Riders look to clinch playoff spot in showdown against Stamps

The Saskatchewan Roughriders don’t need to be told how important Friday’s game against the Calgary Stampeders is.

Saskatchewan can clinch a playoff spot with a win, but a loss by more than three points means another CFL West Division rival will hold the tiebreaker over Saskatchewan. The B.C. Lions clinched the season series against the Riders last week, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers also won the tiebreaker with their Banjo Bowl win the previous week.

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“We understand what has happened the last two games, and we know what is at stake this game,” said Saskatchewan linebacker Jameer Thurman. There has been a sense of urgency all week.”

Saskatchewan finds itself in the middle of an increasingly tight West Division. The Roughriders and Lions are both tied at 8-6, the Bombers hold a 7-7 record and Calgary is 7-8. Saskatchewan won its first meeting with the Stamps 40-37 in Calgary at McMahon Stadium on June 20.

“Like any other team in the hunt, (we) have an ultimate goal. For us, this is an opportunity to check off a box. We know what’s at stake,” Riders head coach Corey Mace said.

“We just have to go out there and play winning football.”

The Riders’ offence will look to keep improving as the end of the regular season draws nearer. Quarterback Trevor Harris is having one of his best statistical seasons, as the 40-year-old has thrown for 4,421 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

He will try to keep a talented Calgary defensive line – consisting of Clarence Hicks, Miles Brown, Jaylon Hutchings, and Folarin Orimolade – from causing too much chaos.

“You have to be able to mix things up. If you’re just sitting in the same launch point and deep drops on second-and-extra-long and putting stress on your tackles, it could be a rough night,” Harris said.

“We just have to make sure we mix it up and give them different looks… Whatever it takes. If it’s running the football 40 times? Cool. If it’s throwing it 40 times? Cool. Whatever it takes for us to have more points at the end of the game.”

He did get two of his key weapons back last game, as both running back A.J. Ouellette and slotback Kian Schaffer-Baker made their return to the lineup after missing a number of games due to injury. Ouellette had 77 yards and a touchdown in his return, while Schaffer-Baker had five catches for 61 yards.

“It felt good,” Ouellette said.

“That’s what you’re kind of antsy about — getting out there and getting that first hit in, and I thought we were clicking well in the run game. We just have to kind of improve on it.”

The Riders’ defence will look to stop Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. Calgary has scored an average of 35.7 points per game – the most in the CFL.

“We just have to find a way to execute and get them off the field and give our offence as many opportunities as possible,” Thurman said. “We have to find a way to get the ball. That’s the main thing.”

Despite trading for kicker Brett Lauther this week, Saskatchewan will have Dawson Hodge in the position during Friday’s game. Hodge has hit all five of his field goal kicks over the past two games.

Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 5:30 p.m.