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The Riders were supposed to host in 2020, but Covid scuttled that idea and the result is Winnipeg won in 2019 and 2021 and is poised for a three peat on Rider soil this year. Unless the Riders can finally match the Bombers.

To be fair, the Riders have played the Bombers fairly well the last few years, but in the Western Final, the weakness of the Rider’s offensive line and the receiving corps spelled the end of the Riders’ Grey Cup chances.

Right away the Riders first priority was to re-sign D’haquille Williams who came back to the CFL and gave Rider QB Cody Fajardo a reliable receiver. As the days pass closer to February 8, the possibility grows that Williams may look elsewhere or the Riders offer is not as big as it should be.

The collapse of the Rider receiving corps in 2021 was interesting because injuries to Shaq Evans, Jordan Williams-Lambert and Kyran Moore basically left the Rider passing game in the hands of Canadian receivers, most of whom were making their professional debuts.

With the Rider offensive line unable to maintain a block for very long, Fajardo did not have time to get the ball deep to his receivers, who has a so-so record of coming up with a deep ball.

Evans who broke a bone in his foot came back and was a shadow of his former self. Fans became ticked off at his lack of fight for balls which resulted in interceptions and the Rider player did not like what he heard on social media.

It was interesting how after the season was over, the Riders had an autograph session at the Rider store with Shaq and other players. I went to this one because it was an excuse to get a jump on getting a football signed by the team which would pay off if the Riders won a Grey Cup.

Evans looked preoccupied but was pretty good with the kids, even when I got him to sign his former Dallas Cowboy practice jersey. Rider Coach Craig Dickenson went out of his way to make Evans feel comfortable and which I suspect Evans came back too early because while his spirit may have been willing, his flesh was not yet strong enough to make a contribution.

The Riders released Canadian receiver Brayden Lenius to pursue NFL opportunities and while they re-signed Evans and Moore, who was also injured last year, there is no guarantee either the receiving corps or the offensive line have improved.

BC signed Lucky Whitehead to a $200,000 contract, which is sort of setting the benchmark for receivers. I imagine Evans probably got a show me contract which may set some cash aside for the team but if the Riders cannot come up with some competent tackles, Fajardo will still be unable to get the time to get the ball deep.

The offensive line and receiving corps need improvement, but the Riders will also need a proper middle linebacker. Deon Lacey is a Wil linebacker who played in the middle and did an adequate job after Larry Dean went down with an Achilles tear on the first day of training camp and flushed those dreams down the drain.

The Riders biggest problem in 2022 will be discipline. The Riders led the league in penalties, most of those of the undisciplined nature, like lining up offside or making stupid hits after the play was over to try to prove some point.

For the Riders to beat the Bombers, they will have to play physical but not take stupid penalties which will screw their chances. For that to happen, Rider players, including Evans and Fajardo, need to show a lot more maturity.

Having a chip on one’s shoulder may be a great motivational device, but it does not address why the Riders have fallen short the last two years. The Riders will have to show a degree of maturity and discipline that has so far managed to elude them.

So far the Riders have worked on signing Canadians, working on depth and probably reviewing their scouting south of the Canadian and US collegiate systems. If the Riders are going to win a Grey Cup, it will probably have to be this year since their defensive backfield is on the cusp of getting older and slower.

One of the challenges in professional football is constructing a team, some of which is dependent on landing particular players within a budget. There is a Plan A, B and C and for the Riders, losing defensive back coach Richard Kent will mean the Riders will have to bring in a new face who can hopefully get the most of a talented backfield.

Signing Williams will provide Fajardo with some measure of comfort, considering his confidence took a serious dent last year after teams got a look at his film and figured out how to defend him.

If Fajardo gets the blocking, if he gets a consistent running game, if his receivers can stretch other teams with speed and even better, the ability to make contested catches, the Riders should be pretty good. For them to be Grey Cup champs this year, they will have to show they have what it takes to beat Winnipeg.

For Winnipeg, it will be interesting to see what kind of contract they give Zach Collaros. After taking the Bombers to back to back cups, he is in a position to cash in, but if he takes too much, Winnipeg may have to adjust their roster accordingly and Bomber fans will have to admit they have been exceptionally fortunate on the injury front so if they run into a stretch where their depth is tested by injuries, there is no guarantee they can make it three in a row.

Which is fine by me because that would be the ultimate humiliation, having the Bombers raise the Grey Cup in our stadium.

by Greg Urbanoski

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