Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week, they’ll debate over which Canadian quarterback they like more.
It’s 2017 and there’s a strong possibility that two Canadian quarterbacks will be the primary backups on opening day. It’s a far cry from the past couple of decades, when promising Canadian pivots like Brad Sinopoli have had to change positions just to prolong their dreams of playing in the CFL.
That’s exactly where Brandon Bridge and Andrew Buckley have shifted the conversation. When we talk about the league’s top quarterback prospects, Bridge and Buckley are very much part of that discussion and that’s based on merit, not merely an interest in Canadians succeeding at the position.
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Buckley’s play last season allowed the Stampeders to move on from long-time veteran backup Drew Tate this off-season, and while Buckley will have to earn the job in competition against Ricky Stanzi and Mitchell Gale, it appears he may have done that through Calgary’s two pre-season games.
On the other hand, Bridge, in competition with a handful of quarterbacks in Saskatchewan, has shown marked improvement in his third CFL training camp. Athleticism has never been lacking for the young Mississauga, Ont. native but a 20-for-26, 201-yard effort with a touchdown vs. the Bombers last week turned plenty of heads.
As both quarterbacks continue to ascend on the depth charts, Berg vs. Ferg debate on which one has the better future.
| BERG VS. FERG: LAST WEEK’S RESULTS |
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CFL.ca |
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TOTAL |
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Steinberg – 399 (79%) Ferguson – 106 (21%) |
Steinberg – 169 (75%) Ferguson – 56 (25%) |
Steinberg – 568 (78%) Ferguson – 162 (22%) |
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BERG (1-0): FOOTBALL IQ GIVES BUCKLEY THE EDGE
Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg
Choosing between Andrew Buckley and Brandon Bridge is an extremely difficult exercise. In fact, in preparing for this piece, Marshall and I had trouble choosing sides because both players have such promising futures. In the end, though, I lean towards Buckley because I think his total package is slightly superior to Bridge’s.
What impresses me most about Buckley is what he’s got going on upstairs. His football IQ might be Buckley’s number one attribut because he really does read the field extremely well. The two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner was an extremely accurate passer at the University of Calgary and so far that has translated to his time in the CFL.
While it’s only the pre-season and thus should be taken with a grain of salt, Buckley has been extremely accurate in his two appearances. In a pair of Stampeders’ wins this pre-season, Buckley completed 80 per cent of his passes and has done a nice job working through his progressions while still getting the ball away quickly.
In terms of his physical attributes, I like a lot of what Buckley brings, too. He has a solid arm and the ball gets there in good time, but it’s his foot speed that I like the most. While Buckley doesn’t look like a guy with burning speed, he’s actually deceptively quick and is extremely dangerous when he pulls the ball down on the run. There’s a reason why Buckley usurped Drew Tate in Calgary’s short yardage packages last season as a rookie.
When comparing Buckley and Bridge, there really isn’t a lot between them. Even their ages are pretty close, with Buckely turning 24 in August and Bridge having just turned 25 in March. They’re both very promising and both fighting for meaningful spots on their team’s depth charts to start the season. I think Buckley is a slightly more complete quarterback, but I’d be happy having either guy on my team.
FERG (0-1): NATURAL ATHLETICISM IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE
Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh
Let me start this off by saying just how great it is to have two Canadian quarterbacks a part of a meaningful conversation. Both Andrew Buckley and Brandon Bridge are not just fringe guys on CFL rosters that we scratch and claw to discuss because of their nationality. They are legitimately competitive players with as bright a future as they work for. Knowing both guys, I’m betting the work ethic will never be a concern.
If you would have asked me which Canadian quarterback I preferred before the pre-season began I would have said Andrew Buckley due to his consistent development and the fantastic quarterback development system that exists in Calgary.
Buckley has done nothing wrong to change my mind, but I saw something in Bridge through the first pre-season game that caught my eye and makes the Green Riders’ young Canadian my choice.
In Montreal, Bridge could be erratic and his fundamentals at times looked shaky. Through this off-season I will never claim to know what Bridge did to prepare, but he looks better.
His footwork was smooth and calm, his throwing motion is always going to be long with a naturally gifted frame of his type but it was snappy and most importantly his decision-making seemed to be drastically improved.
All of this leads me to believing Bridge has not only plenty of room left to grow but the ability to progress. With the natural athletic ability that guided him at South Alabama, the ceiling for Bridge is arguably higher for the Riders’ big armed backup and in Saskatchewan he could have found an offence where – backing up a veteran in Kevin Glenn – Bridge can continue to develop his game and show new skills for when a starters role becomes available.
The sky is the limit.
DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!
While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?
You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.
The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.
