Liam Richards/Electric Umbrella
The Saskatchewan Roughriders can move one step closer to a berth in the CFL playoffs tonight.
Saskatchewan plays host to the Ottawa Redblacks at Mosaic Stadium (8 p.m., CKRM, TSN). With a win tonight and a loss by the B.C. Lions to the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday, the Roughriders will clinch at least a crossover playoff spot.
The Roughriders have an 8-6-0 record and are tied for third place in the West Division with the Edmonton Eskimos (8-6-0). The Lions (6-8-0) are four points back in fifth place.
The Roughriders and Redblacks met two weeks ago, with Saskatchewan rallying from a 17-0 deficit to win 18-17 in Ottawa. Both teams are coming off wins; the Roughriders beat the Toronto Argonauts 27-24 on Saturday, the same night that Ottawa downed the Lions 30-25.
To set up tonight’s game, here’s one man’s list of five things (or people) that bear watching:
1. Trigger Men: The question in Saskatchewan to start the week pertained to the Roughriders’ starting quarterback. Head coach-GM Chris Jones squelched the talk after Saturday’s game and again after practice Tuesday when he declared that Kevin Glenn would retain the No. 1 job. But Jones pulled Glenn after just four possessions in Toronto and replaced him with Brandon Bridge, who led the Roughriders to the victory. Glenn worked with the starting offence during practice this week, but the leash could be getting shorter since Bridge has been effective every time he has played in a game.
2. Revenge on the run: The last time these teams met, Redblacks tailback William Powell set a franchise record with 187 yards rushing. The Argonauts followed by gaining 110 yards along the ground against the Roughriders — the fourth time in the past five games that they had surrendered at least 100 yards rushing. Not surprisingly, the run defence has been a constant theme whenever Jones was asked in what areas Saskatchewan had to improve. But the Roughriders allowed only two rushing touchdowns during that same five-game stretch and that helped them give up an average of just 21.8 points in those five contests.
3. Backup ’backers: Strong-side linebacker Otha Foster III didn’t play in Toronto due to a back injury — and that ailment now has landed him on the six-game injured list. Derrick Moncrief played in Foster’s place against the Argos and will do so again versus the Redblacks. Weak-side linebacker Sam Eguavoen also has been placed on the six-game injured list, so Jeff Knox Jr., will get his first start of the season at Will tonight. Both Knox and Moncrief have proven they can play in the league, so the Roughriders are hoping they can handle their respective roles again.
4. Denzel Radford: The Roughriders traded for the University 
of Calgary product during training camp, hopeful that the rookie could contribute on special teams. Radford has done just that, recording a team-high 18 special-teams tackles to sit fourth in the CFL in that category entering the week. He also has filled in at safety (despite never having played the position before) and he can play receiver if required. But Radford is making his mark on the cover teams, recording at least one special-teams tackle in 10 of the past 12 games he has played.
5. Between the pipes: Roughriders kicker Tyler Crapigna has hit 10 straight field-goal attempts over his past six games. His last miss — on a 43-yard attempt that was partially blocked — occurred in the third quarter of Saskatchewan’s 54-31 victory in Edmonton on Aug. 25. Since then, Crapigna has gone 3-for-3 against the visiting Bombers on Sept. 3, 2-for-2 versus the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sept. 15, 1-for-1 against Ottawa on Sept. 29 and 4-for-4 in Toronto on Saturday. He didn’t attempt any field goals in Winnipeg on Sept. 9 or at home against the Calgary Stampeders on Sept. 24.
