Of all the games the Saskatchewan Roughriders have played, this was definitely the most recent one. The Green and Whites lost to Winnipeg 17-16 in a contest that, unless you're directly involved, you'll never think about again.
Here are the rest of my thoughts on what it was.
It Sucks (And That's Okay)
This is more of a league-wide statement than a reflection on this specific game.
There is a segment of the CFL fanbase that gets upset when anyone criticizes anything related to the league. They believe that the CFL is trying to grow, and any negativity about any aspect of the league is not constructive criticism, but rather an attack on its very essence.
Personally, I think the league is strong enough that a few jokes about bad play probably won't lead to its demise. So before anyone attacks me for secretly hating the league, I just want to state that I love this sport and this league. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have spent my Friday night watching this game.
With that said, let me state this: this game sucks. It was boring, poorly acted and mostly lifeless. The only entertaining part of all of this was the fact that it was close, despite the comedically large gap in talent and stakes on both sides. If I were a Winnipeg fan, I would be furious with the way my team played in a game that meant everything to us and nothing to our opponent.
Tough road to the playoffs
The Riders are in the enviable position of having everything ready. I'd rather be where Saskatchewan is than where Winnipeg is, but that doesn't mean there aren't problems.
The Riders are trying to keep the intensity high as well as keep everyone healthy for their next big game in three weeks. I thought they walked that tightrope very effectively in this game.
The game didn't turn out to be the most aesthetically pleasing, but that was a priority for Riders. It didn't matter who it was, everyone who played for Saskatchewan gave it everything they had and that's all you can ask for at this time of year.
With everything settled, the Riders will have a tough time countering their opponents' desperation, but they can try to match their efforts. They absolutely matched the Bombers' effort in this game, and perhaps it matched their desperation as well, although that had more to do with Winnipeg than anything Saskatchewan did.
What a start
The Riders couldn't have asked for a better start. Saskatchewan set the tone for a strong special teams day by forcing a fumble in the opener.
Then, one penalty later, the Riders were on the goal line and dove for a touchdown. This set the tone for the rest of the game.
I know Mike O'Shea said after the game that his team wasn't expecting handouts. Well, it didn't look like it. They looked like they expected the Riders' reserves to simply disappear at some point. Saskatchewan made it clear to them in the first game of the day that they weren't going to make life easy for Winnipeg all night.
Let's get the guys going
The first thing the Riders want to see in the final two games is for everyone to leave the field healthy. After that, they want a few players to get into a rhythm and finish the season strong.
Several players managed to do this on Friday. The first was Mario Alford, who had a fantastic start to the season but was slowed down by injuries. He hasn't looked as explosive since his return, but the old Alford was back in this game with some strong plays that helped the Riders take the starting position on the field. He was a weapon early in the season, and if he returns to that in the playoffs, it could be the game changer the team needs.
Sean Bayne Jr. was another player who may have set things in the right direction. He had just three receptions for 20 yards, but never returned to his 1,000-yard, one-game form. This was his first real start at receiver this year, so that's a good start. He's exactly the type of player who can really get a lot out of these last two games, potentially giving Trevor Harris another weapon to work with. At the very least, he will increase his position in free agency.
Mayer did everything he could
Jake Mayer got a call from the Riders QB when they gave Trevor Harris a week off and he was fine. The numbers won't blow your mind: just 15 completions for 123 yards, but he did what he was asked to do in this game. One of my main criticisms of Mayer in Calgary was his reluctance to push the ball down the field, so I'll give him points for at least trying to do that in this game. But he was certainly more effective when he moved to short and intermediate throws. There won't be any QB controversy or anything like that, but all he did was recruit reps to stay alert in case the Riders needed him in big moments. He succeeded.
Collar – oh no, he got hit again
The biggest story of this game from the Riders' perspective actually comes on defense. Again, this division was missing a few regulars, but that didn't matter. They were constantly in Zach Collaros's face, knocking him down several times. The passing was so effective that the Bombers targeted Brady Oliveira late in the game and it looked much the same as every other play Winnipeg had run. There have been some holes in the defense this year due to injuries, but this game should give Saskatchewan confidence that if there is an injury or issue during the playoffs, the depth players will be able to step up.
Turn on the transmission
It feels like we've had an amazing update every week this year. But as you could see from today's final score, some of these games will end in a one-two punch. So the above point about players finding their way certainly applies to Brett Lauter, who the Riders need to get to make the playoffs. He missed another kick in this game, but it was a 48-yard kick, so it definitely wasn't a gift. And it certainly wasn't his worst miss this season. He needs to continue to build his confidence over the last couple of weeks and the Riders are desperately hoping that will be the case.
On the punting side, Jesse Mirko was excellent, keeping Winnipeg in his 5 a couple of times which helped the defense significantly. Now, if those bounced into the end zone, it might be a different play, but you'll certainly take advantage of the field position advantage that the Riders play gave them.
Final Thoughts
Saskatchewan wasn't going to show anything in this game that would fundamentally change anyone's opinion of the team making the playoffs. It was almost a best-case scenario for the Riders as they remained mostly healthy and the players who were there competed and didn't look like a team going through the motions. The icing on the cake would be to beat their opponents in a game that would mean everything to them.
So we have one more dress rehearsal before this team plays their biggest game of the year. With a bye in the Western Semifinals, I expect we'll see a few more regulars at least start so they don't have to take a month between games. We can only hope for health and prepare for the Western Finals, which will take place on November 8 in Regina.
