The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ last game against Edmonton may have little impact on the standings, but it gives players like Jaxon Ford and Josh Woods a chance to prove their value before the playoffs.
Both players are trying to regain their statuses as key players in the team’s defence.
Ford is working to earn back the trust of the coaching staff after a couple of costly penalties, late hits in road games against B.C. and Montreal that helped contribute to opponents’ touchdowns.
He says he’s made progress in learning when to pull back after the play but knows he still needs to be more disciplined.
“I think I’ve been doing a better job of realizing when to stop at the whistle and not finishing the play after the whistle, Ford said. “It’s definitely been hurting my playing time, and I’ve got to do a better job at not taking those bad penalties because it’s not good for the team. It’s not good for me.”
Ford spent the first part of the season at safety before the combination of an ankle injury and that bad penalty in Vancouver on Aug. 23 caused him to lose his job to Nelson Lokombo. He’s played the last two games at linebacker.
He’s been coming in early to watch film and putting in extra work with his teammates after practice to prove he can be counted on heading into the playoffs.
While Ford is eager to earn more opportunities on the field, Woods is embracing the Riders’ approach to sharing playing time across a deep linebacking group.
Woods sustained an ankle injury in a game against Toronto on Aug. 29. With his replacement Aubrey Miller Jr. emerging at linebacker, Woods has had a tough time getting defensive reps.
He says the team has enough talent to benefit from rotating players rather than relying on a select few. He appreciates how coach Corey Mace and his staff are managing his workload as the Riders prepare for the playoffs.
Woods had his most productive game last week against Montreal since getting hurt, recording four tackles – including two for a loss.
He isn’t concerned about competing for playing time, pointing instead to the experience and ability throughout the linebacking group.
“I’ve been in this league for a while,” he said. “Everybody knows what I can do. … I’m a baller.
“We have a lot of talent, so why not use us all?”
The shared workload has also helped build camaraderie among the linebackers. The emphasis is on celebrating each other’s success rather than focusing on individual opportunities.
“It’s been awesome for all of us to play,” he said. “We go off each other and build off each other, and it shows. If any of us make a play, you see all of us juice.”
Woods notes the same mentality carries into preparation. Everyone needs to be ready to step in when called upon.
“We all prepare as starters,” Woods said.
That’s the mindset Woods and Ford have heading into Saturday’s last regular season game, and it’s the mindset they’ll have for as long as the Riders’ postseason run goes.
