Let the bells ring and the good times roll. The Saskatchewan Roughriders have won their first game of the 2016 season.
All right, maybe we do need to take a breath in terms of the significance of the win, but it’s hard not to think it is at least the first tentative step to mediocrity at the very least.
The win did come over a third string quarterback for Ottawa. Rarely is any team expected to win with a second string QB, at least win often, but third stringers are the point when teams realize wins are almost impossible to come by.
When Trevor Harris, second to Henry Burris when the season started, went down for the Redblacks, it really was a case of opening the door about as wide as possible for a Roughrider win.
To the ‘Riders credit they got it done with a late-game field goal, but it was not a real pretty victory.
Brock Jensen gave the Saskatchewan defence about all it could handle. The third stringer in his first action went 20-for-29, that’s a 69 per cent success rate, and 271-yards.
That Jensen was able to roll up such numbers speaks to how much work the ‘Rider defence still has to do.
More positive in the win was the effort of ‘Rider starting pivot Mitchell Gale.
Gale’s completion rate was under 60 per cent going 21-for-36, but he did roll up 354-yards through the air. Anytime a QB gets in that 350-yard range, your team has a shot to win.
Of course the ‘Rider quarterback better be passing the ball well. The team tried only nine rushes in the game, five by Mitchell, who led the team in rushing yards with 17.
Certainly the CFL is a passing league, and so far this season that is even more the case, but a bit more balance would help take some pressure of Gale who is still learning the game in terms of in-game reps.
The most positive aspect for Gale though is his ability to remain calm. He played through bad snaps, and his own fumbles, and showed a poise not to throw up desperation passed that all too often turn into interceptions.
The win was one which may have been handed to the ‘Riders on a platter given Ottawa’s quarterback situation, but at least Saskatchewan took the opportunity when it was presented.
MLB trade deadline
The 2016 non-waiver trade deadline is Aug. 1, only days away, and the question is will the Toronto Blue Jays make a move or two to help bolster their run at a second straight playoff year?
Well if fans are expecting a David Price-level move like 2015, a move which truly solidified the team in terms of being a playoff contender, I suspect those fans will be rather disappointed come Aug. 2.
The Jays farm system is thinner now, so the prospects needed to manufacture a really big deal are likely missing. After all it took the Cubs giving up three prospects; Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren, to acquire New York Yankee reliever Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is a free agent at season’s end, so was expendable even with his 20 saves. The Cubs are not exactly lacking in the bullpen, but recent playoffs have shown it is relief arms that are increasingly the key to winning in the post season and Chapman adds another big arm, one that has to have the Cubs favoured to win it all.
That was what Drew Storen was supposed to do for Toronto when he arrived in an off season trade for outfielder Ben Revere.
The trade however has been a disaster with Storen never adjusting to a setup role, and now designated for assignment.
So the Jays could use some bullpen help by the trade deadline, and another starter could add some depth, but that arm would be back of the rotation quality, not a Price-like acquisition.
A move certainly is needed as the Jays are at best right now in a fight for the second wild card spot, just fractions ahead of a charging Houston Astros team.
An arm, or two, could be the difference, for a team whose time is now, as next year this will be a very different look team, with likely three of the bigger bats on the roster lost to free agency; José Bautista, Edwin Encarnación and Michael Saunders.
