9/29/2007 9:16:57 PM

Times Like This

When it rains…it pours with us it seems. Just as our defence is beginning to get healthy and reaching their form, our offence begins to rack up injuries that will certainly alter the way we operate. We lost T.J. Acree in Montreal, Mathieu Bertrand and Ricky Ray this past week, and some of us (myself included) are hanging on by a thread it seems. This game was labeled as a must win and we weren’t able to capitalize offensively on the ample opportunities that the defence presented us with, nor those that we created for ourselves. It’s easy to blame the injuries for our offensive woes as of late, especially with the loss of Ricky – but I believe we all have a hand in that what went on last night.
Toronto seemed to do everything in their power to hand that football game to us yesterday. Fumbled and threw an interception in their own zone, we even blocked a punt. Trevor said to me early in the first quarter that if we could manage to score one touchdown in that game, we would probably win it. The fact the we weren’t able to overcome the adversity set before us, was disappointing to me in the same way that the dropped ball that I had in the third quarter, and the missed block that I had on the last play disappointed me. Most wouldn’t expect us to rebound from losing our best player before halftime, just like most wouldn’t expect me to be able to catch anything with a broken thumb and a hamstring pull – but I’ve come to demand greatness from this team, much like I do from myself.
I still sense a level of distress or panic at times when bad things happen to this offence. As if a wave of constriction comes over us when we’re posed with an obstacle. All of the sudden we begin pressing it seems and, mistakes become compounded. Any missed block seems monumental, holes seem tighter for a running back, and when the ball is in the air it seems to hang for ever with the weight of the world hanging in the balance of its completion. It’s at these times when things are going wrong, and seem to be hitting the fan that we need to relax, and trust that we’re more prepared than our opponent. Trust that the hours that we’ve spent watching film, have us prepared for anything that they can throw at us, and that we are on the same page seeing the defence collectively and as a unit. Relax…and trust that we can individually make the difference in the game that puts our team over the hilt. Just relax…and play with the confidence that got us here.
We’ve lost a great player, there’s certainly no denying that. However, I’m sure that Eskimo fans felt the same despair when Jason Maas went down in the game that gave Ricky Ray his first opportunity to become “Ricky Ray.” Stefan LeFors is a good quarterback, and he’s about to get some chances to earn his place in this game. Coach Macioca said a few weeks back that he feels that we can win with any of our three quarterbacks. Having been around all three, and seeing them progress throughout the season – I for one believe him. Whether Stefan is leading us or Steven Jyles is under center, we as an offence need to rally around them so that they can relax…and make plays. In order for that to happen, our speed must be turned up, and we must sell out for any and every opportunity to make a play that comes up.
Just as we all had a hand in letting that game slip past us this weekend, we ALL will have a hand in the outcome of this season from here out. We’re down, but certainly not out. We’ve come too far to lay down now – we must press on. ©

KP8