The Saskatchewan Roughriders and their faithful subscribe to Rider Pride religiously. However, just being proud of the team's effort is starting to weigh on the Green and White.
The Riders are winless in six weeks after a 35-33 Labour Day Classic loss to Winnipeg on Sunday.
Saskatchewan started slow allowing the Blue Bombers to build a 29-14 lead at halftime. The Green and White mounted a comeback in the second half despite being without starting left guard and centre, as both Zack Fry and Peter Godber were out of the game due to injury early in the third quarter.
The Riders' comeback got the team within a two-point conversion of tying the game, but a Trevor Harris pass was batted down in the end zone. The never-say-die Roughriders were able to recover an on-side kick from Brett Lauther to get one more shot with the ball and attempt to get into field goal range with 12 seconds left. An apparent Harris interception on the ensuing play was waived off due to a pass interference penalty with a spot foul called.
After lining up for a 52-yard field goal, the CFL’s command centre would interject and re-spot the ball, forcing Lauther to attempt a 60-yard field goal. That ask was too much as the kick fell short and the Bombers would win the Labour Day Classic for the third time in the last four meetings. On the Co-operators Roughrider Radio Network, Saskatchewan, head coach Corey Mace was asked about the effort in the comeback.
“These guys battle their tails off. I'm proud of that, but we’ve got to find a way to win because there’s no dubs handed out for just being proud. We dug ourselves a hole going in at halftime. We made a push for it towards the end of the game. There were some things in the second half, but the execution was great. We just got to start the game like that instead of waiting for the second half.”
Adding to the complexity of the comeback was overcoming the adversity of moving the CFL’s sack leader, Micah Johnson, to the offensive line due to injuries. Early in the third quarter, Johnson, who usually wears No. 4, needed help from the equipment staff to put on a No. 57 jersey and enter the offensive huddle.
“It's tough playing a defensive lineman pretty much for the whole second half, it's not on your bingo card," Mace said.
The 5-6-1 Riders are now third place in the West, and Mace said they will have to have a sense of urgency in this weekend’s Banjo Bowl.
“I thought this was a must-win. They're all freaking must-wins right now; the West is tight. That's, that's how we're going
to attack this.”
The Riders take on the Blue Bombers Saturday at 2 p.m. at Princess Auto Stadium with the 620 CKRM Countdown to Kick-off starting at 11 a.m. You can watch the pre-game show LIVE on YouTube and listen to the game with yours truly and Luc Mullinder on the 620 CKRM Cooperators Roughrider Radio Network.
