CALGARY — The Saskatchewan Roughriders are to face the Calgary Stampeders today in a battle of West Division rivals.
To set up the CFL contest (7 p.m., CKRM, TSN), here’s one man’s list of five things that bear watching:
1. Flingin’ for 50: Roughriders quarterback Kevin Glenn needs just 116 yards passing to reach the 50,000-yard mark for his career. The 38-year-old pivot enters today’s game averaging 351.7 yards per game this season, so he could reach the plateau at McMahon Stadium. If he does, Glenn would become the seventh quarterback in CFL history to get to 50,000, joining Anthony Calvillo (79,816), Damon Allen (72,381), Henry Burris (63,369), Ricky Ray (56,412), Danny McManus (53,255) and Ron Lancaster (50,535). Glenn spent two seasons (2012-13) with the Stampeders, so he could reach the milestone in one of his former homes.
2. Henoc Muamba: The Roughriders’ middle linebacker returned to the lineup for the July 8 game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after missing the July 1 contest against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with a knee injury. Now Muamba gets the unenviable task of facing Calgary tailback Jerome Messam, a 255-pounder who has the power to run over defensive linemen and linebackers. It’s up to Muamba — along with defensive tackles Zach Minter and Eddie Steele — to keep Messam from getting started. Saskatchewan went into the week with the league’s fifth-best rushing defence, allowing an average of 74.0 yards per game.
3. Derek Dennis: The Roughriders’ offensive tackle returns to Calgary for the first time since signing with Saskatchewan as a free agent in the off-season. As a member of the Stampeders, Dennis was named the CFL’s most outstanding offensive lineman in 2016. The 6-foot-3, 345-pounder has been a big part of the Roughriders’ O-line so far this season. Through three games, the group has helped Saskatchewan average 410.3 yards of net offence — the league’s best such number entering Week 5. As well, the Roughriders had surrendered just five sacks through three games, tying them for third in the league going into the week.
4. Go for Bo: Saskatchewan’s pass-rushers have recorded five sacks and 20 quarterback pressures this season — and they’re going to need more tonight if the Roughriders are to beat Calgary. Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell can’t be allowed to stand in the pocket and pick apart the Roughriders’ defence or else it could be a long night for the visitors. Saskatchewan used a three-man rush at times during the first two games and it didn’t work out well. The Roughriders often sent four defenders after Hamilton’s Zach Collaros on July 8 and it worked out exceedingly well. Expect the Roughriders to send four (or more) after Mitchell.
5. Stampeded in Calgary: Saskatchewan will be looking to end a nine-game regular-season losing streak at McMahon Stadium — a skid in which the Roughriders have been outscored 348-198. The drought dates back to the 2009 season, when the Roughriders were undefeated in Calgary: They beat the Stampeders 24-23 on Aug. 1 and tied the home team 44-44 on Oct. 17. Saskatchewan may not have had success in Cowtown in the regular season since 2009, but it has won games there in the interim. The Roughriders defeated the host Stampeders in both the 2010 and 2013 West Division finals.
