It is now a legitimate question: “What is wrong with the Saskatchewan Roughriders?”
We’ve heard it, at times, over the course of the summer of 2012 but it never seemed like there was too much wrong with the Green & White. Their perfect play at the start of the season seemed too good to be true and it was unreasonable to expect it would continue for the rest of the season.
| Chamblin not worried |
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 The B.C Lions were everything as advertised Sunday night on their home turf and Corey Chamblin recognizes that if his team wants to “be the best they have to beat the best”. » READ: Lions ‘D’ Came as Advertised |
However, as we close in on the halfway mark of this CFL campaign, even the most optimistic of Rider Priders has to be a little concerned.
How couldn’t they be?
Yet, remarkably, had the Riders won in BC this past Sunday, they would have held onto the top spot in the West as they hold the season series advantage over the Lions. Instead they are tied with Calgary for third, and are technically in fourth in the division as the Stamps hold the tiebreaker.
But all is not lost and head coach Corey Chamblin continues to be positive despite the slide.
“I looked at it as we came out aggressive and stayed aggressive with play-calling,” Chamblin said after the match. “They (BC) are a veteran group and they just came out stronger. We’ll grow into that role.
“Once again this team fought to the end. The biggest thing is there are couple of units who played better than they have in the past. We need all three phases playing together and I know we’ll get there.”
We can safely say the Lions are the CFL’s best team and the Riders went toe-to-toe with them for most of the contest until a 55-yard touchdown by Arland Bruce broke their back in the last minute of the third quarter.
“The game was in reach near the end but a few plays late broke it open,” Chamblin explained. “It was close for a long time at 7-3.”
So what ails this team right now? That’s tough to say.
The offence certainly didn’t seem to be a problem as they averaged close to 30 points per game in the first six outings. However, their one field goal in Vancouver easily stood out as their worst offensive showing of the season.
Defensively, they relentlessly pounded Lions quarterback Travis Lulay, but the reigning league MOP kept getting back up for more. He’s just that good, and that tough.
In the end, all that matters is that there are 11 games left to play and there is still plenty of time to turn things around. They have held the lead in every one of their first seven games and it’s clear this team is as good as any in the league.
However, now is the time to find answers to the questions because they can’t afford to squander divisional games any longer.
All supporters of this team are begging for is to make the playoffs but as this season goes along, it’s starting to look like 9-9 might not cut it.
