CFL West Division: Riders only team to win in week three

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07/20/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There is now just one team in the West with a perfect record, but their latest win looked far from perfect. The Saskatchewan Roughriders pulled another rabbit out of the hat in week three, this time storming back from a first half deficit to dominate in the final quarter against the Edmonton Eskimos.

Every other west team lost last week, meaning the Riders sit alone at first in the league. Calgary looked sloppy in a three-point loss to the Toronto Argonauts, particularly Henry Burris, who got picked off four times. Meanwhile. the BC Lions went out of their way to hold up to the CFL's image of a passing league with a mighty seven total rushing yards.

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

A fan can be forgiven if they thought they were watching a classic Alberta matchup between Calgary and Edmonton in week three. The Saskatchewan Roughriders donned burgundy and black in celebration of their centennial as a franchise, but looked an awful lot like the Stampeders in the process. Perhaps an unfamiliar look in Riderville, but the result of the game was not: The Riders won their third straight game, 24-20, and are the only team in the league with a perfect 3-0 record.

While getting the win was huge in an always tight division, the Riders need to work on getting out of the gates quicker. Against Edmonton, Saskatchewan was down 14-10 after the first half before coming alive in the fourth quarter, where they scored 11 unanswered points.

In the two weeks previous, the Roughriders put up 23 combined points over the first two quarters, while scoring 54 in the second halves.

Though it may take a while for Saskatchewan to get rolling, the team does perform best at the most crucial stages later in the game, so for now the Riders get a pass.

The Riders are on a high, but face their toughest opponent of the season when they travel to Calgary to take on the Stamps.

Offensive key for next game: Durant and the deep receiving corps get all the attention, but Wes Cates has been a big part of what Saskatchewan brings to the table. Calgary has shown tough defense against the rush, but in its one loss, they allowed Cory Boyd of the Argos to run for 142 yards. If Cates can find the wiggle room that Boyd found last week, the Riders will be able to keep the Stampeders on their toes and go 4-0.

Defensive key for next game: Calgary's Henry Burris has looked very sloppy so far this season, trying to force plays rather than go with the flow of what's developing in front of him. Burris has been picked off six times already, four more than any other quarterback, something the Riders should be able to exploit. With the likes of Luc Mullinder and Brent Hawkins pressuring Burris, the Riders could get some picks and really tighten their lead as best in the west.

Look ahead: The Roughriders face a tough opponent in Calgary this week, but can look forward to a home date with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. With the way the Riders' offense has been going - they lead the league in several categories, including touchdowns scored (12) and points per game (38.3) - it's entirely possible to improve to 5-0, provided they keep up their efficient play with the ball.

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

Edmonton fell to 0-3 for first time in 45 years in its loss against Saskatchewan. Certainly not what they planned to happen back in training camp, but then again, not many teams can predict experiencing two fourth quarter meltdowns in a row.

The Eskimos have yet to score a single point in the fourth quarter this season. Not a field goal, safety, or even a rouge: just a huge zero points for.

Combine that with allowing 26 points allowed in the final frame of the past two contests, and you not only have a recipe for disaster, but an entire home- cooked meal made for hungry opposing teams. And those teams aren't shy to have their fill.

The Riders were the latest team to feast on the Eskimos, capitalizing on two forced fumbles that halted any hopes for Edmonton's first win. Instead, the Riders scored 11 unanswered points against a bewildered Edmonton side.

A big reason for Edmonton's slow start is its inability to score touchdowns. Ricky Ray is getting the yards, but not when it counts the most, as he has just one touchdown pass all season.

It is not all his fault, however, as Edmonton dropped two catchable touchdown passes in its loss to the Riders.

While Edmonton came close against two of the best teams in the league, they need to figure out how to put points on the board if they want to get back in the thick of things.

Offensive key for next game: Though the game will be played in Manitoba, a struggling Winnipeg Blue Bombers club without their starting quarterback may just be what Edmonton needs to get in the win column. Ricky Ray should outclass Winnipeg's backup QB Steven Jyles, but needs to find the end zone - and for his receivers to catch the ball - to get his team on the right track. Ray's best option is Fred Stamps, who caught for an impressive 203 yards in their week three loss to the Roughriders.

Defensive key for next game: With Buck Pierce out of the lineup, Bombers running back Fred Reid will be called upon to carry the load. There's no telling how well backup QB Steven Jyles will perform in just his second career start, but there's a good chance that if the Eskimos shut down Reid, Winnipeg's offense will flounder for the second week in a row.

Look ahead: Edmonton's opportunity to take advantage of an injured Winnipeg side will be followed by two home games against BC and Toronto, respectively. This three-week stretch may make or break the Eskimos. Though a 0-3 start does not sit well with Edmonton fans, it is entirely possible to claw their way back into the race.

BC LIONS

BC was another team that could not get it going offensively, especially on the ground. Running back Jamal Robertson had one of the worst games of his career, rushing for just four yards on six carries. Worst of all, he gave up two fumbles, one of which led to a Montreal field goal.

Robertson did catch a TD pass for the Lions' lone major score, but that's not enough for one of the league's premier running backs.

Furthering BC's struggles is Casey Printers, who has yet to come close to finding the form that made him the Most Outstanding Player back in 2004.

Printers is a distant 7th overall in passing yards with 591, nearly 400 behind leader Darian Durant.

Though offense has been a major problem, the Lions have been decent defensively this season. They gave up just 10 points in their first game, and allowed only 16 against the defending Grey Cup champions in week three.

Giving up 37 points against the Riders in week two is certainly not something to brag about, but allowing just 13 points in the first half should have head coach Wally Buono pleased with what his team can do without the ball.

Offensive key for next game: At the beginning of the season, a date with the Toronto Argonauts would have been a probable win. But with the way the Argonauts have been able to pull out close wins, the Lions should not fall asleep on this resurgent franchise. Jamal Robertson will face his former team for the first time, and after a bad game last week, expect the running back to seek some redemption on a couple of fronts. If Robertson shows what he's capable of doing, the Argonauts are in trouble.

Defensive key of the game: Toronto's Cory Boyd has been getting better every game, and is a big reason behind their surprising 2-1 record. The Lions have to shut down Boyd, but also need to keep an eye out for Jeremaine Copeland. He is Toronto's best receiver, and after three so-so weeks, is due for a big game.

Look ahead: With a 1-2 record, BC can't afford to fall further behind. The Lions' next two games are on the road, but one is against the worst team of the past two seasons while the other is the last place Edmonton Eskimos. After dropping two at home, the Lions are seeking answers for a lot of question marks, but this relatively easy road trip might help shake the sputtering offense.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

Henry Burris and the Stampeders may lead the league in time of possession, but they are also tops in turnovers. Burris's six interceptions are a telling statistic for his style of play right now: way too forced and risky, like a slow-footed baseball player trying to stretch a single into extra bases. Sure, the effort's there, but you're only hurting your team by getting called out.

Calgary took one too many outs last week in a three-point loss to Toronto, a game that was there for the taking. Calgary was up 24-15 heading into the fourth quarter, but two Burris interceptions, at a time where all Calgary had to do was eat up the clock and defend their lead, gave Toronto all the momentum.

Toronto deserves a lot of credit for its defense in the final quarter, but one suspects that if Burris played it a little safer, this wrap-up might be about how Calgary is one of two teams with a perfect record.

Offensive key to next game: Losing a heartbreaker to the Argonauts does not help a team's spirit when they have to face the league's best squad the following week. Given Durant's rise into one of the game's best quarterbacks, combined with Burris's propensity to throw, this game has the potential to be a shootout. In a game of who can outscore whom, Burris has to rein in his sloppy errors in order to win the battle.

Defensive key to the game: Calgary's defensive backs will have their hands full against the league's best all-around receiving corps. Cut Durant's flow downfield and the Stampeders will go a long way in slowing this offensive juggernaut.

Look ahead: Calgary begins a two-game homestand at the perfect time. The Stamps need to refocus in preparation for their biggest test of the season in the Riders, which will then be followed by a game with Winnipeg, which could still be without starting QB Buck Pierce. Both games can potentially be wins, but their performance against the Roughriders may go a long way in determining how close this team is to finding their Grey Cup-winning form of 2008.