Matt Cauz
CFL.ca
Before I begin my Week Five rambling I wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday. Hopefully you are not reading this at work, but if you are I hope you’re getting double time.
It was difficult to watch every second of all four games as I am at my cottage right now surrounded by nieces and nephews with short attention spans demanding endless games of hide and go seek.
So instead of delving into one or two particular games I figured I would give you a mass ramble of thoughts from a Week Five that started off slow but finished off spectacularly both on and off the field.
(1) For the second week in a row the Montreal Alouettes laid a smack down on a supposed Eastern Conference ‘contender’. What I love about the Montreal attack is they force opposing defences to take perfect angles and make perfect tackles. They kill you with 2nd & three. Over and over Anthony Calvillo would throw three yard passes that would routinely go for nine yards. Kevin Eiben articulated it best at the half saying they needed to force second and long. They never had a chance as Calvillo and the Alouettes finally got their offensive mojo back racking up 561 yards of total offence against one of the better defensive units in the league.
(2) Avon Cobourne has that rare ability to make hard cuts without slowing down. I counted at least three runs where he made several cuts on the same run rendering safeties and linebackers helpless.
(3) Cleo Lemon had an impressive touchdown drive in the first quarter, converting several long second downs, but beyond that, he didn’t show much. His two biggest flaws: (a) Holds on to the ball far too long. (b) Misses way too many open targets.- I’m not expecting him to light up the league, but as a quarterback you have to be able to hit your receivers when they are open. Twice Chad Owens had put himself in a position to make big plays and Lemon couldn’t get him the ball.
(4) Cory Boyd is really physical. His effectiveness in runs up the middle has surprised me.
(5) Marc Trestman is a great coach but you just gotta know how many challenges you have per half. His “challenge” on the SJ Green reception at the end of the half cost them a chance for a touchdown.
(6) Could someone get Ricky Ray a wig? It’s hard to take any athlete seriously when they have a bald spot.
(7) I know the weather was less than hospitable but the first quarter of the Lions / Eskimos game was just ugly with a grand total of three first downs. Thank God the game ended strongly because it was a stinker leading up to that thunder storm.
(8) Speaking of Ricky Ray and inclement weather, after the delay Ray completed 14 straight passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. Of course his 15th pass was also completed …
(9) Unfortunately for the Eskimos it was “completed” to Davis Sanchez who returned it for a score. Sanchez was all over the field on Friday night and so far has been everything the Lions could have hoped for.
(10) I know that Travis Lulay is young but the team needs to find a way to get Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson more involved. A combined 6-74 and no touchdowns just won’t cut it.
(11) Every time Jamal Robertson rips off yet another long run I feel dumber and dumber for going on about how slow he is.
(12) As someone who has been watching him since his college days at Wilfrid Laurier it was good to see Andre Talbot, healthy and effective.
(13) Yes it’s early to start thinking about end of season awards; but right now Rob Maver is earning himself a ton of Rookie of the Year votes.
(14) Arland Bruce’s Week Five was better than his first four weeks. 16-272-2, is just a ridiculous line. In my fantasy league, which puts more of an emphasis on yardage, Bruce put up over 72 points! Bruce’s day says as much about his overall skill set as it does about the massive deficiencies in the Saskatchewan Roughriders secondary. We’re only five weeks into the season and already Saskatchewan has allowed two wideouts to gain over 200 yards.
(15) Saskatchewan’s win over Hamilton was a typical Riders victory. Strictly statistically speaking Saskatchewan was not a dominant team in 2009. They won by being the mentally tougher team, by doing all the small things that fly under the radar of statistics. Hamilton beat them up and down in the box score yet still lost by 13. Turnovers, dropped passes and penalties doomed a Tiger-Cats team that left a lot of big plays on the field.
(15) Now that said; please don’t take point #14 as a condemnation against the Roughriders. They are such a well coached, disciplined team. Mental toughness is a skill and should not be seen as just a cliché used by lazy sportswriters. Winning games when you are not playing anywhere near your best football (and being outgained by over 100 yards) is just as impressive as blowing out your opponent when you have everything clicking.
(16) Going into the season did anyone expect Hamilton, Edmonton and BC to all be 1-4? I have the feeling that Danny Maciocia will not be the only high profile firing of the 2010 season.
(17) Wow, I knew Maciocia was not liked in Edmonton but I’ll be honest; I had no idea the hatred went that deep. You know you’re not doing well with the fans when the team’s President/ C.E.O. Rick LeLacheur revealed that the fans’ utter contempt for Maciocia was factor in letting him go. Not even Mrs. Chris Pronger is less popular in Edmonton right now than Machoia.
(18) From all the speculation that I’ve read, attendance issues were a huge factor for his dismissal. I remember watching the Eskimos home opener wondering where all the people were. Edmonton is bringing in around 30,000, a far cry from back in the day when they easily averaged over 40,000.
(19) Now I know why Richie Hall was so excited after beating B.C., he had to have known that LeLacheur had an itchy trigger finger. Hall’s excitement was that of a man who knew he’d still be drawing a pay cheque, at least for one more week.
(20) Speaking of a lack of job security I sure hope that Tiger-Cats punter Justin Palardy has not put down a down payment on a nice home in Westdale. After having his third blocked punt in just five games Marcel Bellefeuille had this to say:“It’s obviously an issue. It’s going to have to get resolved: he’s going to have to get better or we’re going to have to replace him.” Hopefully Palardy got himself one of those good University degrees and not say, Communications.
(21) You have to feel for Kevin Glenn. Guy put up 425 yards and three touchdowns and comes away with a loss, partly because Maurice Mann and Dave Stala both let balls ricochet off of them for interceptions.
(22) But Stala does get my vote for the best TD celebration so far in 2010. His 11-yard TD was followed by a hybrid soccer exhibition/hacky-sack routine. Best I’ve seen since the Stampeders did their human bobsled. Ironic that he is on the same team as Arland Bruce, the same man who celebrated a touchdown by pretending he was dead, a supposed homage to Michael Jackson. I still haven’t figured that one out.
(23) Not a good stat for Saskatchewan with the Alouettes on the horizon: Glenn threw 45 passes and was not sacked once.
(24) Still wondering why Hamilton is not using Marcus Thigpen more with the offence. It worked so well two weeks ago in their win over Winnipeg.
(25) I’m already giddy for the Montreal/Saskatchewan rematch. If you’re thinking of placing a bet take whatever points Randle The Handle puts on the Alouettes. With their problems scoring in the red zone I just can’t see Saskatchewan keeping up with Montreal on the road. Kicking record amounts of field goals just won’t be enough. Five weeks in, Montreal is the team playing better ball. They don’t have a 20 point loss on their record, just a crazy OT defeat to
these Riders. By the way, if anyone knows Randle’s real last name please e-mail them to me! I asked, but the guy won’t tell me.
(26) Of course if you’re looking for a reason to support Saskatchewan (Yes there are many) remember they have yet to fully click on offence yet they have put up: 54, 38 and 37 points so far this year.
(27) If you want excitement there is no team better to watch right now than Saskatchewan. Through five weeks they have gained the most yards and given up the most as well. On the flip side if you’re a fan of punting I would not recommend watching the Green & White.
(28) One of the most impressive big picture improvements I’ve seen this year has to be Calgary’s overall defensive play. No team has given up fewer points and they rank second in yards allowed. Last season they were second last in total yardage and gave up far too many big plays through the air.
(29) Welcome back Ken-Yon Rambo. You didn’t take long to make your presence felt. Between Rambo, Nik Lewis and Romby Bryant a case can be made that the Stampeders have the best set of triplet WR’s in the CFL.
(30) The best play from the weekend goes to Nik Lewis’ high jump. Lewis punctuated his 10 catch 160 yard day by doing his best Perdita Felicien impersonation, hurdling Winnipeg DE Brady Browne in the 4th quarter.
With Hamilton vs. Winnipeg and of course Roughriders vs. Alouettes: Part II The Revenge coming up, here’s hoping that Week Six lives up to all the expectations.
