The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak Sunday against a team riding a seven-game winning streak.
The 3-4-0 Roughriders are to face the 7-0-0 Calgary Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium (5 p.m., CKRM, TSN) in a clash of West Division rivals.
The CFL teams met in Regina on July 28, where Calgary won 34-22. The Stampeders scored 24 straight points in the first quarter and rode that quick start to the victory.
That was the first of two consecutive losses for the Roughriders; on Aug. 2, they fell 26-19 to the host Edmonton Eskimos.
Here’s one man’s list of five things to watch during Sunday’s game.
- Playing D: The Stampeders and Roughriders entered the week with two of the league’s top defences in terms of statistics. Through seven games this season, Calgary has allowed just 255.3 yards of net offence per game (first in the league), 72.3 yards rushing per game (first), 199.7 yards passing per game (first) and six offensive touchdowns (first). Saskatchewan has surrendered 309.3 yards of net offence (second), 76.6 yards rushing per game (second), 256.6 yards passing per game (fifth) and 13 offensive TDs (second) over its first seven games. The first meeting actually was a defensive struggle, so expect more of the same.
- Welcome, Matt: Linebacker Matt Elam was scratched just before kickoff in Edmonton after an error on the Roughriders’ official roster rendered him ineligible to play. That mistake won’t happen again, so the former NFL safety should make his second start on the strong side of the Roughriders’ defence in place of the injured Derrick Moncrief. Elam had three tackles and one tackle for a loss in his first game — the aforementioned contest against Calgary — and delivered a couple of big hits, especially after he dropped back to safety and played centre field.
- Back at it: Caleb Holley was the odd man out in the game in Edmonton. When cornerback Nick Marshall returned from a wrist injury, Duron Carter moved from corner to slotback and that bumped Holley to the one-game injured list. With Carter’s release last Saturday, Holley regains his starting position in the slot. The third-year Rider had high hopes for the season — he wanted to get to 1,000 yards receiving — but he enters this game with just 10 receptions on 20 targets for 193 yards with no touchdowns.
- The line forms here: Saskatchewan’s offensive line had some protection issues through the team’s first four games, allowing nine sacks. Since then, however, the unit has been solid. The Roughriders have surrendered only one sack over their past three games, and that was against the Stampeders. Saskatchewan entered the week ranked third in the league with 10 sacks allowed, just one behind the league-leading duo of Calgary and Winnipeg. The Roughriders’ O-line has one change this week, though; Takoby Cofield replaces Terran Vaughn at left tackle.
- Net gains: Roughriders punter Josh Bartel has punted 54 times this season (the second-highest number in the league entering the week) for a 42.4-yard average (the lowest number in the league). His net average of 34.0 yards was eighth-best, but that was skewed by 454 return yards allowed — which tied Saskatchewan for the second-most in the league. That included a 78-yarder for a TD by the Stamps’ Terry Williams in the previous meeting. Calgary’s Rob Maver was seventh in the league with a gross average of 44.0 yards and fifth with a net average of 35.4 yards.
