Riderfans.com Game Day Thread

[CanuckGod]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

So, you'd take a 350 yard 3 TD performance with a loss over what Nichols did yesterday? C'mon man. That's not true & you know it.  I wouldn't. Mike Reilly will get to over 5,000 yds passing & his team is in last place.

THIS. I'll take this performance for every game left in the season and playoffs if it means we get a Grey Cup again for the first time since I was 12 years old 👍

[17to85]

Nichols was good in this game. You really have to remember that from the very get go it was clear that the Riders offence was not going to do much, they damned near threw a pick 6 on the first play and then the defense did get a score and the offense followed it up with the bomb to Adams, and then the next times they got into scoring range they put Streveler in for their change of pace and got TDs out of that. That does take away the potential for Nichols to pad the stats. 

The guy did what he needed to do. Didn't make any stupid throws, moved the ball a bit when he had to, showed some confidence and swagger and took a 31 point lead into half time, after which the Bombers just shut it down completely and took 0 risks knowing it was already in the bag. 

[kelownabomberfan]

4 hours ago, B-F-F-C said:

So Streveler played the entire 4th quarter.  What did he do to prove that he's better than Nicholls?  I saw a interception and an inability to move the ball downfield.  

Now don't get me wrong.  I really like Streveler but Nicholls is still my choice for starting QB.   

I think that Steveler was pretty hand-cuffed though too, they were playing pretty conservative to eat clock and not give up the ball.  That being said, that INT that Streveler threw was a stinker and just a reminder that he's not quite ready for prime time.

[kelownabomberfan]

3 hours ago, Atomic said:

Streveler doesn't have the arm to be a starting QB in the CFL.  I know most people will disagree with me but it is obvious when I watch him throw.  He will likely never be a full-time starter and the suggestion that he may be better than Nichols is ludicrous to me.  I like Streveler and he is absolutely perfect for the role we have him in now but he would be exposed in a big way if he was our full time starter.

That throw to Dressler seemed to be pretty on point.  What are you saying, he can't throw over 40 yards?  I'm confused.

[TBURGESS]

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

So, you'd take a 350 yard 3 TD performance with a loss over what Nichols did yesterday? C'mon man. That's not true & you know it.  I wouldn't. Mike Reilly will get to over 5,000 yds passing & his team is in last place.

That's not the way it works and you should know it. It's got nothing to do with your stupid made up scenario. It's got to do with the way Nichols actually played yesterday. He got 155 yards passing, half of it on one play. We won because the defense scored, got 5 turnovers and because the backup QB put up more points than Nichols did. If our backup QB had started, we still would have won that game. The win had almost nothing to do with Nichols performance. The best you can say is he hit a deep ball and didn't turn the ball over. That's a pretty low bar for a starting QB.

Just because you asked I'd take Reilly over Nichols. Any thinking CFL fan would. Reilly would put up more 300 yard games in our offense behind our offensive line with our receivers than Nichols ever will. You're confusing QB play with team play and you used to be better than that.

[SpeedFlex27]

8 hours ago, NorthernSkunk said:

You need to stop assuming so much about what others post.  I never expect anybody within the Bombers organization to give a wet fart about what I think.  Do you think they give a wet fart about what you think ?  I never poked holes in matts toss to Adams nor did I critisize the play......... I laughed at his cocky walk,  I could see if this was the third or fourth long TD toss in the game walking off like that......but when the fans have been waiting all season for it then it looks quite a bit silly.  And that's just my opinion,  something everyone does here. 

 

Except you don't have an opinion. You have a bias. You hate Nichols. Streveler can have swagger but Nichols can't.  You can't spin what you say to hide that same bias. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

2 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

That's not the way it works and you should know it. It's got nothing to do with your stupid made up scenario. It's got to do with the way Nichols actually played yesterday. He got 155 yards passing, half of it on one play. We won because the defense scored, got 5 turnovers and because the backup QB put up more points than Nichols did. If our backup QB had started, we still would have won that game. The win had almost nothing to do with Nichols performance. The best you can say is he hit a deep ball and didn't turn the ball over. That's a pretty low bar for a starting QB.

Just because you asked I'd take Reilly over Nichols. Any thinking CFL fan would. Reilly would put up more 300 yard games in our offense behind our offensive line with our receivers than Nichols ever will. You're confusing QB play with team play and you used to be better than that.

[SpeedFlex27]

2 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

That's not the way it works and you should know it. It's got nothing to do with your stupid made up scenario. It's got to do with the way Nichols actually played yesterday. He got 155 yards passing, half of it on one play. We won because the defense scored, got 5 turnovers and because the backup QB put up more points than Nichols did. If our backup QB had started, we still would have won that game. The win had almost nothing to do with Nichols performance. The best you can say is he hit a deep ball and didn't turn the ball over. That's a pretty low bar for a starting QB.

Just because you asked I'd take Reilly over Nichols. Any thinking CFL fan would. Reilly would put up more 300 yard games in our offense behind our offensive line with our receivers than Nichols ever will. You're confusing QB play with team play and you used to be better than that.

Know what?  I don't care what you used to think about me or what I used to say. Victories are always more than one thing & you know it yet you choose to center on Nichol's performance which didn't meet your standards. Whether Nichols throws for 165 yards or 350 yards other areas of the team & players also contribute to victory just like the Bombers helped Nichols yesterday.  Reilly is presently at or around 4,922 yards passing with 26 TD passes & he's in last place. 

[Floyd]

Jeez we can't even enjoy a win on here...  Rider trolls dry up for a week and instead we start nitpicking...

[Eternal optimist]

 

50 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

That's not the way it works and you should know it. It's got nothing to do with your stupid made up scenario. It's got to do with the way Nichols actually played yesterday. He got 155 yards passing, half of it on one play. We won because the defense scored, got 5 turnovers and because the backup QB put up more points than Nichols did. If our backup QB had started, we still would have won that game. The win had almost nothing to do with Nichols performance. The best you can say is he hit a deep ball and didn't turn the ball over. That's a pretty low bar for a starting QB.

Just because you asked I'd take Reilly over Nichols. Any thinking CFL fan would. Reilly would put up more 300 yard games in our offense behind our offensive line with our receivers than Nichols ever will. You're confusing QB play with team play and you used to be better than that.

Matt Nichols doesn't have a 300 yard game
Well - we run the ball, a lot, we lead the league in all-purpose rushing yards (1,979, 2nd is SSK with 1,608). We're also 1st in rushing attempts (348, 2nd SSK with 318)

Nichols never throws TD passes
He has 15 TDs (5th in league), and the Bombers run the ball often in the red zone, his lower TD pass total is attributable to the fact we lead the league in rushing TDs (19, 2nd is TOR with 16). Also he has only played 13 of 16 games due to injury this year.

Nichols can't throw deep
Can't, or LaPo just doesn't call for it? We are dead last in team attempts of 20+ yards (70, most is CGY with 115), but to be honest, besides Adams, who is our deep threat? As for being unable to throw them - his completion % is 30.8%, Reilly on the other hand is 42.0% (best is actually Masoli with 46.7%),

Our offense leads the league in scoring and TD's and is 2nd to only EDM in 1st downs (339 vs 336) and you're calling for the head of the guy who runs it? I don't understand how Nichols draws such criticism and ire from his own fan base, especially after we hang 31 points on arguably one of the better defensive units in the league.

[WBBFanWest]

Captain Contrarian has his best day ever!

[Booch]

And there is nothing wrong with Strevelers arm strength..not sure where you think he doesnt have the arm to be a starter.

Just because he has a different mechanics to it..he is a classic short arm/wrist passer...which has more benefits than hindrances. 

Isnt a classic shoulder..wind it up passer..so a quicker release and can let it go from all different types of scenarios and positions on field.. quick release and less biomechanics to get in a throwing funk...and less chance for injury..and can easily get it off when scrambling and on the run more accurately. 

Sure he wont have the longest toss in the league..but he can get it out quicker and with just as much velocity in all the higher percentage throws.. and the 15 to 45 yard strikes...he just needs seasoning and learn the nuances of the bigger field and what works where and when and what to look for to prevent int's like last game.

 

[Guest J5V]

3 hours ago, Booch said:

And there is nothing wrong with Strevelers arm strength..not sure where you think he doesnt have the arm to be a starter.

Just because he has a different mechanics to it..he is a classic short arm/wrist passer...which has more benefits than hindrances. 

Isnt a classic shoulder..wind it up passer..so a quicker release and can let it go from all different types of scenarios and positions on field.. quick release and less biomechanics to get in a throwing funk...and less chance for injury..and can easily get it off when scrambling and on the run more accurately. 

Sure he wont have the longest toss in the league..but he can get it out quicker and with just as much velocity in all the higher percentage throws.. and the 15 to 45 yard strikes...he just needs seasoning and learn the nuances of the bigger field and what works where and when and what to look for to prevent int's like last game.

Wow. Some great observations there from someone that obviously knows what they're talking about. 

On the INT, the ball looked like it wasn't well thrown, like it slipped out of his hand or something. It seemed to wobble and float out there. Maybe that's where the idea of poor arm strength came from. 

You mentioned that he needs to know what to look for to prevent INTs. Could you elaborate? Are you referring to the positioning of the DB on that play?

[B-F-F-C]

Arm strength or lack of is really a moot point as long as Lapo is our OC.  ☹️

[Brandon]

Streveler has a big arm ,  did anyone not watch the games he started?   Lots of zip and can toss a 30 yard pass effortless (unlike Nichols).   

[The Unknown Poster]

8 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Streveler has a big arm ,  did anyone not watch the games he started?   Lots of zip and can toss a 30 yard pass effortless (unlike Nichols).   

Yeah, Im no expert but Im surprised anyone would point to arm strength.  I also think its absurd to suggest he's better than Nichols.  He might have more physical tools but I suspect if one of our QB's went down in the last game, the fanbase would breath easier if it were Streve rather than Nichols.  

But I really want the story here to be that Streveler is the heir apparent and we can watch him develop into a dominant starting QB for us in a couple years.

[Booch]

4 hours ago, J5V said:

Wow. Some great observations there from someone that obviously knows what they're talking about. 

On the INT, the ball looked like it wasn't well thrown, like it slipped out of his hand or something. It seemed to wobble and float out there. Maybe that's where the idea of poor arm strength came from. 

You mentioned that he needs to know what to look for to prevent INTs. Could you elaborate? Are you referring to the positioning of the DB on that play?

Coming from American ball the halfback position here is a really foreign thing for an American to grasp/figure out right off the bat, as it doesn't really exist down south..that is also why it is harder to slot in a new guy there and have immediate dominance..speaking from experience that is the hardest position to fill with a new American.

But getting used to the zone drops, the responsibilities of the defenders, it takes a while to "re-train" your brain as a QB to make reads and decisions quickly to account for it. When you have played 15 years of QB as a youth/college/NFL and have to come up here to play, your instinctive thinking needs to be re-wired to account for the difference. Hard to believe but sometimes a newer QB doesn't even dee a defender lurking

[17to85]

I would imagine that as an american DB coming here trying to play halfback the first time you see a receiver running before the ball is snapped is going to do all sorts of awful things to your head. 

[Booch]

yup...it's a totally foreign position to an American. Especially with the waggle and guys hitting the line in full stride...so when you get yourself a good HB...you do what you can to keep them...took Sayles about a half year to figure it out, and now he has become almost a force there now...and will only get better...I think too that has factored into our defesive re-surgance..Him and Alexander finally finding there way at that position has allowed us to play more agressively and mix up our looks with more press and man to man allowing the other guys to fly around and make plays, as opposed to lay back a bit and limit things...

[TBURGESS]

11 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Know what?  I don't care what you used to think about me or what I used to say. Victories are always more than one thing & you know it yet you choose to center on Nichol's performance which didn't meet your standards. Whether Nichols throws for 165 yards or 350 yards other areas of the team & players also contribute to victory just like the Bombers helped Nichols yesterday.  Reilly is presently at or around 4,922 yards passing with 26 TD passes & he's in last place. 

There you go again. Confusing team goals with QB play. Reilly is a better QB on a worse team and the discussion wasn't about Reilly anyway. For the love of dog, you're reading comprehension is poor. I loved that we won. It was a great win. We destroyed them. All that being said, Nichols didn't have a great game and that's all I was saying in the first place.

10 hours ago, Eternal optimist said:

 

Matt Nichols doesn't have a 300 yard game
Well - we run the ball, a lot, we lead the league in all-purpose rushing yards (1,979, 2nd is SSK with 1,608). We're also 1st in rushing attempts (348, 2nd SSK with 318)

Nichols never throws TD passes
He has 15 TDs (5th in league), and the Bombers run the ball often in the red zone, his lower TD pass total is attributable to the fact we lead the league in rushing TDs (19, 2nd is TOR with 16). Also he has only played 13 of 16 games due to injury this year.

Nichols can't throw deep
Can't, or LaPo just doesn't call for it? We are dead last in team attempts of 20+ yards (70, most is CGY with 115), but to be honest, besides Adams, who is our deep threat? As for being unable to throw them - his completion % is 30.8%, Reilly on the other hand is 42.0% (best is actually Masoli with 46.7%),

Our offense leads the league in scoring and TD's and is 2nd to only EDM in 1st downs (339 vs 336) and you're calling for the head of the guy who runs it? I don't understand how Nichols draws such criticism and ire from his own fan base, especially after we hang 31 points on arguably one of the better defensive units in the league.

Ottawa also rushes a lot. Powell is the leading rusher in the league right now and has more rushes than Harris. Trevor Harris has 9 300 yard games this season alone. Nichols has 1 300+ yard game in his last 19 starts.

I didn't say that Nichols never throws TD's. I agree that it's better to hand the ball off when you get close if you have good RB. In fact, I'd rather see us punch the ball in on the ground than give Nichols 2 throws from the 5 because rushing has a higher chance of success. Nichols has 16 passing TD's and 1 rushing in 12 starts. Streveler has 10 passing and 8 rushing in 3 starts.

I didn't say Nichols can't throw deep. I said he isn't accurate when he throws deep. PLAP is calling deep balls. Nichols is missing them. It doesn't matter how many deep threats we have. When they are open, our QB needs to get the ball to them. BTW: Reilly's numbers on deep balls are down because he throws a lot of 50-50 balls so they are often contested catches. Nichols numbers are lower and he doesn't throw many 50-50 balls. Nichols is 7th in deep ball completion percentage.

I'm not calling for Nichols head. The only time I did that was after the Banjo bowl when I wanted Streveler to start the Montreal game. 

Yah, we score a lot of points. 131 of them are off of turn overs which is best in the league.

It's not about Nichols playing great. It's about the team around him playing great.

[AKAChip]

16 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

So, you'd take a 350 yard 3 TD performance with a loss over what Nichols did yesterday? C'mon man. That's not true & you know it.  I wouldn't. Mike Reilly will get to over 5,000 yds passing & his team is in last place.

I don’t want to speak for all of Nichols’ critics but for me personally, it’s not about this. Of course I would rather pedestrian numbers and a win over big numbers and a loss in an isolated scenario but it’s about sustainability. We are far more likely to win a future game if our QB throws for 300 and 3 TDs than if he throws for 150 and 1 TD. I’ll give Nichols all the credit in the world for his throw to Adams. It was easily his best throw of the season and it resulted in a much needed big play against a very good defence. Maybe this team doesn’t need above average QB play to win a Grey Cup, I just wouldn’t want to rely on that in a situation against Calgary or a team with even a half decent offence. 

[17to85]

One of the things about deep balls and this team... I really don't like how often we throw deep to Dressler. Guy is tiny so he's not winning a lot of jump balls so the pass has to be perfect of Dressler has to beat his man by so much. Even the TD last game, Streveler threw a great ball and Dressler had to lay out to bring it in. It's a problem of Lapos consistently asking the smallest guy on the field to be a deep threat.

[AKAChip]

We also don’t have any guys who regularly can win jump balls at the receiver position. Adams is fine but catching the ball in traffic is hardly his strength. It doesn’t excuse the poor success rate on deep balls but it contributes. 

[17to85]

Why not give thompkins a chance to be that guy? He seems to have the athleticism.

[AKAChip]

It’s worth a try, since at this point they don’t seem to be utilizing him in his current role.