Sure - with lots of options: QB keeps it, or pitches to a following back; or makes a throw into the end zone.
From the one yard line - a good QB sneak artist should make it in 80% of the time IMO; 2 or 3 yards out - I'd want the ball in the hands of a big back, or the QB option stuff.
So many teams utilize a 2 QB system where one is the “short yardage specialist”. Perhaps it is time that we develop one too….let Arbuckle focus on the rest of the game and allow someone else to take the reins on plays where only inches (I.e. 1 yard) are needed. I think such would allow for a playbook that has been suggested by all on here.
Has anyone tracked how many fumbles (recovered and non-recovered) Arbuckle has this season? Someone (on another social media platform) suggested that it is upwards of 20 (a few times a game, every game). I feel that this number is highly exaggerated but cannot find statistics on it.
No chance it's near 20. 6 or 7 tops (which is a lot) with 3 lost fumbles.
As for a short yardage QB, Pipken is really good at short yardage, big strong QB that can also run. But at this point, with the decision to only dress 2 QB's, you'd rather have MBT as the back up than Pipkin. The Argos could decide to go with 1 less DI and dress a 3rd QB, but if they haven't done that yet, I don't see it happening. It would be something I would strongly consider though.
It's us vs the rest of the country
So many good thoughts and observations have already been posted, which I don't want or need to repeat.
From my perspective, this was going to be a really tough game to win from the get go. Saskatchewan is a proud franchise with a fanatical fanbase. The Roughriders had just been humiliated -twice- by the Bombers so coming back home you know that they were going to be amped up. So I am not upset that the Argos lost... more HOW they lost. Poor discipline, bad tackling, dropped passes kill any chance at victory. These have to be corrected. I also want to reiterate again that we need to leave Arbuckle in at QB, even with his mistakes, unless things get totally out of hand. He has less than a full season's experience as a starter and needs this time to develop, and we need to live with the mistakes.
I am satisfied that we are 3 - 3 at this point, and still share top spot in the East. I am more than pleased that the Argos are playing better at home. This wasn't always the case, so if they are going to go W - L - W - L, I am happy the W's are coming at home.
Chris Jones will add urgency to the D, and things will improve there. We are still in the hunt, and there is nothing I have seen to suggest that we can't compete with any team in this league. It is going to be a great ride to the end of the season, and I hope for a great run by this team.
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