the Riders have been almost unbeatable. Sacks are not the be-all for how an offensive line plays but in the five wins, the Riders have given up just three sacks in the five wins and nine in the three losses.
– William Powell has been a fantastic addition to the Rider offence. He’s an incredibly tough runner, can catch the football, and best of all, he is a great blocker.
– Finally there’s Cody Fajardo. There has been so much ink spilled over the play of the former Nevada Wolfpack pivot and all of it is well-deserved. The fun part will be the negotiations between Fajardo and the Roughriders to get him re-signed to a multi-year deal.
Defensively the “big play” that was the hallmark of the Rider defence the past couple of seasons isn’t there, but they may be a better unit.
Other than a pair of fumble recoveries for touchdowns that were the key reason why the Riders beat the Alouettes 17-10 a week ago, they haven’t lived and died by the turnover. Prior to the Montreal game the Riders forced just five turnovers that led to 17 points.
This is a defence that is incredibly stingy. They give up just 19 offensive points per game and are also in the top three in the CFL in passing and rushing yards given up per game.
Finally, much of the credit goes to head coach Craig Dickenson. This could have been a disastrous rebuilding season for the Green and White but Dickenson’s outward demeanour and how he handles his players and coaching staff have been almost perfect. He is the right type of coach for the modern football player and this bodes well now and for the future of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Riders have caught a few breaks this season, the biggest being Cody Fajardo, but also in the schedule.
The combined record (before week 10) of the teams the Riders have defeated was 13-19 (with two victories over the 1-8 B.C. Lions). While their last two victories have come against teams without their starting quarterback. Good teams make their breaks and the Roughriders defeated the teams in front of them.
We will truly see what kind of a team the Riders are in the next 10 games because seven of them are against divisional foes. If they play well, expect a home playoff game and if not it will be on the road to try to reach the Grey Cup.
This has been a fun season and it will only get better as the weather cools and the leaves start to turn yellow and orange.
This Week in the Prairie Football Conference:The Saskatoon Hilltops opened their quest for another Canadian Bowl championship on Sunday with a 34-20 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles.
It was also a road opener for the Regina Thunder and they come away with the road victory over the Edmonton Wildcats 34-21.
The Edmonton Huskies opened the PFC season by rolling over the Calgary Colts 36-19.
Week two of the PFC (all times local):
Saturday, August 24
Edmonton Huskies (1-0) at Edmonton Wildcats (0-1) 7:00pm at Clarke Park
Sunday, August 25
Winnipeg Rifles (0-1) at Calgary Colts (0-1) 1:00pm at McMahon Stadium
Saskatoon Hilltops (1-0) at Regina Thunder (1-0) 3pm at Mosaic Stadium
Canada West
The Canada West regular season begins in two weeks and we will give you a complete Out of the Tunnel bonus leading up to week one.
The NCAA football season begins this week and for the third year in a row we will give you a Canadian to watch in the NCAA.
We will begin with one of the biggest ones that will lead the offence of the Ohio Bobcats.
QB – Nathan Rourke (Sr.)
6′ 1″ 210lbs.
Oakville, Ont.
High School – Edgewood Academy (Alabama)
JUCO – Ft. Scott CC (Kansas)
Rourke may be the next Canadian quarterback to make his way into the CFL.
He is a two-time all-MAC second team selection and is a pre-season all-MAC first team selection by Street and Smith and Athlon.
Rourke is also on the Maxwell Award (best all-around player in the NCAA) and Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback) pre-season watch lists and is a two-time winner of Football Canada’s Jon Cornish award as the top Canadian in the NCAA.
There is a lot of pressure on the dual-threat quarterback’s shoulders. The Bobcats are looking for their first MAC title since 1968 and Rourke will have to play well with a new set of skill players around him.
(RodPedersen.com Staff)
