Riders receivers evoke memories of legends

The latest Leader-post-mortem is the product of several hours of exhaustive research ... whatever that is.

This grizzled gargoyle of the media decided to dive into the (cough!) dusty files after noticing that two members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders — Shaq Evans and Kyran Moore — had exceeded 150 receiving yards during Saturday’s 27-24 CFL victory over the host Edmonton Eskimos.

How long had it been since the Roughriders had dissected a secondary to the extent that two 150-plus-yard performances were the result? Longer than Moore has been alive.

On Aug. 29, 1992, the Slot Machines — Ray Elgaard and Jeff Fairholm — lacerated the B.C. Lions’ secondary in fine style.

Elgaard registered eight catches for 207 yards to help the Roughriders win 47-36 at Taylor Field. Fairholm added four receptions for 160 yards.

Evans was one year old at the time. Moore was born four years later.

On Saturday, Evans treated Roughriders fans to his latest command performance, making six receptions for 174 yards.

Moore added 10 receptions for 159 yards and one TD as Saskatchewan improved its record to 12-5, secured a home playoff game, and moved to within one victory of clinching first place in the West Division.

Moore and Evans comprise one of only three Roughriders receiving duos in a span of nearly 40 years to have accomplished the twin-150 feat.

Joey Walters (174 yards) and Chris Defrance (150) lit up the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ secondary on Sept. 12, 1981, when the visitors from Saskatchewan prevailed 32-25.

Are there any other 150-150 tandems in Roughriders history? Well, that will require more digging ...

MARSH MADNESS

Evans is the first Roughrider since Curtis Marsh to have exceeded 150 receiving yards four times in a season.

Marsh had games of 159, 175, 180 and 191 yards for the Green and White in 2000.

With one regular-season game remaining, Evans’ statistical log includes single-game yardage totals of 158, 160, 174 and 193 yards.

Evans has six 100-yard games in total. If he hits the century mark again on Saturday, he will become the first Rider since Marsh (in 2000) with seven 100-yarders.

Walters set the club record of 11 100-yard games in 1981. That feat is especially noteworthy when you consider that the Roughriders played a 16-game schedule back then. The current 18-game format was introduced in 1986.

Evans needs 80 yards Saturday against the visiting Eskimos to become the first Roughrider to exceed the 1,400 mark since Marsh rang up 1,560 in 2000.

And who knows? Evans might even hit 1,500.

SHORT SNORTS

On Saturday, Saskatchewan quarterback Cody Fajardo threw for 400-plus yards for the second time this season. He is the first Roughrider to boast multiple 400-yarders in a regular season since 2010, when Darian Durant surpassed that total four times.

Saskatchewan has scored as many rushing touchdowns (25) this season as it did offensive

TDS in 2018. The Roughriders’ single-season record for rushing majors is 26, set in 2003.

Charleston Hughes remains the league leader in sacks, with 15, even though he has been blanked in each of the Roughriders’ past four games. He had a Cfl-best 15 sacks last season, despite felling the opposing quarterback only twice over the final seven games.