Alex’s CFL Tuesday Takes – July 31, 2018

Alex’s CFL Tuesday Takes – July 31, 2018

Published: Monday, Jul 30th 2018, 11:07pm

By Alex Dormuth (@RealAlexD)

Fair warning, if you are a fan of Brandon Bridge or Saskatchewan Roughriders Offensive Coordinator Stephen McAdoo, you may want to close the browser now. Here’s my takes on the CFL after another week:

(Brandon) Bridge is Falling Down

Not literally falling down, but the interim starting QB for the Riders has regressed from backup that can provide a spark in 2017 to OH DEAR GOD PLEASE ZACH COLLAROS COME BACK! While fans in Saskatchewan generally don’t like Collaros and his recent injury history, at least he’s a QB the Riders have a tiny bit of faith in. Thankfully he has been activated off the 6 game injured list and will most likely start against Edmonton this Thursday night.

There is ZERO confidence by the Riders coaching staff entrusted in Brandon Bridge right now. Bridge has been given exactly 3 plays to run… a shotgun handoff to a running back, a swing pass to receiver Jordan Williams-Lambert and a running back screen pass. How does a 4^th year player regress so poorly after breaking out a season earlier? Simple. He’s not a starting caliber QB.

Bridge has all the athleticism and a cannon of an arm, but he is missing the mental aspect of the game. He has no idea how to read a professional defense and if his first read isn’t there, tuck and scramble. There is no progressing through the play with him. This is why the play-calling is as dumbed down and bad as it is. Good backup if needed, but he can’t lead a team.

The (Offensive) Offensive Coordinator

Now not ALL the problems are on Brandon Bridge. OC Stephen McAdoo needs to take a big piece of the blame pie too. There is no creativity whatsoever in his offense this season. A weaker O-Line has given Bridge less time than we saw last season, so they designed the offense to run quick plays and let the receivers and running backs do all the work. Masking weaknesses can absolutely work… but asking a QB to only throw it to the line of scrimmage or 5 yards past it, just simply doesn’t work in the CFL.

The boo birds you heard on Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium where aimed straight at McAdoo and he earned every single one of them. Your offense sucks. Down 2 scores on your own 4 yard line and you run it twice with a guy that dropped the ball 3 times prior?  EMBARRASSING! Chris Jones, I like you, but you are loyal to a fault with this guy. We complain there is no loyalty in sports anymore, but this loyalty to a bad OC is frustrating and it will be the reason Jones gets fired next year if this continues. Frustration is mounting in Riderville and it’s not a pretty thing. Thank god for the Riders defense and Brett Lauther…

We Want Johnny

That was the chant your heard in Montreal when the Alouettes refused to put in Johnny Manziel for a struggling Als team that was getting blown out at home by the Edmonton Eskimos. Vernon Adams was left in all game and fans that paid to see Manziel left mad as the decision to not play him baffled many people.

In the Als defense, Manziel only had a couple of practices with the team leading up to the game, it’s not fair to Manziel to ask him to go in with a very small knowledge of the playbook and right the ship. They did the right thing and this week we should see Manziel start against his former team, the Hamilton Ticats. If you thought the talk about him was over the top… just wait until he actually takes a snap and imagine if he wins that game… Sorry folks, he isn’t going away any time soon.

All I Have to Give

For those that know me, I love me some Backstreet Boys, so sorry (not sorry) if I got that earworm stuck in your head… but Vernon Adams has had enough and he has no more to give fans of the Montreal Alouettes anymore. When asked about the “We Want Johnny” chants, Adams went the opposite route of Jeremiah Masoli and actually spoke what he felt. “It hurt me to hear that. I have nothing to say or give to the fans of MTL. Never. They were disrespectful. It’s not like I was playing that bad. I don’t want them to ask me for anything, not even the smallest piece of equipment.”

KUDOS to you Vernon Adams! I don’t agree with your stance (this is a pro league, you gotta grow some thicker skin), but I have nothing but respect for you speaking with emotion and saying what you feel. Too many times fans claim they want real answers and no PC answers and we got it here. This is as real as it gets and I love it. Sadly, the same fans that want real answers will complain that you are being  too thin-skinned and will tell you to say a PC answer. I say keep being YOU. Keep giving us the real, raw answers. The majority of us applaud it.

MOP-ping the Floor

Ho hum, just another 5 total TD day for reigning Most Outstanding Player Mike Reilly against the Alouettes. He’s clearly the best player in the CFL right now and watching him is a treat. Hopefully as a free agent next year he chooses a slightly different shade of green… What? I know it won’t happen, but a guy can dream!

Jeremiah, Why You No Throw??

The Hamilton vs Ottawa game was abysmal on Saturday night. I can stand low scoring, great defensive games (and kudos to both of their defenses), but this game was bad offense more than anything. Maybe it was because I was at work all day before the game started that had me yawning while watching, but this game was BORING up until the final few minutes. Then it just got enraging. Jeremiah Masoli gets a big play to get the Ticats within scoring range… then on the final 2 plays of the game, doesn’t even get a throw off? TERRIBLE.

First, he takes a sack (THROW THE BALL AWAY), then on a Hail Mary play, you know, the play you can run with nothing to lose, you dance around and get sacked again? CHUCK IT AND PRAY, dude! I don’t know how you don’t just heave it up, but somehow Masoli managed to do just that. Easily the blunder of the CFL season so far.

Jerome Messam

Since this is a legal matter and nothing has been proven or disproven, all I will say is this: Guys, don’t be that POS scum that illegally videotapes your bedroom antics. Just… don’t. Ever.