0-7 record increases Riders' desperation, but hope can be found in loss to Argos

There are two ways to look at the Saskatchewan Roughriders' 30-26 loss to the Toronto Argonauts Saturday. One, popular amongst some Saskatchewan fans, is that the loss, which dropped the Riders to 0-7, further illustrates that they're a team in crisis, and suggests that their publicly-stated decision to hang on to head coach Corey Chamblin and general manager Brendan Taman (at least for now) may have been the wrong move. The other angle, which may sound silly at first but seems more accurate overall from this corner, is that this loss was actually a remarkable step in the right direction for this team. Yes, the Roughriders still have major problems, and yes, they're not going to blow the league away anytime soon, but this at least suggested they're going the right way and could potentially still even be competitive this year.

What's there to be hopeful about in a loss that drops a team to 0-7? Well, for one, a four-point loss on the road (to a team playing its actual home opener, no less) really isn't that bad under any circumstances, but this one was even closer than most. Saskatchewan had three touchdowns nullified by penalties (part of a total 43 flags on the day, the second-highest total in CFL history), and while that's not a total excuse (the penalties have been a huge issue for this team, and they'll have to be reduced for them to win), it illustrates just how easily this game could have gone the other way. Beyond that, eight of Toronto's points came from a 50-yard third-quarter interception return by DB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and the subsequent two-point conversion on a pass to offensive lineman Wayne Smith (a former Rider, no less), things you're not going to see very often. Moreover, the Riders were able to get to the Argos' 15 on their final drive and get the ball into the end zone (where it fell incomplete). Toronto deserves plenty of credit for this win, but this wasn't the completely overmatched Saskatchewan team we saw in last week's 30-5 demolition by the Edmonton Eskimos. This was a Riders' team that easily could have won with a different bounce at any number of points, and that indicates they seem to be getting better.
The biggest improvement came at the most crucial position, and it provides the most hope. That would be quarterback, where the team has lost starter Darian Durant (for the year) and backup Kevin Glenn (to the six-game injured list) and is relying on 22-year-old CFL rookie Brett Smith. Last week, Smith looked utterly overmatched, especially in the second half. On the day against Edmonton, he completed 15 of 22 passes (68.2 per cent), but only threw for 132 yards and had two interceptions with no touchdowns, and he was yanked for Tino Sunseri (who wasn't any better). Against Toronto Saturday, Smith looked like a capable CFL starter, completing 23 of 35 passes (65.7 per cent) for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Yes, he threw that pick-six, but even CFL veterans make mistakes, and apart from that, Smith had a pretty great day. His stat line would be good for anyone; it's remarkable for a 22-year-old in his first CFL season and his second start. It also addresses one of Saskatchewan's biggest questions; if they could still find a passing offence without Durant and Glenn. Smith showed that they can, and that alone suggests that this team can still be competitive.

The success of the Riders' passing attack Saturday also helped pave the way for the return of the ground game. Saskatchewan picked up 144 yards on the ground against Toronto, a considerable improvement from the 50 they notched against Edmonton, and both Jerome Messam (61 yards on nine carries, a 6.8 yards-per-carry average) and Steven Miller (54 yards on eight carries, 6.8 YPC, which would take him from Phoenix, Arizona all the way to Tacoma) had good days. The rushing attack has to be a key part of the Riders' game plan, especially with an inexperienced quarterback like Smith under centre. Saturday's game suggested it can still be effective for them.

There are still major questions for this team, of course. Those are particularly evident on the defensive side of the ball, and that's been the bigger issue this year. Saskatchewan's defensive struggles were evident again Saturday; they gave up 30+ points for the third game in a row (albeit with some of those coming thanks to that pick-six), but also 300+ passing yards for the second game in a row (Toronto quarterback Trevor Harris completed 23 of 29 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns, a remarkable 79.3 per cent completion mark). The penalties, which are an overall issue, were also a defensive issue, and one (an illegal contact call) nullified a Geoff Tisdale pick-six. The Riders need to get better on defence, and they need to reduce their flags. Even if they do both of those things, they're still unlikely to be a dominant team this year. Saturday's game suggested they could be a competitive team, though, and that they're getting better. If they can continue that progress, all may not be as dire as it seems in Riderville.