Roughriders looking to win against Blue Bombers with the Grey Cup in sight
With a 108th Grey Cup berth in the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5) sights the only team left standing in their way are the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-3).
Roughrider quarterback Cody Fajardo knows tomorrow will be a battle.
“I think it is going to be a dog fight. I think it is honestly going to be a smash mouth football game with the weather being what it is,” Fajardo said.
With high winds and snow expected in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, Rider head coach Craig Dickenson believes the day could have an old school feeling.
“It could be one of those old school football games where there is a lot of running and some wild plays if the wind is blowing like we think it may, there may be some stuff in the kicking game that is entertaining to see,” Dickenson said.
This is the second straight season that the two teams will meet in the west final. The Blue Bombers beat the Roughriders in 2019 with a score of 20-13 in Regina. The game saw a last minute throw by Cody Fajardo hit the cross bar.
“With the way our season ended with Winnipeg ending our season (in 2019) and now you have an opportunity to go into their house and do the same thing they did to you, it's something you don’t get too many opportunities at so you’re excited and eager,” Fajardo said.
The two teams have not met since weeks five and six with the Blue Bombers taking both games by a wide margin.
On the injury front the Riders will be without linebacker Micah Teitz (foot) and Jacob Dearborn (shoulder) while Duke Williams (foot) was limited at practice on Friday and is listed as a game-time decision. Loucheiz Purifoy and A.C. Leonard are expected to play. Godfrey Onyeka is expected to draw back into the line up.
Quarter back Fajardo knows that last weeks performance cannot be repeated against a Winnipeg defense that led the league in forced turnovers with 38. They’ve also allowed the fewest points-per-game in the league with 13.4.
“I feel like I do a very good of playing next play mentality and if you don’t have that and you kind of let those picks linger and then you aren’t able to execute when the games on the line,” Fajardo said.
The Blue Bombers defense will have to adjust to an offense they have yet to see this year as they will face Shaq Evans and Duke Williams for the first time.
“We brought back Shaq (Evans) and Duke (Williams) and we are undefeated with them in the line up,” Fajardo said. “We got good confidence in that locker room.”
The Riders will be looking to keep Powell in the offense. The running back saw 44 and 88 yard games against the Bombers this season.
The special teams have been special this season for the Riders and should play a crucial role. They recovered an onside kick against Calgary to start the second half last week that led to a touch down.
“The games in our hand, if were playing defense in the last seconds of the game, and (if) they are trying to score then we are in good shape,” defensive back Ed Gainey said.
“Start fast, stop the run, put them in second and long I think we will be good.”
In the two games against the Riders this season, the Blue Bombers did not allow a touchdown in the second half.
The Blue Bombers haven’t lost a game at home this season and have won 18 of their last 19 games on their own turf.
The temperature at game time is expected to be -5 but feeling like -13 with snow in the forecast. The game kicks off at 3 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.