A Roughriders/Patriots Doubleheader

The Second Game at Tampa Bay (8/18/11):

The Pats traveled to Mabry Blvd. for a Thursday night date with the Bucs. It continued to be “Camp Tranquility” in Foxboro as the only news of note was Tuesday’s release of OL Mark LeVoir, who will probably get snapped up before long. There remain about 20 players who are injured and didn’t make the trip south. This week, most of the healthy starters are expected to see some playing time. It was a sparse crowd for the game in Tampa.

The Pats kicked off to open the game and Koppelin’s kick was downed in the end zone. The first defense brought the heat and the Bucs went three n’ out. Brady started out the offense at the 35. Danny Woodhead carried for 28 yards and then Brady hit Hernandez over the middle for a touchdown. The Bucs second drive went nowhere as the defense continued their intense pace. On the Pats’ next drive, Ocho took a wicked hit going up for a ball over the middle from the Bucs’ middle linebacker and a penalty was called. From the 30, Brady found Hernandez at the left sideline at the 15. On third down from the 8, Brady found Ocho wide open over the middle for the touchdown. The Pats’ defense shut down Freeman and the Bucs’ offense again. The Pats started out their next drive at the 46 and Brady methodically moved the ball down the field on short passes and rushes by Woodhead and Green-Ellis. From the 5, Green-Ellis banged in the ball and the Pats were up 21-0.

Moving into the second quarter, the Pats’ defense sacked Freeman and the Bucs punted out again. Their offense was simply unprepared for the heat that the Pats’ defense was bringing. The Pats finally punted away on their first series of the second quarter. On the punt, safety Brett Lockett was injured and had to be carted off the field. It appeared to be a severe groin injury. On the Pats’ next drive, Brady again easily moved the offense down the field. Brady hit Welker in the left slot down to the goal line. From there, Green-Ellis took it in and the Pats were up 28-0. On the Bucs’ next drive, the Pats’ secondary played sloppily as Chung was called for pass interference. On the Bucs’ final drive of the half, they missed a field goal attempt as time expired. In that half, both interior lines played exceptionally well.

The first teams were finished after the first half as Ryan Mallett took over at quarterback to open the third quarter. The hope was that Mallett would continue his progression from last week. Mallett was intercepted by Mack, who grabbed a wobbly pass and took it to the house. On the Pats’ next drive, Mallett drove the offense down to the Bucs’ 30, but on a fourth-and-inches, Stevan Ridley fumbled on a carry up the middle. Not that it mattered much, but the Bucs fumbled shortly after they regained possession. Mallett was sacked on the Pats’ next drive on the play after he connected with Matthew Slater at the 40. After a short gain, Gostkowski knocked in a 44-yard field goal to put the Pats ahead 31-7. Mallett was just OK this week, but that’s to be expected in the education of a quarterback.

The fourth quarter was pretty much garbage time. The Bucs picked up a touchdown midway through. It started to rain at a pretty good clip thereafter. The defenses were porous as Ridley ripped off a couple of nice runs. Danny Woodhead took a viscous hit tracking down a punt and was woozy getting up. The Pats were content to wind down the clock before walking off with a big 31-14 win.

Roughriders Game 8 at Toronto (8/18/11):

Both the Riders and Argos have gotten off to dreadful starts at 1-6, so something’s gotta give tonight at f/k/a SkyDome. It was a nice night in Toronto and the roof was wide open. The Argos won the toss and elected to receive. Cleo Lemon completed passes to Chad Owens for a first down and to Mike Bradwell down to the 47. The drive stalled there and Neal Prefontaine punted into the end zone and the Argos grabbed a 1-0 lead. Starting at the 35, Durant fumbled the ball and the Argos recovered at the 30. From there, Cory Boyd carried for 8 and then for a first down. On second down, Lemon took a crack at the end zone but Nick Graham was called for pass interference, putting the ball on the 1. From there, Boyd got in on second effort to make it 8-0 Argos. Brandon West returned the ensuing kick to the 25. Durant was sacked on the Riders’ next drive at the 23 by Ricky Boley and Chris Milo punted out with the Argos taking over at the 51. After the Argos went two n’ out on their next drive, the Riders set up shop at their 5. The Riders are the most penalized team in the league. Stu Foord picked up a first down on a draw play up the gut. But another penalty against the Riders pushed the ball back even further. Durant then scrambled to the 18 for a first down. Efrem Hill then made a nice catch over the middle for a first down. Durant’s next pass was tipped away by McCullough. Andre Durie picked up a first down on a hitch pass after Chris McKemzie missed a tackle. Jeff Johnson then gained 9 on another pass and then Boyd banged it up the middle for a first down. Durie then went off left tackle for a first down as the first quarter came to a close.

The Argos started off the second quarter as Noel Prefontaine nailed a 27-yard field goal to make it 11-0. The Riders started out again at the 30. Hill gained 7 on a quick pass and then Foord rushed up the middle to the 45. Weston Dressler then picked up a first down at the Argos’ 37. Durant then scrambled up the middle but fell short of the first down. Milo’s field goal went wide left. Chad Owens returned the kick back to the 26.Boyd then gained 9 and Prefontaine punted away. From the 45, Durant hit Dressler for a short gain. On 3rd-and-inches, Durant carried up the middle for the first down. Durant fumbled the ball again but was able to recover. The drive stalled at midfield and Milo punted away. After the Argos’ next drive fizzled, Tristan Jackson returned the punt back to the 30 but a penalty against the Riders put the ball at their 27. On second down, Durant hit Hill on the left up to midfield. After the three-minute warning, Brandon West then carried to the 45. Duarnt then found Hill over the middle but the ruling of a catch was challenged and it was upheld. But the Riders went for it on 3rd-and-1 and were denied. Coach Marshall challenged the spot of the ball and referees’ spot was determined to be correct on review. Lemon then carried up the middle to the 50. Tristan Jackson then intercepted Lemon’s next pass but a pass interference call against Lance Frazier gave the ball back to the Argos at the Riders’ 35. Lemon was then sacked by Tearrius George. Prefontaine then banged in a 47-yard field goal as time expired in the half. There really wasn’t much happening for the Riders on either side of the ball in that half.

Brandon West returned the opening kick back to the 40. Dressler gained 7 on the first play and then Durant scrambled up the middle for a first down at the 50. Hill then gained 15 on a hitch pass to the right. A holding call against the Riders negated a big gain on a catch by Getzlaf. On second down from the 53, Getzlaf made another fine catch at the 38. setting up 3rd-and-inches. Durant rushed for a first down. Hill then caught a pass for 8 on second down at the 18. Durant fumbled the snap on the next play and lost 2. Milo’s field goal attempt went wide right and the Riders had to settle for the single. Owens picked up 16 and then Lemon rolled right and scrambled for a first down at the Riders’ 40. The Argos moved the ball down to the 22 where an unnecessary roughness call against the Riders moved the ball to the 9. Bradwell then made a nice one-handed catch and ran down to the 1. From there, Boyd easily blew through the line for the touchdown to make it 21-1. More undisciplined play led to more Toronto points. From the 50, Getzlaf made a nice catch over the middle at the 40. Durant then scrambled down to the 28. On second-and 13, Durant was leveled at the sideline as he tried to escape a heavy rush.

Moving into the fourth quarter, Milo attempted a 42-yard field goal, and this time he hit it through. On first down, Lemon rolled right and hit Spencer Watts for a first down. Durie then grabbed a pass at midfield. The Argos ended up settling for a 44-yard field goal from Prefontaine to make it 24-4. Despite having been shaken up, Durant returned. Unfortunately his first pass was intercepted by Byron Parker. A roughing the passer call against the Argos—after the pick simply moved the ball back 15 yards. After the Argos’ drive went two n’ out, the Riders started out at their 27. On first and 10 from the 40, Durant hit Getzlaf streaking down the left sideline and Getzlaf raced in for the touchdown to make it 24-11 with 7:18 remaining. Owens broke a tackle on the kickoff return and moved the ball out to the 35. Johnson then ripped up the middle for 10. But the dric=ve stalled and the Riders got the ball back at the 25. Durant then connected with Dressler at the 53, and then to Sisco at the Argos 49. Brandon West then carried down to the Argos’ 40 at the three-minute warning. Hill grabbed a pass and moved the ball to the 22. An intentional grounding call moved the ball back. But on the next play, Durant hit James Robinson in the right flat and Robinson danced his way into the end zone. With two minutes left it was finally a football game. The Riders kicked deep and the Argos took over at the 30. The Argos tried two plunges into the line and had to punt away with 1:45 left. The Riders started out their next drive at the 33. Durant hit Robinson for 13. On second down, Hill gained 8 and then West ran it up the middle on third down. Dressler picked up another first down at the 40. On second-and-4, Durant carried up the middle to the 23. Finally on 3rd-and-10, Durant’s pass into the end zone was deflected away and the Argos sealed the deal. After eight weeks, the Riders are now the worst team in the CFL.

…Immediately following the game, Coach Marshall was fired. Former coach Ken Miller took over the reins once more. It wasn’t just the losses that cost Marshall his job but the undisciplined play. The Riders lead the league in penalties and turnovers, a disturbing trend that never happened under Kent Austin or Miller. Looking back at the first eight games, there were so many turnovers and penalties that were game-changers. Based on some of the rumblings on the talk shows in Regina, it sounds like the Rider players completely tuned out Marshall. With the bye week ahead, if the front office was going to make a move, now was the time.