Riders hoping to build on strong defensive performance
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defence will be looking to build off a lights-out performance in their week two win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Two interceptions, two fumbles and two turnovers on downs, the Riders were all over the Ti-Cats, forcing six turnovers in total.
"We’re playing hard and we’re getting to the football," Riders head coach Craig Dickenson said. "We’re not playing perfect, for sure, and we’ve got to shore some things up, but we’ve made improvements from game one to game two."
The defence had six sacks to go with the half-dozen takeaways. Saskatchewan leads the CFL with eight sacks through two games.
Veteran defensive tackle Micah Johnson said he’s impressed with how quickly the line has come together.
"It’s showing around the board, it’s a lot of talent, so it’s just about guys doing their jobs and we’re waiting for your turn because your turns gonna come," Johnson said.
Ottawa finished with 127 yards in its week one win over the Edmonton Elks.
Despite the lack of production from the Redblacks, Saskatchewan knows the big play ability is still there.
"We have to come out ready to go because they’re going to come out ready to go, they’re a fiery group and they have some character over there, they have some guys that have a lot of fight in them," Johnson said.
The Riders have started strong in each of their two wins and they’re hoping for more of the same against Ottawa on Saturday.
"We got an idea of what to expect, so just try to make these guys one dimensional, so we can get the pass rush going along the D-line," Riders linebacker Deon Lacey said.
Lacey knows Ottawa quarterback Matt Nichols well from their time together in Edmonton. He said Nichols can be dangerous if he has time.
"With his quick game, if he can get the protection and get the ball downfield, he's pretty good at putting the ball where it needs to be, so that's why we're gonna try to disrupt them early," Lacey said.
The Riders are preparing for a heavy dose of running back Timothy Flanders, who was arguably the Redblacks’ best weapon in week one, in the air and on the ground, finishing 39 yards rushing and seven receiving.
But the Riders have been good stopping the run, allowing only 79 rushing yards in two games so far.
"He’s a short, stout guy, he gets his feet going downhill and he can do some damage, but you get him stopping his feet and he’s not as effective," Lacey said.
On the injury front, Saskatchewan saw offensive lineman Brett Boyko return to practice on Thursday after missing last week with an illness. Dickenson expects him to play.
A.C. Leonard also participated in practice and expects to play on Saturday.
The Riders and Redblacks meet at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday at 5 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.