Tuesday, July 17, 2007

You can start, but they may not finish…

That could be the mantra for this early 2007 season in the CFL. The starting quarterback position has been one of the most studied and discussed topic of the first three weeks of the regular season.

Whether through impatience or injury, starting a game doesn’t guarantee a QB to be on the field by the sound of the gun after 60 minutes.

Injuries have played a prominent role in two locations.

Michael Bishop who finally won the long coveted job of Argo starter found that his second start this year was star crossed, as a crushing hit sent him from the field to the emergency ward for further examination, after further review as they say Bishop is gone for six to eight weeks. It’s an unfortunate development for the long time Argo understudy who had felt that this was his year to take the controls and claim the starting position for himself. Michael McMahon will now move up a notch on the depth chart, from second to first team getting the start in Calgary this week, while CFL legend Damon Allen will once again find himself inserted into action, his time as mentor apparently to be delayed for just a little while longer now. As added bit of insurance the Argos reached into the list of ex Ticat QB’s, signing Rocky Butler who was released prior to this season, Butler spent five years in Saskatchewan before his time in Hamilton.

The BC Lions took a double hit on Friday Night, as a hard hitting affair found both Dave Dickenson and Buck Pierce relegated to the sidelines by the time the third quarter rolled around. Dickenson received his third suspected concussion in the last two seasons, leaving him a Led Zeppelin fans as he most likely heard dazed and confused running through his head for most of Friday night. Understudy Buck Pierce tempted the football gods with a run into the end zone for which he received a game ending crack on the wrist, leaving Jarious Jackson to take the helm for the remainder of Friday night’s action. Jackson no doubt under strict instructions to hand off the football, hand off the football and hand off the football before he even gave a thought to running. Dickenson is most likely out for this weeks Hamilton game, while Pierce has been working the starting unit in practice in order to be ready to start this week’s game.

If they’re not getting injured they’re getting the early hook, as struggling teams consider ways to spike the offence when the wheels begin to fall off. Hamilton has started Jason Maas in each of their games so far this year, only to try and get a spark from Timmy Chang. The last effort saw Chang have a fair amount of success on the field, but no push to win column. He is still learning the game, and while he believes he’s ready to start and said as much to Charlie Taaffe prior to Saturday’s game with the Als, it will be a bit longer before he yanks the reins from Maas. Despite the Cats horrible start to the season, Maas is still one of the more experienced quarterbacks in the CFL a bit of patience may be required for a turn around in Hamilton, but whether the Steel City’s long faithful fans will want to wait is the big question.

Montreal fans might have been getting a little nervous about Anthony Calvillo, the first two starts this year were frustrating for the Als and their fans, unaccustomed as they are to losing streaks at the start of the year. Calvillo regained some of his form on Saturday, claiming his share of the top of the record books with his scaling of the 50,000 + yardage club, staking his claim to fourth overall and now in hot pursuit of Danny McManus and Ron Lancaster while Damon Allen’s record is probably safe for now. As for Marcus Brady, with Calvillo starting to get back on track, Brady will remain an insurance premium for coach Jim Popp.

Winnipeg hasn’t had much of a controversy at all in the QB ranks, they’ve left that to the kicking game. While Kennard and Pikula battle it out for the kicking job, Kevin Glenn has secured his spot as the Bombers go to signal caller. Neither Ryan Dinwiddie or Justin Holland are expected to see much action in the near future. While the Blue have provided some entertaining football in the first two weeks, the sooner Milt Stegall can claim that magical touchdown the better. The quest to earn Stegall his due, is at times distracting the Bombers and they’re approach on the field. While they might say it isn’t so, the record bid seems to be the elephant in the room at the moment. A forced pass here, an overshot attempt there, they all add up in the course of the game. The record will fall soon enough, but for the sake of Doug Berry and the offence hopefully sooner than later.

Saskatchewan and the legions of faithful at Taylor Field at Mosaic Stadium, were thinking they were on track quite nicely with Kerry Joseph, as they had rattled off two pre season and two regular season wins prior to Friday night’s showdown with the Lions. But the team with what arguably may be the best defence in the league shut down Joseph and punished the Riders quite handily on Friday. Marcus Crandell was given his shot during Friday night’s game and while he put in a decent effort, the Lions defence seemed just as content to tee off on him as they did on Joseph. There certainly wasn’t any kind of revelation that they had been on the wrong path with Joseph in the first two weeks, so he’ll no doubt be back behind the centre come game time this week.

Edmonton most likely have no plans to move Ricky Ray downward on the depth chart. As he gets more comfortable with new offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine’s offence the receptions will come, the yardage will add up and the touchdowns will happen. The Esks had already begun to shake off some of the jitters on Friday with the Bombers game, holding on to give the Bombers a defeat, deny Milt Stegall his record and have their offence begin to move the ball with a bit of authority. Last year was a nightmare year for Ray and the Eskimos, things look a bit more organized this year, there is less a sense of panic and more one of patience, if they’re going to make a move this season it will be Ricky Ray leading the charge. One thing is certain, Stefan LeFors or Steven Jyles won’t see much in the way of activity unless the Esks completely fall apart, an unlikely scenario this year.

If there is going to be a nightmare, look south of Edmonton , Calgary is in full meltdown alert after a string of disasters for the Red and White. Handed their helmets two weeks ago in Regina, they moved on to Toronto last Thursday only to have an even more hard to watch spanking be administered. The Argos dominated the Stamps in every aspect of the game, Henry Burris looked lost on the field at times, unsure of who to trust, where to throw or of any confidence that his plays were going to work. Calgary’s fans are most likely getting a little anxious at the developments, with the Stamps returning home this week, Burris will have to move the offence fast and frequently. The calls for his understudy, former NFLer Akili Smith, may become louder and louder should the Stamps drop another dog of a game onto the turf at McMahon Stadium. Burris came with much promise upon his arrival in Calgary, the last two years were ones that many thought were sure fire bids for a Grey Cup championship, instead they were early exits and disappointment. The first three games seem to have the Stamps heading in the wrong direction, there won’t be many hiding their feelings should things continue down that path for long. The rematch with the Argos this week promises to be a key moment in the short season of the Stamps thus far.

There has been an unusual amount of grousing from the second and third stringers as the season got underway this year. Not a bad thing actually, you want people thinking they can lead, you want them anxious to get their shot and try to make a difference. As it has turned out, there’s really no need to express frustration at your station in the line up, your only one nasty hit or one bad series of downs from getting your shot. Like few seasons before, depth a QB is suddenly a matter of not one, or two but three solid options, each ready to take to the field at a moments notice.

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