Week 4: Riders at STAMPEDERS

[OzSome]

Game Time: Thursday, July 19th at 7pm MDT
Televised on TSN (subject for local blackout). Can also be heard on AM770 QR77.

Calgary Stampeders record is 1-2 (could have been 3-0 if it wasn't for the stupid mistakes and penalties). Riders 3-0 this season so far. Calgary swept the Riders in 2011 winning all 4 games played between two teams. Riders actually went winless against the Western Division in 2011 losing all 10 games within their division.

Calgary leads the league in points scored with 106 points in 3 games and also leads the league in first downs with 70 but they are 4th in the league in total offense.

OFFENSE:

QB Drew Tate opted for surgery on your shoulder problem, so it means Kevin Glenn will be our QB for mostly the rest of the season. Stamps brass are thinking Drew Tate might be ready before the end of the season. Backup Bo Levi Mitchell is one hit away from playing. So far he scored a couple of TD run this season (both against Montreal) and had great presence with the QB sneak on both 3rd down gamble and fake field goal.

R Nik Lewis is the most consistent receiver for Stamps this season so far. He is 3rd in the league with 25 catches for 264 yards. Marquay McDaniel did not play the first game but he is becoming to be Kevin Glenn's favorite target. Romby Bryant is slowly picking up his tempo.

Running game this season needs improvement. They are 5th overall with 91.0 yards per game and they only have an average 4.3 yards per carry. RB Jon Cornish started slowly this season and whenever he gets the chance to run, the opposition defense just gang-tackled him.

Offensive Line is also a suspect so far this season. There are times that they are unbeatable giving QB lots of time to stand and look for receivers. Then there are times that they can't stop anyone. Looks like they will need to play better against the Riders' defense on this game.

DEFENSE:

Defense played well early in the game against Montreal. It looks like Calvillo couldn't figure out the defense at all. Unfortunately late in the game they buckled and gave up some yardage. I can't really blame them as they seems to be on the field most of the game because of the offense inability to move the ball.

Secondary got hit again with injury. Our most consistent and versatile CB Keon Raymond will be out for this game. He will be replaced in the roster by TCU grad Marvin White. I heard this guy is a hard hitting guy. I saw a YouTube video where he hit this Johnson guy so hard. Hopefully he brings his speed and his hard hitting game to Calgary. White will be backing up both CB Jamar Wall (who ended up playing starter after Raymond went down last game) and Randle. Weak-side LB will play over the injured Demetrius Morley again this game.

DL Torrey Davis was a monster last game and I am hoping he will do the same against Darian Durant. Someone other than Hughes needs to pressure Durant all night. Hughes has been double-teamed so someone like Pettway, Buckle and Davis will be free.

LB Juwan Simpson played well against the Als and like the rest of the defense made some mistakes late in the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Larry Taylor has been good so far this season. Blocking is good and we saw a better coverage last game vs Als. No complaint about Peredes and Maver so far.

MISTAKES, PENALTIES:

These are the two things that are killing the Stamps this season. Two games in a row they lost because of stupid penalties and mistakes. Stupid mistakes like not touching a receiver when they are down that cost them a TD. S Eric Fraser was the culprit. I can see it happening to a rookie especially an American rookie but not someone who's been playing in the CFL for 3 years. Still not sure why the guy tried to avoid hitting the receivers. Hopefully he learned from that lesson. Mistakes like Glenn throwing an interception late in the game. Your team are ahead with a few minutes left. Why do you even throw it on slant pass? Either run it or throw it long. Then time management with a few seconds left. The play took longer than it is supposed to be. I know it was not an automatic field goal but at least Paredes gets the chance to win it for us. Glenn is a veteran QB so mistakes like that was unacceptable.
Penalties... to tell you the truth I thought that unnessary penalty on Karl McCarthy was a borderline call. The special team had a back-to-back penalties on that sequence. Instead of Montreal starting closer to their own goal line, they got another chance because someone had a happy feet going offside on kick. I don't see that much off-side penalties on kick or punt so why happen closer to the end of the game. Penalties and mistakes have been always a problem with the Stampeders so I am not sure if players learn from it or not. The team need to cut it down.

************************************************** ***
I hope the Stamps watched the Eskimos-Riders game and see how they can stop Darian Durant. They've done it before and I am pretty sure they can do it again this game. Give this guy lots of time and he will bury you. Defense needs to keep on pressuring him because that's how he makes some mistakes. I can't wait for this game.

GO STAMPS GO!!!!

[kirant]

Riders fan - I think they'll lose. Never thought they'd be 3-0...0-3 was more likely. Personally, their luck has to run out at some point.

If they can shut down Sheets, a lot of offense is lost. He adds a degree of flexibility that I don't think many expected coming into the season.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by kirant

Riders fan - I think they'll lose. Never thought they'd be 3-0...0-3 was more likely. Personally, their luck has to run out at some point.

If they can shut down Sheets, a lot of offense is lost. He adds a degree of flexibility that I don't think many expected coming into the season.

I don't think they'll lose, but this is totally a trap game for the Riders. Short week, some injuries, can't win them all.

The matchup that I hope happens (and if it does it will be the matchup to watch) is Tyrone Brackenridge lining up against Nik Lewis. Brackenridge has looked great so far and physically matches up the best against Lewis on the Riders.

Keon out hurts the Stamps D. Bagg out hurts the Riders O.

[OzSome]

Looks like Anthony Parker will finally be in the lineup for the first time this season replacing Jabari Arthur. Still don't understand why Arjei Franklin is playing over Parker. I haven't seen Franklin touch the ball yet..or maybe I missed it. Come on Huf, get the kid some playing time.

[transplant99]

Good grief Glenn...you CANT make that throw...holy hannah.

[PeteLFan]

This team is in shambles.

[PeteLFan]

How do you drop that?

[transplant99]

Are you effin kidding me? That wide open and you drop the ball? Unreal.

[Mazrim]

Gotta catch both of those. Brutal.

[PeteLFan]

Embarrassing quarter of football, this is looking like a Matt dunnigan coached team.

[OzSome]

sputtering offense so far. I can't blame Kevin Glenn for the last two plays. Forzani and Cornish dropping the ball is not good.

[Flickered Flame]

Great catch by Lewis! Touchdown!

[PeteLFan]

How the heck are we allowing this garbage team to run up and down on us.

[OzSome]

Eric Fraser is probably the worst safety in the CFL. He is slow to react and seems afraid to go all out. Put the kid in and see how he'll respond.

Too early to panic but the Riders's offense is running all over the Stamps' defense so far. Not good!

[PeteLFan]

Wth that was a horse collar.

[Flickered Flame]

The Stamps really have no running game this year. Not as effective as the last couple of years.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

The Stamps really have no running game this year. Not as effective as the last couple of years.

Agreed...hard to understand why as well....its like all of them including Cornish just expect it to happen instead of making it happen....to use a hockey term, they look soft.

[Matty81]

I'd like to see Glenn hit the pine for a while. He has basically already thrown 2 interceptions tonight, DBs just dropped them. Also if I'm having wishes granted I'd to win the lottery and use some of the proceeds to erect a 10 foot electric fence around Saskatchewan.

[Flickered Flame]

This is the Larry Taylor I thought the Stamps were getting last year.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

This is the Larry Taylor I thought the Stamps were getting last year.

Same much more effective. Unfortunate we don't have the offense to make it worth it.