What if the Ticats had stuck with Casey Printers?
Hamilton Tiger-Cats fans can only wonder.
Casey Printers lights it up with the B.C. Lions and, aside from an errant throw in overtime, accounts himself well in his first game of the season.
He threw the ball long and scrambled well, resembling the player who won the Canadian Football League's Most Outstanding Player in 2004, not the one who bombed badly with the Ticats for a season and a half.
Could it be that Printers was simply in the wrong system with the Ticats? Possibly.
When you look at the Lions this year and the fact they have started four different quarterbacks and overcame a slow start to the season and are in third in the West with an outside shot to place second, it says something about the system and/or the coaching staff.
Printers completed 19 of 31 passes for 339 yards and had two touchdown passes and an interception. Not bad for his first start of the season.
You wonder how the Argos, who have been scrambling with consistency all season at the quarterback spot, would have done if they had signed Printers, who was available. Then again, that's assuming the Argos even contacted Printers or that he had an interest in the team. After all, Lions' defensive co-ordinator/assistant head coach Mike Benevides had a chance to come to Toronto as head coach this year and then backed out at the last minute.
A GREAT TRADE: It now appears the trade that sent Titus Ryan and Odell Willis to Winnipeg from Calgary for Romby Bryant and Arjei Franklin has worked out well for both teams. Ryan and Willis both played well in the Bombers' 41-24 over Winnipeg. Ryan, a spare part with the Stamps, had four catches for 140 yards and one touchdowns. Willis, who started off solidly with the Stamps then became a spare part, had three tackles and two sacks. Bryant had nine catches for 211 yards for the Stamps in their 30-7 romp over Edmonton. Franklin chipped in with two catches for 13 yards. Receiver Jabari Arthur, who was included in the package of players sent by the Stamps, had a broken foot and is gone for the season after undergoing surgery. The trade did not have any contingencies on the players passing physicals.
AN OBSERVATION: Some teams are sending in plays to their quarterbacks without requiring them to look at cards on their wrist bands. In the case of Edmonton, new offensive co-ordinator Kevin Strasser has decided to go with wristbands and it clearly seems to be frustrating Ricky Ray. Look at the success the Lions have had without using wristbands and all the changes they have had at quarterback and it makes you wonder are wristbands really that important or it is all about coaching and preparation.
THE RUNNING BACK QUESTION: This could be the year that there could be a record for the most 1,000-yard rushers in CFL history and there have been all kinds of theories why. Some have suggested defences are better, which has curtailed the passing game for which the CFL is known. My theory is some teams have been noticeably week at the quarterback spot and have decided to make the running game their primary source of offence. It's not that defences are better, in some cases the quarterbacks are weaker this year or they haven't played to their capability. Good teams know they have to have a balanced attack, and it's going to matter this year because the Grey Cup will be played in an outdoor stadium in Calgary. And as a matter of personal opinion, the best running back in the CFL now is Joffrey Reynolds, who has done it consistently every year. Mike Pringle has the CFL record with 16,425 rushing yards, accumulated in 11 seasons. Reynolds has 7,319 in less than six full seasons. It will be interesting to see what he does if he plays as long as Pringle.
