David Stobbe/CFL.ca
Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week they debate over the Riders’ back-and-forth quarterback situation.
Quarterback controversies are not new to football.
What’s happening in Saskatchewan may or may not be defined as a QB controversy — Chris Jones says it isn’t, with Kevin Glenn still starting games for the Green and White — but the Riders’ head coach can’t deny that his situation is unusual.
Of the last five games, Glenn has only played from start to finish once, an Oct. 13 loss to the Ottawa REDBLACKS. In the four other games, the Riders’ starter has attempted, on average, only 8.8 passes per game.
Brandon Bridge over that span has come off the bench to average 20 attempts per game.
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Brandon Bridge’s playing time at quarterback has increased with each passing week for the Riders (The Canadian Press)
The two-quarterback system is a rarity in the CFL — yet it’s worked before.
In 1971, Joe Theismann and Greg Barton often alternated drives, helping the Argos go 10-4 and reach the Grey Cup Championship (which was eventually lost to Calgary). The same Argos, just over a decade later, leaned on the duo of Condredge Holloway and Joe Barnes, with Barnes coming off the bench to help them topple the Lions in the 1983 Grey Cup.
Some fans are mesmerized by Bridge, the first Canadian quarterback in a long time to garner actual relevance. With his strong arm, his sheer athleticism and his ability to move the pocket with his legs, the Mississauga, Ont. native will play an important role in the Grey Cup Playoffs, with a chance to lead the Riders through the East.
But the switching back and forth — is it conducive to success? Or is Glenn, the CFL’s fifth all-time leading passer and once in the conversation for MOP this season, getting the hook too soon?
With the playoffs set to kick off and the Riders hoping to make a run through the East, Steinberg and Ferguson weigh in.
| BERG VS. FERG: LAST WEEK’S RESULTS |
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Poll Result: Which struggling playoff team is most concerning? |
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Steinberg: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (58%) Ferguson: Calgary Stampeders (42%) |
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BERG (11-10): QUARTERBACK SWITCHES DISRUPT FLOW
Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg
The Riders need to settle on a number one quarterback
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are using Kevin Glenn and Brandon Bridge as a quarterback tandem out of necessity, not because it’s the ideal scenario. For the Riders to have the playoff success they’re after, I believe they’re going to need to settle on one of their two pivots. Or, more accurately, one of Glenn or Bridge is going to need to truly win the job.
Whether that happens or not is anyone’s guess, though. Neither guy has played well enough for Head Coach Chris Jones to hand the ball to without conditions. Maybe it happens in practice or maybe it’s during their playoff showdown with Ottawa on Sunday, but for Sask to have Bridge or Glenn really emerge would be huge.
An offence just has so much continuity with one quarterback. As it stands right now, players on the field don’t know who they’re going to get on a quarter-to-quarter basis, let alone game-to-game. That’s a tough situation to deal with under any circumstances, but it’s made more challenging due to how different Glenn and Bridge are.
Of the two, Glenn is the more traditional pocket passer, especially at this point in his career. At 38, Glenn doesn’t possess the athleticism to extend plays with his feet or make big players due to his mobility. Instead, he uses his experience and ability to read the field to his advantage.
Bridge, on the other hand, is much more in the “riverboat gambler” category when comparing the two. With his cannon of an arm and impressive speed, Bridge is never afraid to move the pocket, or move completely out of it. His decision-making is still a work in progress, though, which makes Bridge still prone to some mistakes.
Saskatchewan’s offence has seen both Glenn and Bridge at the helm in virtually all games down the stretch. To have such different quarterbacks driving the bus in the same game has thrown things off far more than it has given the Riders a shot in the arm. To win three playoff games, they’re going to need that number reduced to just one at some point in the very near future.
FERG (10-11): BRIDGE, GLENN BRING VARIETY TO RIDER OFFENCE
Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh
I’ll admit, when Brandon Bridge came into Week 1 for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the score zone on the road against Montreal and missed a couple throws, leading to a field goal after Kevin Glenn had driven the length of the field only to be pulled for the younger, more athletic Canadian QB, I raised my eyebrow.
I’ve never had an issue with playing two quarterbacks if the situation calls for it and the offensive system is designed to accentuate the strengths of each quarterback then it works.
My line of questioning for the Riders early in the year with Glenn and Bridge surrounded their use. I understand playing off tendencies and going against the scouting report defences have on a quarterback, but it was getting extreme when Glenn was running quarterback draws and Bridge was being asked to dink and dunk the ball down the field through the air.
That was then, this is now.
The Riders have figured out how to use their quarterbacks in a way that has increased offensive variety, making them more dangerous than most offences entering the 2017 playoffs.
By using Glenn as the starter, Chris Jones is taking pressure off Bridge and allowing both quarterbacks to settle into a rhythm in the second half of the season. From the outside looking in, the expectations seem set for the quarterback position and that is the most important part of a dual quarterback system.
If the length of leash for a starter is too short or unknown, the dynamic gets confusing and feelings can get hurt, leading to negative backlash.
The Riders appear to have a plan, and two really talented quarterbacks capable of producing.
Can you imagine if both had standout games in split time come late November and the Riders go on to win the Grey Cup?!?
Our last Berg vs. Ferg of 2017 could be who deserved the MOP award more.
DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!
While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?
You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.
The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.
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