Riders looking to slow down Stampeders in race for home playoff game

What a difference a few weeks make in the CFL.

Before the first game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 2, the teams found themselves in very different situations.

The Riders entered that contest in sole possession of second place in the CFL’s West Division and appeared poised to be on their way to clinching a home playoff game. Meanwhile, the Stamps were struggling to string together wins and looked to be falling behind in the race.

Now the Stamps have won three straight — including two against the Riders — and the winner of the final regular-season game between the two Saturday will have control of their destiny when it comes to the playoffs. Kickoff for the game in Calgary is set for 7:45 p.m.

“Calgary is the hottest team in the CFL right now and we’re a part of the reason they got hot,” Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo said. “Being part of that reason as to why they got hot, hopefully, we can find a way to cool them down.

“We know it’s going to be a difficult opportunity for us and a challenge ahead but we do have that one-game advantage (in terms of games played) so we can hopefully go in there and give us a chance to win that football game.”

It has been tough sledding for the Riders against the Stamps over the past few years. It has been more than three years since Saskatchewan last beat Calgary – a 29-14 win on Oct. 20, 2018.

Riders head coach Craig Dickenson has yet to beat his younger brother, Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson.

“I am sick of hearing (about not beating him) so I hope it’s this week,” Craig Dickenson said.

Dickenson said the team knows how big a game this is in the standings.

“If we want to host (a playoff game), we’ve got to win this game. We’ve got to play our best game and lay it all out there and let the chips fall where they may,” Dickenson said.

The Riders (5-4) are coming off their second and final bye week of the regular season ahead of the game with the Stamps (5-5).

“I think we got healthier through the bye and I think we’ve got a better understanding and a great mindset going into this game,” Fajardo said. “I feel really confident in that group in that locker room about where we are morale-wise as a team, especially coming off two losses.

“It’s never something you feel good about, but I think this bye week came at a good time for us mentally.”

The Riders’ offence could also get a boost when it comes to the big plays this week.

After suffering a broken foot in Week 2 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Shaq Evans seems set to get back in the lineup for the first time since then, though his status is listed as questionable.

Evans was one of the top deep threats in the CFL in 2019, recording 1,334 yards – averaging 18.5 yards a catch – and five touchdowns.

“I think we’ve got to get out to a fast start. That’s been our problem and just making the plays in the clutch moments. That was our biggest thing (in 2019) and what we were great at,” Evans said.

“If we don’t make big plays, it’s going to be tough to beat them because they are a real disciplined team, (are) well-coached and are hot right now.”

The big play has been something that has plagued the Riders all season; they sit in last place in the CFL in that category.

But along with the addition of Evans, another big weapon is poised to join the Riders’ offence.

Duke Williams is to make a return to the CFL for the first time since 2018 when he was in Edmonton. Since then, he has spent three seasons in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.

When Williams was last in the CFL in 2018, he was the league’s top receiver with 1,579 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He said his decision to return to the CFL wasn’t about the money.

“It’s about actually catching footballs and leaving a legacy and I couldn’t leave a legacy on the practice squad in the NFL,” Williams said. “I had to make a business decision to go where I was loved at – not saying I wasn’t loved there – but where they were going to actually play me and let me use my talents.”

Williams finished his quarantine last Sunday, a day after the Riders’ 22-19 loss to Calgary before their bye week.

So Williams spent the bye week learning the playbook and just completed his first full week of practice with the team.

“I just need to feel the speed of the game, take a couple of hits here and there and then I’ll be in rhythm. That’s all I need, is a couple days,” Williams said. “Once Saturday hits, I should be good to go.”

Fajardo said adding the two veterans could inject some life into the Riders’ offence as they head into the final stretch of the regular season.

“When you roll out guys like Shaq Evans and Duke Williams, I think guys feel happier and excited,” Fajardo said. “It’s their first game back for both of them so expectations can’t be too high.

“But I know we’re going to go out there and try to get our timing down as early as possible and just try and move the football to give us a chance to finish drives with seven points instead of three.”
But while the offence gets some new weapons, the defence will try to replace some.

Defensive back Blace Brown (shoulder), halfback Christian Campbell (hamstring) and linebacker Godfrey Onyeka (back) were all placed on the six-game injured list on Friday.

That means A.J. Hendy will be the strong-side linebacker – the position he started the year at – while Jeremy Clark will play the field cornerback position and Damon Webb will play halfback. The game Saturday will be the first CFL start for the two DBs.

On top of that, defensive end A.C. Leonard tweaked his knee during the week of practice and his status was in doubt.

“He’s closer to playing than not. We expect him to play,” Dickenson said.

The Riders’ defence will need to find a way to stop two of Calgary’s top weapons. One of those is running back Ka’Deem Carey, who made things difficult for the Riders’ defence in their previous meeting. Carey rushed for 109 yards and caught five passes for 69 yards.

Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is also coming off his first game of the season where he didn’t throw an interception, completing 22 of 32 pass attempts for 270 yards and a touchdown in Calgary’s victory over the B.C. Lions last Saturday.

Mitchell will also get back one of his top targets in slotback Kamar Jorden, who is returning from a hamstring injury.

“They are finally hitting their rhythm this year,” linebacker Micah Teitz said. “They would even tell you they weren’t too happy with the way they played.

“We’ve always had high respect for Calgary and any team in the West. We know that they are talented and they can play well and we’ve just got to play a complete game on defence and I think we will be good.”