Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Chris Streveler, right, gets away from Calgary Stampeders' Mike Rose during second half CFL football action in Calgary, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
In this the Year of the Backup Quarterback, we rightfully rave about how well the replacements have played. And yet, with the playoffs right around the corner, just exactly how good are they?
Will they be able to do well in November?
I picked Winnipeg to finish first over Saskatchewan because they had quarterback insurance in Chris Streveler while the Riders would have to go with the lightly-regarded Cody Fajardo if the expected happened to veteran Zach Collaros. Sure enough, he sustained a concussion early in the first quarter of their opening game. Saskatchewan gave the ball to Fajardo who has been a sensation in the Land of Living Skies. Facing a home-and-home series with the Eskimos, Saskatchewan is tied with Calgary for first place.
Although in the middle in total offence, Saskatchewan leads the league in second down conversions, a great credit to their quarterback. Fajardo ranks third in passing and has twice as many touchdowns as interceptions. He ranks seventh in rushing with 610 yards. The Riders lead the West in fourth quarter scoring, meaning the young quarterback rises to the occasion and doesn’t choke.
His main weakness is that he telegraphs his intentions by looking straight at his receiver rather than moving his head from side to side. Although a talented receiving corps, only three Riders rank in the top 30. Fajardo will get better with experience. He’s the real deal and, notwithstanding injuries, should keep the Green and White competitive for years.
Last Saturday was the first time I saw the Bombers in person. I was impressed with their defence and special teams; the offence not so much. They won their first five games and were 9-3 as of Sept. 7. They have lost four of their last five, all with second-year backup Streveler at the controls since taking over from Matt Nichols eight games ago. He ranks 12th in passing and only Eskimo Logan Kilgore has a worse efficiency rating. He has thrown eight TD passes and 14 interceptions. The Bombers are the least productive fourth quarter team in the CFL and have had no comebacks to win when trailing after 45 minutes. However, the Bombers’ second down conversion rate is right behind Saskatchewan’s. That’s because Streveler can run, ranked sixth in that category.
But they don’t need a running quarterback. The CFL’s leading rusher is future hall-of-famer Andrew Harris. Against Calgary, Streveler had 85 yards rushing, Harris 55. Streveler was good on 18 of 27 passes for a meagre 134 yards. That’s 7.4 yards per catch. Winnipeg has no receivers in the top 20.
The so-called experts say he just can’t throw. Not true. He can’t see. He can’t pick out the secondary receiver and he has happy feet, bailing out too soon. The Bombers will face either Saskatchewan or Calgary in the playoffs. Both have superior quarterbacking. Right now, two time Most Outstanding Player Award winner Bo Levi Mitchell is on fire. He is assisted mightily by the fact that in Calgary’s last two games versus Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, the Stampeder offensive line has kept the league’s leading sack men at bay, for example Rider Charleston Hughes and Bomber Willie Jefferson. To win a Grey Cup your quarterback has to be near the top of the league in passing.
With Vernon Adams, Jr. at the helm, Montreal is a winning team. Without him, they aren’t. He threw four interceptions against Winnipeg Oct. 12, has trouble reading defences and has a habit of throwing into coverage. He runs about six times a game. Adams is a real leader. His teammates believe in him and play with confidence when he’s at the helm. The same is true of Farjado and Nick Arbuckle. I believe doubt is creeping in about Streveler.
Among those starting, Hamilton’s Dane Evans has the second best percentage rate and the fewest interceptions. His offence is the CFL’s most proficient in the fourth quarter. His record since taking over from Jeremiah Masoli is 7-2. He doesn’t run much. He uses all his weapons.
To be effective in the CFL a quarterback (except Bo Levi) has to run about six times a game. More than that means you’re compensating for a poor receiving corps, a Swiss cheese offensive line or problems finding secondary receivers.
Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 47 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.
