Riders can clinch home playoff spot in clash with Lions

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will look to ensure CFL playoff football is played in the province this season.

The Riders, who are on a three-game winning streak, host the B.C. Lions on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium. If the Riders win, the Green and White will clinch a home playoff game for the first time since 2021.

Due to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers losing to the Toronto Argonauts on Friday, a Riders’ win would also keep Saskatchewan’s hopes of finishing first in CFL West Division alive. Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m.

“I don’t think (there’s extra) pressure — (there’s) opportunity. The reality is that you want to win the game so that ties into our 1-0 theory and everyone knows what’s at stake,” said head coach Corey Mace.

“This team has been in a lot of situations throughout the season that I think has prepared them for games like this. The opportunity is there, they are champing at the bit and I’m excited to see them go.”

The Riders find themselves in this position even after going on a seven-game winless slide in the middle of the season.

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“Just a little bit of jolt and refocus. We had to draw a line in the sand a little bit the week leading into the Calgary (Stampeders) game and the focus has just been narrowed, because just reading the tea leaves of how the league in general and how the west has been going, there was a chance we could still accomplish some things we wanted too, but we had to be really detailed-oriented in the little things,” Mace said.

Quarterback Trevor Harris admits he doesn’t like to think of games as must-wins until they actually are — but this one is as close as you can get.

“This province and fan base deserve a home playoff game. That’s a goal that we have in the preseason, and it’s something that we control and something that’s within our grasps,” Harris said. “The focus is playing one for 60 minutes (Saturday).”

The last time these two teams met, it was Lions quarterback Veronon Adams Jr. who started the game and led quite the aerial attack. Adams Jr. had 451 yards through the air, with former Rider Justin McInnis hauling in 14 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown.

“You know (McInnis is) going to be on the radar every week,” said defensive back Marcus Sayles. “We just have to limit those explosion plays. We feel if we are able to make them drive down the field and put longer drives together, we feel we have a better advantage.”

While Harris didn’t play in that first meeting due to a knee injury, the Riders got a lot from pass-catcher Sam Emilus, who had 161 yards in that game. He is 30 yards away from 1,000 on the season.

This time, the Lions will have Nathan Rourke under centre. Rourke rejoined the Lions in August after trying his luck in the NFL following a 2022 season, where he was named the CFL’s Most Oustanding Canadian.

This season Rourke has 1,581 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions over seven games.

Sayles was a teammate of Rourke’s in 2021 and 2022 as a member of the Lions.

“You can see it on his film — he’s still an explosive player, he can still make all the reads and all the throws,” Sayles said. “It’s going to be a hard task to limit him to one or two things.”

Another player who the Lions got back from an NFL expedition was defensive end Mathieu Betts. Betts set a record with 18 sacks last season — the most ever by a Canadian player — and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive player. That season led to him signing with the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

He was waived by Detroit on Aug. 27, and then signed with B.C. on Aug. 29. Betts has one sack in five games of action.

“He brings a very high motor and professionalism and effort,” said Riders tackle Trevon Tate.

“The guy had 18 sacks last year, and when you watch the tape you see his get off and speed. If you don’t have the motor to match that, he can wreck your day alone just from being an elite pass-rusher.”

Tate will look to open up some running lanes for a former teammate of his in AJ Ouellette. The rusher is back from spending six games on the injured list due to a hip injury. Tate was a teammate of Ouellette’s in Toronto with the Argonauts for a couple of seasons.

“I know where he wants to read and I know he’s going to be patient, let the blocks set up and then he’s going to hit it,” Tate said.

As the fall settles into Saskatchewan and there’s a chill in the air, Ouellette is looking forward to getting back onto the field as a bruising rusher.

“It’s a playoff energy and running backs feed off of that. When there’s a chill in the air, it hurts a little bit more to tackle someone,” Ouellette said.

“This team … is built on the back-end of the season when it gets cold. It’s going to be fun.”

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