'We all have bad days': Riders return to practice following Week 11 loss

It was evident who took the most heat from fans after the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost to the Montreal Alouettes 27-24 on Friday night as the team failed to tie it on the final play of the game with a 48-yard field goal attempt.

Kicker Brett Lauther took the brunt of criticism after missing four field goals on the night. At practice on Monday, he was out working with his special teams unit and remains the go-to guy for the green and white.

“That’s the kind of guy he is, he’s going to put that all on himself. But you know when you watch [it back] there was a lot of stuff that we didn’t have to rely on Brett to get it handled [for us],” said head coach, Corey Mace following practice.

“But Brett seems laser focused and locked in. I mean he got a bunch of kicks up today. Just you know working on fine tuning his craft. He’s treating it like a professional. He had a bad day, we all have bad days, myself included.”

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It’s the exact stance Lauther himself took when asked about Friday’s performance.

“I don’t want to change anything. Obviously can’t go back in time and make those kicks again. And I want to [be able] to go out and make those. But for me I still feel like I work hard enough each and every week,” he told reporters Monday.

“I think changing stuff [in my kicking] isn’t the smartest thing to do. I’m just putting my shoes on the same way, one at a time and coming out here and kicking balls, working hard in the gym. Just staying locked in mentally so I can go out there Thursday night and have a better game and hopefully we can win.”

Meanwhile the physical matchup between the Alouettes and Riders has led to some new and re-occurring injuries amongst the team. Running back A.J. Ouellette was once again limited at practice on Monday due to his hip injury.

Ouellete had just returned to the lineup after missing three games due to his hip. Additionally receiver Mitch Picton was seen on the sidelines in a walking boot cast on Monday as he deals with an ankle injury from last week’s game.

But some Canadian receivers that could help fill the ratio in Picton’s absence are Ajou Ajou and Kian Schaffer-Baker.

“There’s potential there [for Schaffer-Baker to return]. I mean obviously Dhel Duncan-Busby got some [reps] last game and Ajou AJou has looked like he’s trending in the right direction. So we have some options but we have to make sure that they’re comfortable enough to actually go out there,” said Mace.

Ajou missed last week’s matchup after he suffered a finger injury but was adamant he could suit up this week once again.

“It was just a little boo boo,” he joked. “But I’m back and better than ever so let’s work. I just need to do my thing until big bro gets back,” Ajou said referring to Picton.

There was a bigger change on offence though on Monday as the team announced they signed offensive lineman, Trevon Tate. Tate comes to the Riders from the Calgary Stampeders. He suited up for four games with the Stamps this season and before that had spent two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts.

“It’s been the best thing that’s happened to me. It’s a sigh of relief to just to be able to come to an organization that has a coach that I can trust, that I’ve been around for the last two seasons and a team that’s doing well,” said Tate.

Tate was already lining up at right tackle with the starting offensive line at Monday’s practice.

“To be inserted right away is a great feeling and to know that those guys trust me is a great feeling,” Tate shared.

The team is in need of a win as they have not garnered one since Jul. 19th versus Winnipeg. However Saskatchewan does still sit atop the West Division but the top four teams are only separated by three points.

“We have eight games [remaining] and six of them are against Western opponents. It’s a tight race right now and it’s even crazy to that technically we haven’t won a game in almost a month and yet we’re still in the hunt,” Mace said.

"So let’s get back on the horse. We’re on a short week again against an eastern opponent. [Who is] coming off a bye-week so we have to have our stuff together."