Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-5-0)
at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-7-0)
Saturday, noon, Investors Group Field
CKRM, TSN
THE FORECAST: Environment Canada is calling for periods of rain or snow and a high of 3 C.
THE LOWDOWN: The Roughriders and Bombers are to meet for the third and final time in the 2018 regular season. Saskatchewan took the first two games, winning 31-23 on Sept. 2 in the Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium and 32-27 in the rematch on Sept. 8 at Investors Group Field … That win in Winnipeg snapped Saskatchewan’s three-game losing streak in the Manitoba capital … The contest Saturday will go a long way in determining playoff positioning in the West Division. The Roughriders currently are in second place, four points back of the first-place Calgary Stampeders and four points ahead of the third-place Bombers. A Saskatchewan win and a B.C. Lions loss later Saturday in Calgary means the Roughriders will clinch a home playoff game. If Winnipeg wins, the playoff picture will remain murky for another week … The Roughriders won their seventh game in eight starts Monday, defeating the Edmonton Eskimos 19-12. Winnipeg beat the Ottawa Redblacks 40-32 in overtime on Oct. 5 to stretch its winning streak to three games.
THE RIDERS’ ROSTER: Quarterback Zach Collaros, who has an 8-3-0 record this season, is to make his 10th straight start behind centre. Brandon Bridge and David Watford are the backups … The Roughriders generated a season-low 32 yards rushing total in their victory over Edmonton, so tailbacks Tre Mason (who led the team with 20 yards on 10 carries Monday) and Marcus Thigpen (who didn’t have a carry) will be out to improve on that total against a Bombers defence that entered the week ranked third in rushing yards allowed (99.9 yards per game) … The Roughriders’ receiving corps will have a slightly different look Saturday. Jordan Williams-Lambert, who was hurt early in the fourth quarter Monday, has been placed on the one-game injured list. He’ll be replaced at slotback by Devon Bailey, whose spot at wide receiver is taken by Caleb Holley. The rest of the starting receivers — Shaq Evans, Kyran Moore and Kenny Shaw — are the same from Monday’s game. Rob Bagg returns to the roster and joins Brian Jones and the newly acquired Patrick Lavoie as backups. K.D. Cannon, who was on the roster Monday, moves to the one-game injured list … Centre Dan Clark also has been placed on the one-game injured list, so Brendon LaBatte slides over from left guard to centre. Philip Blake — who was acquired along with Lavoie from the Montreal Alouettes on Wednesday — starts at left guard. Left tackle Takoby Cofield, right guard Dariusz Bladek and right tackle Thaddeus Coleman retain their starting spots, with Josiah St. John as the sixth man … The defensive line welcomes back tackle Mic’hael Brooks, who comes off the six-game injured list early after missing the past two games. He replaces Makana Henry, who has been placed on the one-game injured list. Brooks rejoins tackle Zack Evans and ends Charleston Hughes and Willie Jefferson in the starting front four, with Tobi Antigha, Chad Geter, Curt Maggitt, Jordan Reaves and Eddie Steele rotating in along the line … Linebackers Derrick Moncrief (four tackles, one tackle for loss) and Cameron Judge (two tackles, one sack, one forced fumble) had big games against Edmonton. Sam Eguavoen, Sam Hurl and Kevin Francis will join those two in the linebacking rotation Saturday … The starting five in the secondary once again comprises Nick Marshall and Matt Elam on the corners, Ed Gainey and Loucheiz Purifoy inside and Mike Edem at safety. On Monday, that group helped limit the Eskimos to 222 yards passing, with 71 of those yards coming on a last-play Hail Mary … Crezdon Butler is the sixth DB on the roster … Kicker Brett Lauther missed two field goals in a game for the first time in his Roughriders career Monday, so he’s looking to bounce back. Punter Josh Bartel and long-snapper Jorgen Hus will be the other specialists Saturday.
Click here for the full depth chart
Click here for the game notes
