"Unacceptable".
That's what Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Greg Marshall told his team after a jaw-dropping 42-28 season-opening loss to the Edmonton Eskimos Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
It was a wild, wild day from the get-go. It was a sizzling 32 C just before game time but after the teams' warm-ups, the clouds rolled in and cut loose with a massive thunder shower. That turned into a hail storm which pelted the stadium with golf ball-sized pellets, delaying the game's opening kickoff.
Shortly thereafter the skies opened and a spectacular rainbow arched over Mosaic Stadium. However there was no pot of gold at the end of it. Maybe Green and Gold. The Eskimos, seven point underdogs going into the match, proceeded to shellack the Roughriders as they posted quarter leads of 14-7, 27-20 and 35-20 on the way to the rout.
The Riders turned the ball over four times including three Darian Durant interceptions while the Eskimos never gave the ball up once.
"Obviously it's not the performance we were looking for," Marshall explained afterwards. "We'll meet as a staff and figure out where our problems are and what we need to do to correct them. When you give up 42 points you need to do a better job defensively. And you can't turn the ball over four times. We won't win many games if we lose the turnover battle that badly."
It was a miserable end to a fantastic week in Riderville. The Riders announced a three-year contract extension for star slotback Weston Dressler and also, along with Federated Co-op, unveiled Dressler All-Dressed Potato Chips. They also introduced Darian's Darios, the breakfast cereal. The promotions come on the heels of the highly-successful Fantuz Flakes offering last season.
Former Rider Andy Fantuz was also in town for the game as he awaits word on the resolution of the NFL's work stoppage. Fantuz signed with the Chicago Bears in the off-season and is hoping for a quick end to the lockout.
It should be noted the Riders are the team hit hardest by injuries to start the year with seven regular starters on the injured list. However the league won't stop for these injuries to heal so the Riders need to suck it up.
And they need to do so in a hurry as the Grey Cup-champion Montreal Alouettes come to town Saturday at 2:00 pm for Week 2 action.
- Rod Pedersen is the voice of the Riders on 620 CKRM radio
