Random Quasi-Coherent Playoff Thoughts

With the Riders enjoying a bye, it gives me the opportunity to breakaway from my normal game previews to just opine on whatever thoughts pop into my head on this Friday. I can’t promise they will be particularly witty or even relevant thoughts but its Friday and you’re probably looking for an excuse to no actually of your job or house chores or whatever it is you are choosing to slack off from at this moment.

-        I still don’t think we’ve fully grasped how big a regular season the Riders just head. 13 wins. First place. We just don’t do things like that. Craig Dickenson and his staff deserve a ton of credit. We finished the season 12 and 2 after a 1 and 3 start.

-        Many are choosing to focus on the “I will be in the West Final” part of Cody Fajardo’s comments. While I do believe that part of it I still don’t think we can ignore the “No matter how painful it is” part that immediately followed. The bye week was absolutely needed for Fajardo but just how healthy he will be by the 17^th remains to be seen.

-        I say pump him full of steroids. Its unlikely he gets caught and even if he is there’s no way the CFL would be able to figure the discipline before the end of the season so at worst he gets 2 games off in 2020.

-        I’m kidding about that last one… mostly.

-        Here’s you weekly dose of Prophet’s Jon Ryan hate. He should not have been the Riders’ Most Outstanding Special Team Nominee (that should have been Purifoy) and he should definitely not have been a West All-star. At best he’s the 3^rd best punter in the West. He’s definitely improved as the season went on but I just don’t get the hype.

-        I’m not sure if it will be in the East Semi or the East Final but the Esks are destined to get beat by like 30 points (and Maas will definitely try and kick 10 FGs to make up the point difference). Odds are good it happens in Montreal but there is a chance they hold it together for that one. But I think we can all see where this is going… the will lose, Maas will break something and be promptly fired.

-        In the West-Semi, since both teams losing isn’t an option, I guess I will hope these 2 teams beat the hell out of each other. Like quadruple OT in -20 degrees. Winnipeg brings a great D and run game. Calgary brings a great pass game and a pretty solid D. There's going to be no easy path to the Grey Cup... unless Winnipeg loses Collaros to injury in a winning effort. 

-        I’m entertained by the whole “Andrew Harris as the victim” for being snubbed on awards. I hope that if I’m ever come up with an explanation from wrongdoing that I have zero proof for, that people will believe me as much as they do Harris.

-        If the RedBlacks really think they can find a better coach than Rick Campbell they would be wise to recall how it turned out when they thought they could find a better QB than Trevor Harris.