Huge game for Riders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are preparing for a signature game — for reasons that transcend the circulation of an anti-stadium petition.
Although advocates of the Occupy the Stadium movement are expected to be conspicuous leading up to tonight’s Canadian Football League contest, the Roughriders are preoccupied with who occupies first place in the West Division.
The front-running B.C. Lions — proud owners of a 9-3 record — are in town. The third-place Roughriders, who have a 6-6 record under first-year head coach Corey Chamblin, know that they can make an emphatic statement by defeating the reigning Grey Cup champions this evening.
“No doubt about it,’’ said Darian Durant, who quarterbacked Saskatchewan to a 30-25 victory over the visiting Calgary Stampeders on Sunday.
“Coach (Chamblin) had an interesting analogy last week. He said that if the playoffs started today, we would have had to face Calgary, and that’s what we did last week. If we won that game, we’d have to play B.C., and that’s where we are now. We’re definitely taking that kind of approach.
“We know that in order to be champs in this league, we’re going to have to see (the Lions) down the road. We know what type of atmosphere there is and what type of game this is.’’
Chamblin made an immense contribution to the pre-game atmosphere when the Roughriders and Lions prepared for their previous collision on Taylor Field.
As a July 14 showdown of 2-0 teams loomed, Chamblin labelled the game the Big Ticket, going so far as to distribute mock ducats to his players.
The strategy was a success, as Saskatchewan won 23-20 to assume first place overall in the eight-team league.
However, the Big Ticket turned out to be a precursor to Big Trouble.
After winning their first three games of the season, the Roughriders lost five in a row — squandering secondhalf leads in three of those contests. Then came backto-back victories over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, followed by a 28-17 loss to the host Montreal Alouettes on Sept. 16.
That defeat left Saskatchewan with a 2-6 slate, post-Big Ticket, and prompted a most reasonable inquiry: Can the Roughriders beat anyone but Winnipeg?
The question was answered in the affirmative against the second-place Stampeders, whose winning streak was halted at four games.
Now the Riders face an even tougher task.
“Each week presents a different animal, a different challenge, but we know that in order to get to the Grey Cup, this is a team that we have to go through,’’ Durant said. “If we can beat them (tonight), that will give us some confidence down the road.’’
To bolster his players’ confidence, Chamblin had issued the Big Ticket. This time around, he has tempered the degree to which he is hyping a showdown with B.C. Why the change of philosophy?
“Really, it’s because I’ve helped you guys sell tickets and boost ratings, and I’m not getting any kickbacks from it,’’ a chuckling Chamblin said during his pre-game media conference on Friday. “It’s all staying in the locker room this week.’’
Awwww! Give us more fodder!
So much for that plaintive plea ...
“In the earlier game, we had to step up and show that we could play with those guys, and I think we’ve shown that we can play with the B.C. Lions and that we can win against them,’’ said Chamblin, whose squad lost 24-5 in Vancouver on Aug. 19. “In the second game, we did not.
“You talk about defending champions. That’s last year. Right now, we’re looking to the focal point to where we have to beat whoever to get to the playoffs so that we can have the opportunity to become champions.’’
For that to become more than a pipe dream, the Roughriders have to once again establish that they can slug it out with the Lions.
That point was made in July, but that seems like eons ago. In the CFL, the most meaningful football is played after the leaves start changing colour and the temperature cools down.
The Rough riders produced a summertime chill by losing five times in succession, but are since 3-1. The Lions, meanwhile, are on a 7-1 roll, thanks in large part to a carnivorous defence.
B.C. has allowed a leaguelow 222 points. Without much fanfare, the Roughriders defence has responded to the point where, with 259 points against, only B.C. is stingier.
“It’s just a game where you have to make the most of your opportunities,’’ Durant said. “Both defences are very sound, but when you get an opportunity to take advantage of something that they do that’s not sound, you have to cash in, so that’s the goal.’’
The Roughriders have accomplished one goal by becoming a factor in the West Division playoff race — a pronounced contrast to 2011, when they finished dead last in the eight-team league.
“It was tough this time last year because we weren’t talking about anything positive,’’ Durant said. “It feels good to be in this situation. It’s starting to get cold, and that’s what we like. We want to put ourselves in a position where we’ve got to make teams come out here and deal with it, because we’re in it every day. We’re looking forward to the weather change. That’s when true football starts.’’
And when true champions emerge.