Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-10) @ Toronto Argonauts (5-10)
BMO Field – Toronto, Ontario
2:00pm (CST) Kickoff
TV: TSN 1/3/4/5
Radio: Rider Radio Network (Pre-game Show begins at 11:00am)
CKRM 620AM – Regina
CJGX 940AM – Yorkton
CFWD (Cruz FM) 96.3FM – Saskatoon
CJNB 1050AM – North Battleford
CJNS 102.3FM – Meadow Lake
CKBI 900AM – Prince Albert
CKBI 92.5FM – Big River
CKBI 95.9FM – LaRonge
Estimated temperature at Kickoff: Rain 17C (62F)
“Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.”
– John Ray
Hello friends!! With just four games remaining and no playoffs in the near future for the Riders, we now await the sun to set on 2016.
Looking back one year, it’s a complete different feeling. 365 days ago, there was plenty of hand-wringing over the Riders 2-10 record, a mid-season coaching change and an interim head coach awaiting his fate. The feeling around the stadium, coffee shops, bars and watercoolers across Saskatchewan was very uneasy.
Fast-forward to this week. The record and stats are not much better with a 4-and-10 mark, but as opposed to 2015 where it was a downward progression, 2016 (even with the many bumps in the road) has been a steady upward trek.
The Green and White are on their first three-game winning streak in two-and-a-half years and stand a great chance of making it four in a row while facing a Toronto Argo club that is in disarray.
Some questioned the track that Chris Jones and the rest of the football staff have taken, but now that the results are starting to unfold, fans are beginning to understand why all of the change took place.
The Riders keep moving forward, making a pair of deals before the CFL Trade Deadline this past Wednesday. With the addition of Canadians Lyndon Gaydosh and Andrew Lue, as well as the acquisition of a pair of draft picks, this was a trade for the health of the Riders next season.
But let’s focus on the task at hand this week and the potential of a four game winning streak with a Saturday afternoon date in Toronto.
More change for the Green and White. With injuries to the receiving core and the trade that sent Xavier Fulton and Justin Capicciotti to Hamilton that means seven changes to a lineup that hasn’t seen much rotation over the past few weeks.
The most notable will be the juggling of the offensive line. Thaddeus Coleman moves to left tackle, Jarriel King to right tackle and Kennedy Estelle will now be inserted at left guard. That is a big change to a unit that had begun to gel.
Jeff Fuller and Armanti Edwards are out for the season at receiver, but the depth at that position will help the Riders Saturday. Ricky Collins Jr., and Ryan Lankford both have games under their belt this season and the offence shouldn’t miss much of a step.
Former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs running back, Joe McKnight will make his CFL debut in for Curtis Steele.
McKnight has quite the impressive resume: a five-star recruit out of Kenner, Louisiana, a 1,000-yard rusher at USC, fourth round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and one of the top running backs in the AFC in 2011. The tough part is he hasn’t seen much football action since playing a handful of games with the Chiefs in 2014.
The Argos are going through a storm of change as well. They released their top three receivers three weeks ago and their injury list is as robust as the Riders. Injuries to stars like Ricky Ray, Brandon Issac, Ricky Foley and Josh Bourke have really turned the Argos football life upside down.
The Argos look dead in the water after getting the brakes beat off them last week at home against the bellwether of the CFL, the Calgary Stampeders. At 5-10, they are just one game ahead of the Riders in the overall CFL standings, but the big difference between the two teams taking to the BMO Field turf Saturday afternoon…the possibility of the playoffs.
This makes Toronto dangerous. With three games remaining they trail Hamilton for second in the CFL’s East Division by just two points (though the Ti-Cats have a game at hand). The Argos need to finish second because the West will hold the crossover in the playoff race.
This makes the Double-Blue a desperate team and desperate teams will do anything to keep their playoff hopes alive.
So, you have a streaking and ever-improving team in the Riders taking on an Argo team that is adjusting to a new football life, but still in a frenzied race for the playoffs.
It will be interesting!
Go Riders!!
Fast Facts:
College Ties:
– Thomas Miles (TOR), Anthony Coombs (TOR) and Nic Demski (SSK) at the University of Manitoba
– Declan Cross (TOR), Tyler Crapigna (SSK) at McMaster University
– Kyler Elsworth (TOR), Greg Jones (SSK) at Michigan State University
– Alexandre Dupuis (TOR), Gregory Alexandre (SSK) at Université de Montréal
– Chris VanZeyl (TOR) and Andrew Jones (SSK) at McMaster University
– Jake Reinhart (TOR), Curtis Newton (TOR) and Daniel McDonald (SSK) at the University of Guelph
– Welcome to Rider Nation Joe McKnight.
– Drew Willy will be the 8th different Argo quarterback that Darian Durant has faced in his career. They include: Kerry Joseph, Dalton Bell, Cleo Lemon, Steven Jyles, Jarious Jackson, Ricky Ray and Zach Collaros (Trevor Harris faced off against Kevin Glenn and Brett Smith in 2015).
– Riders last win in Toronto was July 11, 2013 (39-28).
– Josh Bartel leads the CFL with 10 punts pinning opponents inside their 10-yard line.
– Justin Cox is tied for third in the CFL with four interceptions and is fourth in knockdowns with nine.
– Jeff Knox Jr. is tied for fourth in the CFL with 17 special teams’ tackles.
– Ed Gainey is tied for second in the CFL with 13 knockdowns.
