Riders aim to snap losing streak
SETTING THE SCENE: The Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-4) and Montreal Alouettes (4-8) meet for the second and final time in the 2013 regular season. Both teams are mired in three-game losing streaks. The Riders were beaten 24-22 by the visiting B.C. Lions on Sunday. The Alouettes were edged 28-26 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last Saturday in Moncton, N.B.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Roughriders can clinch a playoff berth by beating the Alouettes on Sunday and if the Toronto Argonauts beat the host Edmonton Eskimos today.
HOME KILL: The Alouettes (2-4) have struggled at home with their two wins coming over West Division teams. The Alouettes defeated the Eskimos 32-27 on July 25 and the Lions 39-38 on Aug. 22. The Riders boast a 4-2 road record and have a 2-1 mark against teams in the East Division.
CHIPPING IN: Montreal linebacker Chip Cox was named the CFL’s defensive player of the week after recording eight defensive tackles, two sacks and an interception in Montreal’s loss to Hamilton. Cox, 30, led the CFL with 86 defensive tackles entering this week and can be a disruptive force on his own. He’s free to rush the quarterback and could be a force with the Riders throwing the ball more as of late. Riders quarterback Darian Durant is aware of where Cox is at all times. The veteran quarterback needs to roll out more to help ease some of the pressure from Cox’s attack.
WHERE’S WESTON?: Saskatchewan slotback Weston Dressler had six receptions for 47 yards and a game-tying touchdown in Sunday’s loss to the Lions. Dressler, who has 46 receptions for 639 yards and five touchdowns, has been underutilized this season and is on pace to finish the season with 998 yards. Dressler has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in four of his previous five seasons. The emergence of slotback Chris Getzlaf and wide receiver Taj Smith has eased some of the demands on the diminutive Dressler. He still remains the Riders’ most effective offensive weapon. If the Riders are to snap out of their losing skid, they need to include Dressler more in the offence.
THE RIGHT SIDE: The right side of the Riders’ offensive line has been unsettled since right guard Chris Best was placed on the nine-game injured list on Sept. 1 with a foot injury. Ben Heenan returns after missing two games with a suspected knee injury. Heenan, who started 10 games at right tackle, is to start at right guard. Patrick Neufeld, who has played guard and tackle since Best was injured, missed most of the second half on Sunday with a leg injury. Devin Tyler moved from right guard to right tackle on Sunday and practised there all week. The entire offensive line has struggled lately and it has resulted in Durant taking a pounding. The line needs to provide Durant with more time to find receivers.
GAME OF INCHES: Saskatchewan placekicker Chris Milo is looking to bounce back after hitting two uprights in Sunday’s defeat. Milo has hit on four of seven field-goal attempts since tying Dave Ridgway’s team record of 28 straight and all of his misses have bounced off an upright. He is second in the CFL with a 91.4-per-cent success rate, behind Rene Paredes of the Calgary Stampeders (94.7 per cent). Montreal’s Sean Whyte has connected on 11 consecutive field goals and is third with an 88.6-per-cent success rate.