HAMILTON — The Saskatchewan Roughriders want to put the hammer down throughout Sunday’s CFL game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
That is the mentality after a season opener in which timely touchdowns tilted the balance.
“We’ve got to be way sharper at the beginning of the game and definitely in the middle,” said Shawn Bane Jr., who caught three touchdown passes on June 8 to help Saskatchewan defeat the host Edmonton Elks 29-21.
“We scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, which is cool, but we did nothing after the touchdown in the first quarter. We definitely have to maintain the intensity and just get on the board quickly.”
In Edmonton, Brett Lauther’s convert of a 27-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Harris to Bane Jr. gave Saskatchewan a 7-3 lead at 9:22 of the first quarter.
The Elks responded with an 18-1 run, which was followed by a Roughriders fourth-quarter uprising that produced 21 unanswered points.
Over the final 15 minutes, Bane Jr. caught his second and third TD passes of the game. A.J. Ouellette added a one-yard scoring run.
“It just kind of just shows what we’re capable of — maybe not 21 points every quarter, where we going to score 84 points or something like that,” Harris said. “When our best was needed, we were able to get it done.
“Late in the game, if we need a dagger touchdown and we’re up by three or four or whatever it may be, defences had better be aware that if they want to blitz heavy, then we might throw it over their head.
“And then with that, we can also make sure that we’re able to counter with running the football when everybody in the stadium knows that we’re doing it.
“It’s just a matter of getting what needs to be done in the moment that we need it.”
When that indeed transpired last weekend, it marked the 21st time a Roughriders team had scored 21 or more points in a fourth quarter, dating back to 1922.
Here is a complete list:
31 — Sept. 7, 1974: Saskatchewan 38 at B.C. 16
28 — Oct. 30, 2008: Saskatchewan 45 at Toronto 38
26 — Nov. 7, 1964: Calgary 25 at Saskatchewan 34 (playoffs)
26 — July 12, 1989: Calgary 29 at Saskatchewan 32
24 — Sept. 15, 2000: Saskatchewan 37 at Toronto 17
24 — Sept. 1, 2013: Winnipeg 25 at Saskatchewan 48
23 — Oct 14, 1922: Regina Rugby Club 40, Regina Boat Club 0
23 — Aug. 18, 1989: Saskatchewan 40 at Hamilton 46
23 — Sept. 17, 1999: Edmonton 41 at Saskatchewan 38
22 — Aug. 27, 1971: Ottawa 21 at Saskatchewan 42
22 — Oct. 4, 1981: Hamilton 30 at Saskatchewan 26
22 — Sept. 11, 1994: Saskatchewan 49 at Winnipeg 18
21 — Oct. 28, 1973: Hamilton 25 at Saskatchewan 34
21 — July 15, 1988: Saskatchewan 48 at Ottawa 21
21 — Sept. 17, 1989: Edmonton 35 at Saskatchewan 48
21 — Oct. 4, 1992: Toronto 18 at Saskatchewan 43
21 — Sept. 7, 1997: B.C. 12 at Saskatchewan 46
21 — Nov. 3, 2001: Saskatchewan 42 at B.C. 10
21 — Nov. 9, 2003: Saskatchewan 23 at Edmonton 30 (playoffs)
21 — Aug. 12, 2001: Calgary 45 at Saskatchewan 35
21 — June 8, 2024: Saskatchewan 29 at Edmonton 21
BLOCK PARTY
Marcus Sayles, who was signed by the Roughriders on June 4, is about to make his first start in and green and white. He will line up at cornerback versus Hamilton.
Sayles has been named a West Division All-Star with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2019) and B.C. Lions (2022). He was also a CFL All-Star in the latter season.
Also of note: Sayles is the University of West Georgia’s career leader in blocked kicks (13).
As a junior, he blocked seven kicks — averaging one block every two games.
“I’ve been blessed with certain gifts,” Sayles said of his kick-blocking prowess.
“All the coaches that I’ve had over the years have put me in that position. I’ve had good teammates and good coaching and it all just comes together at one time.”
Thirteen times, in fact.
HARNESSING HAMILTON
Roughriders Head Coach and Defensive Co-ordinator Corey Mace recognizes the challenges presented by the Tiger-Cats’ offence.
“They’ve got some playmakers,” Mace said. “James Butler is an outstanding back. He does a lot of things very well and is certainly a guy we have to stop if we’re going to be successful defensively.
“They’ve got a Hall of Fame quarterback (Bo Levi Mitchell) and one of the top two receivers in the league (Tim White) and they’re loaded with talent on the offensive line as well.
“We’ve got our hands full, so we’ve got to come together and get this thing done.”
Mace is confident the Roughriders have enough weapons to counterstrike, if need be.
“We certainly have, I think, the firepower on the offensive side of the ball to be able to be multi-faceted — to do it through the air or on the ground,” he said.
“We definitely have to assert ourselves a little bit more in the ground game. We’re not too worried about that. That’ll come.”
TIGER-CATS TIMES TWO
The Roughriders are poised to begin a home-and-home set with Hamilton.
After today’s game, the teams will play again next Sunday (5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
A good omen? Saskatchewan’s last two championship seasons have included back-to-back games against Hamilton.
The teams split their first two home-and-home series (in 1981 and 2002). The past four (2006, 2007, 2013, 2018) have been swept by Saskatchewan.
While going 10-2 over those 12 games against Hamilton, the Roughriders have outscored the Tiger-Cats 408-197.
CUP CELEBRATIONS
When the teams last met, the Roughriders celebrated their most-recent championship team.
The 2013 Roughriders were formally inducted into the SaskTel Plaza of Honour during halftime of an Oct. 7 home game against Hamilton.
Today, it is the Tiger-Cats’ turn as they honour their most-recent Cup-winning team — a 1999 squad that was coached by Roughriders icon Ron Lancaster.
Lancaster’s grandson, Marc Mueller, is the Roughriders’ offensive co-ordinator. He is a close friend of Danny McManus, who was the 1999 Tiger-Cats’ starting quarterback.
Mueller’s grandmother, Bev Lancaster, lives near Hamilton — in Grimsby, Ont. Ron Lancaster passed away on Sept. 23, 2008.
