'Go out there and get your last win': Wes Cates encourages Riders to end on a positive note, following six straight losses

Wes Cates is encouraging the Riders to end out the year on a positive note – to put a stop to the green and white’s six game losing streak ahead of its final regular season matchup.

Brit Dort

Time for another edition of X's and O's in time to once again break down a Rider's loss, but we're still happy to have you Wes.

Wes Cates

“Hey Brit, it was a tough one. Played better, but not good enough.”

I will say that I thought they looked strong in the first half they were leading 13-0 at one point. The second half a little bit of a different story. Where did it start to go wrong for them?

“You can look at it a couple of ways. I thought they really played a strong first half, then everybody kind of wants to talk about taking that safety and Dickenson is just worrying too much about the field position. I don't really like putting points up on the board for the other team. In certain situations that's fine but never really in my mind – when they haven't scored anything yet. I would rather have a bad punt and have them be in field goal position after a bad punt and keep them out of the end zone. Then to give them two and then it didn't really work out because the kickoff wasn't that deep and then you get five points right before half. And I think that could be the point that started steamrolling. But if it wasn't that it was definitely in that second half Mario Alford you know, great player on this team but can't fumble right there. Then if that wasn't the case, it surely was when Jake Dolegala threw that pick.”

I was gonna say the pick six proving to be very costly. There was another six turnovers on the night for the Riders. They haven't been good on the turnover front; turnover on downs as well. What needs to change on offense?

“Well, I mean, it's really just about being a ball control offense, clearly. You're not really that strong up front. So you don't want to sit there and have these drawn out, long plays where quarterback has to stand back in the pocket and wait for things to develop. Also, you're having a little bit more success with the run game as of late but it seems like when you need those tough yards, the o-line and the backs haven't been able to get them. So I think you really just put the offense in a situation where they don't really have to worry about doing too much, just protect the ball. It's been the offense giving the ball up that's really put the defense in a bind and made the sport get out of hand at times.”

Well we know this loss gives Calgary the season series. Both teams still have a shot at the playoffs. Riders only have one regular season game left because they have a bye week. Stamps have two. What is it like for a team kind of being in control of their own destiny but not at the same time at this point in the season?

“I mean, really all you can do is go out and play your best game, this last game. Toronto is obviously a team that doesn't need a win but they've been playing great whether the starters are out there backups, whatever the case may be. But the Riders just need to go out there and do what they can do get this win. Put some pressure on Calgary, obviously Calgary goes to B.C., then they have Winnipeg at home. B.C. is likely going to want to try to win that game. But you want to make it so that Calgary has to get a couple of wins as opposed to just one against Winnipeg when we don't know what Winnipeg is going to bring to that last game in Calgary. So biggest thing for the Riders is to go out there, play some good ball and just for whatever sake just for everybody's own personal well being – just to end on a good note, that sort of thing. Go out there and get your last win. Then whatever, Calgary can go out and get two wins and get in still. Kudos to them, but don't just hand it over to them.”

Well, very quickly. We're low on time. I'm making you grade them this week Wes. What are we giving them?

“You know what, I really liked the way they came out and played, the way they responded. I don't like the turnovers. Obviously, some of the coach's calls were a little rough – they might have cost them. So I'll give them a D on this game because I thought they really did come out and play well, but they just didn't make the plays when they needed to and they had some bad coaching decisions.”

Well, we will see in that final game of the regular season that maybe they can get a passing grade. Thanks for this one Wes.

“No problem.”

Wes Cates is a Grey Cup Champion. He previously played as a running back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2007 until 2011.

In that time he recorded 46 touchdowns, over 4,700 yards rushing and 2,095 yards receiving.

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Cates now calls Saskatchewan home.