The Saskatchewan Roughriders own a share of first place in the CFL’s West Division.
But the standings, as they currently appear, are not the emphasis as the Roughriders await Thursday’s CFL road game against the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
“I think our standard since Day 1 has been a championship effort,” strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis said. “That’s every day we come on to the field or come into the building.
“We’ve got to focus on that and not worry about right now, because it’s a long season.”’
That said, the Roughriders are nicely positioned while on the verge of reaching the midpoint in their 2024 regular-season schedule.
At 5-3, Saskatchewan and the B.C. Lions are perched atop the West.
Also with five victories: The 5-2 REDBLACKS, who have already exceeded their victory count (four) of each of the past two seasons.
“They’re a good team, man,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “We have to go out and play our brand of football to give ourselves the best chance to come out with a win.”
That goes back to the “championship effort,” cited by Reavis.
It was a standard the Roughriders did not reach on Saturday, when the previously winless Edmonton Elks won 42-31 at Mosaic Stadium.
“We just want to shake it off and come back and play our best game, because we have yet to do that as a whole,” quarterback Shea Patterson said.
Even when the Roughriders jumped out to a 4-0 start, the need for a consistently high-level performance was underlined. Saskatchewan rallied from a 13-point deficit to win each of its first two games.
Over the past four contests, the Roughriders are 1-3. The slump can be attributed, at least in part, to a torrent of injuries to key performers.
Consider the fact that eight of Saskatchewan’s 24 opening-week starters will be sidelined for Thursday’s game.
Half the 12 offensive starters from Week 1 are currently on the shelf.
Taking Thursday’s roster into account, the Roughriders will have started 11 different offensive linemen over their first nine games. In two cases, the next man up has also ended up with an injury. And the team is now on its fourth starting right tackle of the season.
While understanding the reality of the situation, Mace and his players refuse to use injuries as a crutch or an excuse.
“It’s a long season — an 18-game season,” linebacker Adam Auclair said. “Unfortunately, there are some injuries that are going to happen, but Corey at the beginning of the year really made it clear that if you’re in this room, we’re going to need you.
“That’s exactly what is happening right now. I feel like everybody needs to step up and that’s what we’re doing.”
A victory on Thursday would give Saskatchewan its best record (6-3) at the midway point of a season since 2014 (7-2).
Defeating Ottawa, though, is a tougher proposition than usual.
“They’re a tough, physical team, kind of like us,” Reavis said. “It’s going to be a dogfight. I think we’ll be ready for that.”
FAST FACTS
• Saskatchewan, which boasts the CFL’s best turnover differential (plus-11), leads the league in interceptions (13) and fumble recoveries (eight). Thirty-four per cent of the Roughriders’ points have been scored after an opponent’s giveaway.
• The Roughriders have won four of their past five meetings with the REDBLACKS, the lone setback being a 36-28 loss in Ottawa on Sept. 22.
• Patterson, who has 1,300 aerial yards, is the 40th different Roughriders quarterback to reach four figures in a season. Members of that fraternity have combined for 99 seasons of 1,000-plus yards. Ron Lancaster leads the way with 16.
• Rolan Milligan Jr. leads the CFL in interceptions (five), interception return yards (101), defensive takeaways (five) and pass knockdowns (nine). He is second in special teams tackles (11).
• Rookie receiver Ajou Ajou has the league’s second-best average yards per catch (18.4). The Lions’ Ayden Eberhardt leads the way at 19.0. Ajou has caught 14 passes and scored two TDs. Eberhardt, with 15 receptions, has yet to reach the end zone.
