Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
“Kevin Glenn is our starting quarterback”
With the exception of Week 13 in Hamilton when Glenn was out due to an injury sustained during the Banjo Bowl blowout loss to Winnipeg, those words have come from Saskatchewan Head Coach Chris Jones time and time again this season.
Way back in Week 6 of the CFL season, this Sunday’s Eastern Final combatants would meet for the first of an eventual three times in 2017 with a back and forth affair leading to a Riders win.
During that game Kevin Glenn play every meaningful snap on offence and was masterful.
The use of Duron Carter was certainly highlighted in the early season matchup as he went off for 9 catches, 131 yards and two touchdowns.
The majority of those yards and catches came on and endless string of sideline acrobatics that dominated the left sideline of New Mosaic Stadium and left Argos cornerback Akwasi Owusu-Ansah wondering how to stop number 89.
There was the quick out.
— Marshall Ferguson (@TSN_Marsh) November 15, 2017
Then the juggling back shoulder ball.
— Marshall Ferguson (@TSN_Marsh) November 15, 2017
Another quick out stealing fantasy stats for Carter owners
— Marshall Ferguson (@TSN_Marsh) November 15, 2017
And of course this touchdown which is undoubtedly in the running for catch of the year.
Carter was spectacular that day and he knew about it. His endless jawing with Argos defensive backs set the tone for Week 16 when once again Glenn was the starter and Carter was a marquee receiver yet to dip his toes into the defensive back water.
Just like in week six both Saskatchewan and Toronto went back and forth trading blows until a couple of plays in the 4th quarter determined the winner. Those guys from Saskatchewan found a way to pull out the victory on the road for the second week in a row against the East.
The exact same scenario they find themselves in after crossing over and defeating the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the Eastern Semi-Final.
Just like in Week 6 when Carter stole yards early and often along the left sideline Week 16 saw much of the same.
— Marshall Ferguson (@TSN_Marsh) November 15, 2017
There was one notable difference between weeks six and sixteen for the Riders. Glenn didn’t finish the game the second time around after struggling out of the gates.
The early game saw Glenn go 3/8 for just 29 yards including this miss on the first play of the game which just simply got away from him.
— Marshall Ferguson (@TSN_Marsh) November 15, 2017
In came Brandon Bridge and the late season trend of a quick hook for Glenn became a reality at the earliest point yet in 2017.
Bridge rewarded Chris Jones decision to put him in the game with a standout performance near his home town
An afternoon which included arguably Bridge’s best throw of 2017, a beautifully thrown touch pass strike to Naaman Roosevelt as time in the second quarter dwindled.
— Marshall Ferguson (@TSN_Marsh) November 15, 2017
With Kevin Glenn playing every snap of the Eastern Semi-Final in Ottawa one would think that the dual quarterback system is done. Maybe that it was all a mirage to distract teams from preparing for the ‘playoff Riders’. A ground game focused offence complimented by a ball hawking secondary.
The only team though that Brandon Bridge didn’t take a single snap against in the regular season was the Ottawa REDBLACKS, twice. So can we really take anything away from the fact he didn’t play Sunday in the nation’s capital?
Only time will tell and the answer will go a long way in describing whether or not the Saskatchewan Roughriders become the first crossover team to the make the Grey Cup out of division in CFL history.
