The Labour Day Classic rematch was more like a Labour Day letdown for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Roughriders had a chance to build off their home-field victory from last Sunday, sweep the two-game series against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and establish a six-point advantage in the West Division standings.
Instead, they never led in Saturday’s road tilt and seemed a step behind or two behind the Bombers all game in a 19-6 loss.
“This one pisses you off as a player,” quarterback Trevor Harris said. “We missed an opportunity.”
The irritated Riders (8-5) now go into the bye week in the same place they were before their back-to-back set with the Bombers (7-6). They haven’t tracked down Edmonton for top spot in the West, and they’ve got a team hot on their tails.
How Saskatchewan got in this predicament is the focus of Riders Morning After.
Why they lost
The Riders simply couldn’t move the ball. They had just eight first downs through the first three quarters and scored a grand total of six points over that span courtesy of two field goals from Dawson Hodge in his CFL debut.
Turnovers sure didn’t help their cause. Fumbles lost by receivers D’Sean Mimbs and KeeSean Johnson killed a pair of drives in Winnipeg territory in the first and third quarters, respectively.
The fourth quarter wasn’t any better.
The Riders were marching midway through the final frame when Harris was picked off by Redha Kramdi while looking for Johnny Johnson III. Later, KeeSean dropped a catchable ball on third down that would have moved the chains. That led to a Bombers field goal.
The Riders managed just 278 yards of net offence.
“Defences are going to play us differently (each week) because we’re a different style of offence in the way that we get the ball out and do things,” Harris said. “That’s on us to make sure that we adjust. We didn’t make the plays that were there offensively as players.”
The only reason the Riders had a chance to win this game was because of their defence. The offence never came close to finding a second gear.
Game ball
There’s no question the best player on the field was Bombers’ Kramdi. The defensive back had three tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in his return to the lineup from injury.
From the Saskatchewan side, Seyi Oladipo Jr. had another strong game as he made his third straight CFL start at linebacker.
Oladipo had six tackles, a sack and a pass knockdown against the Bombers last Sunday. He followed up that performance Saturday with three tackles, a sack, a pass knockdown and a third-quarter interception that he returned 37 yards.
Led by Olapido, it was an even better showing from the Riders defence that it was on Labour Day weekend.
The Riders held the Bombers to just a single touchdown and four field goals in Winnipeg. They sacked Zach Collaros five times before he was knocked out of the game while trying to tackle Oladipo after the interception.
Collaros completed 13 of 19 passes for 175 yards and had a touchdown and two interceptions – Aubrey Miller Jr. had the other one – before he was replaced by Dru Brown.
Oladipo and defence brought it and deserved a better result on the scoreboard in this game. That they didn’t is on the offence.
Needed more from
It’s easy to just say the offence and leave it at that. No one brought their best to the table.
That starts with Harris.
The veteran pivot went 24-for-45, an uncharacteristically low 53.3 completion percentage, plus that fourth-quarter pick. It was the first game of the season in which he didn’t throw at least one touchdown.
But Harris didn’t get much help. There were drops aplenty from his pass non-catchers.
KeeSean Johnson is the best active receiver for the Riders but didn’t play like it. The lost fumble hurt. The drop on third down in the fourth quarter effectively ended any chance of a comeback. He was targeted only seven times and caught five passes for just 37 yards.
But it sure would have helped Harris and the receiving corps of the Riders had even a hint of a run game. That’s the answer here.
Quali Conley led the way with a paltry 35 rushing yards on just seven carries. The Riders had a grand total of 52 yards on the ground with the rest coming from Harris and his backup Tommy Stevens.
Sure, they trailed from 2:10 into the second quarter onward when former Rider Tommy Nield found the end zone. But they could have done more to establish the run.
“You get behind a little bit in scores, and it becomes a two-score game,” Mace said. “There were a couple (possessions) where we tried to establish the run, and we get a two-yard run. After a while, you’re starting to hit the pressure button. It’s like, ‘Hey, we've got to get going here.’”
Perhaps A.J. Ouellette can change the complexion of the offence in the next game, Sept. 25 against the B.C. Lions. That’s assuming he’s back from his knee injury by then.
Play of the game
There was just one touchdown scored in the game, and it was perfectly executed play action connection between Collaros and a wide-open Nield.
https://x.com/CFL/status/2098877640660885927
The 30-yard strike and some missed tackles on Bombers running back Brady Oliveria, who picked up 100 yards on 14 carries, were about the only blemishes from the Riders defence in the game.
The stat that matters
Hodge went 2-for-2 in his first CFL appearance, connecting from 33 and 27 yards. He wasn’t exactly tested from long range, but you can’t quibble with perfection.
Considering Alex Hale’s inconsistency this season, which led to him getting booed in Regina last weekend, Hodge’s effort was a welcome change.
“He made the kicks, so that’s a plus,” Mace said. “It’s a small sample size. We had a good enough feel for him throughout the week and throughout his time with us that I felt confident he’d go out there and get the job done.”
