By Greg Uranoski

Riderville

Who is a better choker – A Cat with Hairballs or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers?

Sep 26, 2019 | 8:31 AM

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had it in the bag – they were leading Montreal by 24 and Chris (What do you mean pass?) Streveler was racking up big fantasy football points mostly by running the ball.

So with the return of Andrew (Juicer) Harris, all the Bombers had to do was run the ball and kill the clock and they would remain alone in sole possession of first place.

But, while TSN has been billing this as the Year of the Return in the CFL, it should be known as the Year of the Understudy as former back-ups taking over teams have performed better than expected.

Vernon Adams Jr., in his second tour of Montreal and known around Riderville as a third down quarterback, launched an incredible comeback that when combined with Richie Hall’s prevent defense and Winnipeg’s general inability to recognize other teams are playing in the CFL as well, resulted in the Bombers losing and the Bombers crying foul.

Bomber fans feel the CFL should have thrown out Adams after he swung his helmet at Winnipeg linebacker Adam Bighill following an interception. Adams got flagged for unnecessary roughness since there was no clear indication Bighill was actually hit and the league afterwards admitted Adams should have been ejected from the game.

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That didn’t stop Adams from claiming outstanding player performance and a suspension this week, and Winnipeg fans blaming Saskatchewan for conspiring to rob Winnipeg of a win. Not that Saskatchewan had anything to do with it, but never let the facts get in the way of a Bomber fan base having a collective stroke as their June, July and maybe August Grey Cups slip away.

I would not want to be the team facing Montreal in the playoffs as a solid defense and an offense that can both run and hit the long ball makes Montreal a much harder out than many were expecting at the start of the season. It is not unreasonable to think Montreal could easily represent the East because right now they have a more complete team game than Hamilton.

Streveler as a Winnipeg QB is more comfortable running the ball because once his first read is done, he panics and runs, much like Brandon (Where is he now?) Bridge was last year. It has been interesting to contrast Harris continuing to deny he knowingly tested positive for performance enhancing drugs with Adams admitting he was wrong to swing a helmet and apologizing for his actions.

I think the leadership Adams has shown compared to Harris would make me think that when it comes down to what could be defined as lockerroom culture or character, Montreal has more than Winnipeg. Montreal also has a belief in itself which will be interesting to see what transpires October 12 when Winnipeg hosts Montreal.

The Riders went back to practice this week after their final bye week and players are coming back from the injury list. Brendon LaBatte, who is coming back after hernia surgery, would help the offensive line immensely and if Philip Blake joins him, expect to see the Riders running game take off like a Winnipeg Blue Bomber fleeing a drug test.

While Winnipeg has been moaning about how having their starting quarterback out and then their running back out for two games due to suspension has been a trying experience, the Riders for their part have had to deal with injuries to three starters on their offensive line. The results have been better than expected, with Dakota Shepley stepping up as a draft pick and getting valuable reps along with Dariusz Bladek.

The experience gained by the back-ups will prove invaluable in the future, but also provides the Riders with an opportunity to fine tune their offense. The back-ups have learned the stuff they need to do to hold down starting jobs in the CFL and the addition of LaBatte, a character guy, will help key the Riders running game. It may also help keep quarterback Cody Fajardo in the pocket.

The Riders will be looking at the addition of Jordon Williams-Lambert, back from the CFL and with the benefit of two to three weeks of studying the playbook and hopefully working with Fajardo. The question is who comes off for Williams-Lambert, who was the Riders rookie of the year last year?

One possibility is Namaan Roosevelt who might need a veteran’s week off as the Riders try to get themselves healthy for the playoffs. Or maybe Manny Arceneaux who has provided intangibles like leadership during the last few weeks.

I would sit Arcenaux because Canadian receiver Cory Watson is also coming off the six game injury list. Mitch Picton is going to the practice roster after starting the last game against Montreal, and Watson is kind of impressing me with his catches and effort. Watson is a sort of a yes, but receiver because while he is good, his durability is somewhat under question and Watson’s time on the injury list probably triggered even more of a running game for the Riders as they adjusted to various injuries.

The Riders go to Toronto where they will face Jame Franklin who is starting and who is also facing the prospect of being traded by the October 9^th CFL trade deadline. McLeod Bethel-Thompson has had the reins in Toronto and has been competitive. Bethel-Thompson is 31 and maybe not the ideal young quarterback to build around, but the guy has a competitive spirit and an apparently good work ethic.

Franklin is a bit of a curiousity at this point. He was highly regarded when he was in Edmonton and backing up Mike Reilly. Edmonton traded him when it seemed Reilly would be there forever and they didn’t want to lose him to the Riders under Chris Jones.

However Franklin did not do well under Marc Trestman, Argo head coach at the time and noted quarterback whisperer. If Trestman could not do it with Franklin, you wonder who might be better able to get Franklin to actually turn his potential into actual results.

The Riders better not be looking past Toronto to the Winnipeg game because Toronto does have potential to upset the Riders. The Argos have been hampered by Argo Head Coach Cory Chamblin making some interesting if not questionable strategy decisions which would have been great if they have worked, but have managed to keep Toronto at Ottawa levels in the standings.

For the Riders, the question of first place should be settled in the next three games. A win against Toronto sets up a return date at home against Winnipeg and the week after that, the Riders are in Calgary. Three straight wins would put the Riders at 11-4 and depending on how they do against Calgary, might even put them in first place depending on points scored for and against.

This is certainly better than what many thought the Riders would be this year, and getting a sense for how the Riders are positioning themselves for the last third of the season, would seem to indicate the Riders have the potential to perhaps return to Calgary in a Grey Cup and redeem themselves 10 years after the 13^th man disaster and perhaps more appropriately, commemorate 30 years since the greatest Grey Cup in 1989 when the Riders beat Hamilton.

I am not going to say the Riders are Grey Cup champs, but they are closer now than they were at the start of the season when nobody knew what the Riders would look like under Craig Dickenson. The makings of a competitive team were there except for the question at quarterback and Jeremy O’Day deserves executive of the year for signing Cody Fajardo as a back-up and seeing him blossom into a starter.

The thing is, there are a lot of competitive teams in the CFL this season. Even at times, the teams that are no longer in contention.

The stretch drive continues in the CFL this week, or as it is known in Winnipeg – The Heimlich maneuver!

Speaking of choking, Winnipeg coughed up more hairballs than my cat in losing to Montreal last week in an epic meltdown Now Hamilton visits to conclude a three week western swing that saw them beat Edmonton, lost barely to Calgary and now come to the Place Where Dreams Come To Die – Dollarama Field.

The question of whether last week marks the beginning of Winnipeg’s sliding into the swamps around the Red Rver or not bedevils the inmates of Stony Mountain Penitentiary. Hamilton brings the original game manager Dane Evans to QB their team and he has gotten better with more reps, as is hoped. Hamilton’s defense now has to contend with Simoni Lawrence, arguably the new Kyries Hebert as dirty player non grata, While Rod Black will tout this as a Grey Cup preview, the Bombers should win, but narrowly 25-24. Of course if Hamilton wins, I am happy as well because it sets up the Bomber visit to Saskatchewan next week to duel over first place, so either way this is a win-win for me.

Edmonton goes to Ottawa and Marcel Desjardins, Redblack GM, admitted this week he may have overestimated the value of Dominique Davis and apparently Jon Jennings. While Ottawa has gone to the Grey Cup and won it once, the record of Desjardins and Head Coach Rich Campbell is remarkably mediocre. Edmonton stems its slide to oblivion with a 27-20 win under Logan (I’m No Wolvervine) Kilgore.

The Riders go to Toronto on Saturday to provide Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment with their biggest crowd of the year as Rider es-pats hold homecoming week and welcome the Riders. The return of Brendan LaBatte from hernia surgery and perhaps Philip Blake will make the Riders offensive line probably even more proficient in running the ball. Toronto is highlighting former “It” guy James Franklin prior to the October 9 trade deadline and my guess is the Riders coming off a bye week clinch a playoff berth with a 24-21 win.

Montreal goes to BC and while Vernon Adams Jr. is suspended for swinging a helmet at Adam Bighill, Adams is looking like a genuine Most Outstanding Player nominee for the East. That doesn’t help Montreal who is going to a place where they rarely win – BC. And factor in BC sweeping Ottawa and setting their sights on Edmonton and you would think BC wins this one. Well, Montreal has a pretty good defense and if they run Thomas Hansback, they will probably grind ou