ROUGHRIDERS ON TOP
It won’t be easy with three-consecutive road dates ahead, beginning in Calgary
Saskatchewan wide receiver Shaq Evans, left, reaches to catch a pass behind Winnipeg Blue Bombers cornerback Winston Rose during Saturday’s game at Mosaic Stadium. The Roughriders took sole possession of first place with a 21-6 win.
A fantastic finish is within the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ grasp.
Despite starting the 2019 CFL season with back-to-back losses, the Roughriders are alone in first place in the West Division after Saturday’s 21-6 victory over the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Saturday’s result improved the Riders’ record to 10-4. They have won nine of 10 games since a 37-10 loss to the Calgary Stampeders on July 6 dropped their record to 1-3.
“The guys are rallying around each other,” Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo said as 31,080 spectators filed out of Mosaic Stadium.
“We knew that we had a good football team. In those first couple of games, even though we were losing games, we were losing close battles other than the Calgary game.
“We just had to figure it out and we had to jell together. There was a lot of timing stuff for me personally that I had to get with the receivers. The more reps I was able to get, the more comfortable I felt.
“We’re hot right now. We’re a good football team and I know every guy in that locker-room believes we’re a good football team. Unless you believe it, you can’t really do it.”
Doubts could have surfaced when quarterback Zach Collaros suffered a concussion on an illegal hit just three plays into the regular-season opener. Fajardo, a career backup, took over and is now 10-3 as a starter.
“Cody has taken this by storm,” said the Riders’ Shaq Evans, who had seven receptions for 193 yards and a touchdown Saturday. “It just shows you the type of work that he put in during the off-season and the focus he had during training camp, because he wasn’t getting first-team reps, but he stayed prepared.”
The Blue Bombers, who fell to 9-6, now trail the Stampeders in the race for second place in the West. The Stampeders’ record dropped to 9-5 due to a 21-17 loss to the host Montreal Alouettes on Saturday.
And now the Roughriders are preparing for Friday’s first-place showdown at Mcmahon Stadium in Calgary.
“(Being in first place) is tremendous, but our goal is to be in first place at the end of the year,” Fajardo said. “If we say ‘we’re the Week 18 first-place team,’ that doesn’t mean anything. It’s (about) finishing the end of the year in first place.”
Saskatchewan faces a daunting schedule if it is to clinch first place for the first time since 2009, and only the second time since 1976.
The Riders are on the road for three consecutive weeks — against Calgary (Friday), the B.C. Lions (Oct. 18) and the Edmonton Eskimos (Oct. 26). The Riders close out the regular season versus the Eskimos on Nov. 2 at Mosaic Stadium. Saskatchewan has not played three straight regular-season road games since 1968.
To win the season series with Calgary, Saskatchewan would need to defeat the Stampeders by at least 28 points on Friday.
“(Calgary) really took it to us the last time we played them,” Fajardo said. “That was a long time ago and I feel as a quarterback that I have grown.
“I understand what defences are trying to do in terms of zone coverages. They were the first zone team that I faced and I feel I’ve gotten better at zone coverage and taking what I can get as opposed to holding on to the ball.”
The Riders earned Saturday’s victory on the strength of a stubborn and opportunistic defence.
Three times in the second half, the Blue Bombers emerged without any points despite being in position to score. Promising Winnipeg drives were extinguished when A.C. Leonard forced a fumble with a strip-sack, Ed Gainey made an interception in the end zone, and L.J. Mccray picked off Chris Streveler at the goal line.
Mccray had a monster game, with seven defensive tackles, two tackles for loss and a knockdown. He also delivered three resounding hits.
The Roughriders’ offence finally finished a drive with 2:43 left in the fourth quarter, when Evans scored on a 61-yard reception that all but iced the contest.
Other than Evans’ touchdown, the Riders settled for four Brett Lauther field goals. Justin Medlock accounted for Winnipeg’s points on two field goals.
If we say ‘we’re the Week 18 first-place team,’ that doesn’t mean anything. It’s (about) finishing the end of the year in first.