Arceneaux: ‘To finally get in the end zone, it was big’

TORONTO — Emmanuel Arceneaux isn’t used to taking a back seat.

Also referred to as “The Manny Show”, Arceneaux has been known for his big personality and even bigger plays on the football field.

But this season, his first as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, he’s taken a different approach. He’s been a more secondary aspect of Saskatchewan’s offence, allowing the younger pass-catchers like Shaq Evans and Kyran Moore to become stars.

So when he finally got his first touchdown as a Rider in his team’s 41-16 win over the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field on Friday night, it was special for the veteran.

“To finally get in the end zone, it was big,” Arceneaux said after the contest. “Because you have to think about week after week after week, you’re worried about can I get a get a catch? Can I get a score? And finally when it came after waiting so long for something that was routine for me throughout my career. That was the biggest adjustment, getting used to the role and embracing it.”

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Arceneaux’s 55-yard score came in the fourth quarter, extending the Riders lead to 34-10.

“I know it’s been a while for him and you could just tell that the sideline was so excited for him and to catch a deep ball like that and to get him in the end zone, it felt a little bit more personal to me,” said quarterback Cody Fajardo. “He said he almost started crying when the ball was in the air because it was so emotional for him.”

Along with Arceneaux, Moore, Evans, Fajardo and backup quarterback Bryan Bennett all got in on the scoring action, helping their team clinch a playoff berth.

Moore hauled in a 28-yard touchdown pass from Cody Fajardo in the second quarter, Saskatchewan’s first major score of the night. Evans caught an eight-yard major in the third frame giving the visiting team a 20-3 lead.

Along with Moore and Evans, who have 710 and 903 receiving yards on the season respectively, the Riders have a few other pass-catchers waiting on the sidelines ready to add to their dangerous offence.

Jordan Williams-Lambert has yet to play since returning from his time in the NFL and Kenny Stafford, who was traded to the Riders a few weeks ago, hasn’t suited up yet either.

“It’s a great problem to have,” Fajardo said of his team’s offensive depth. “When you have depth at offensive line and wide receiver, it’s a good problem to have as quarterback knowing that if something were to happen down the stretch, we’ve got a tonne of guys that are ready to play. Even Kenny Stafford, he came here (to Saskatchewan) and he hasn’t even been on the field.”

Now the Riders look forward to hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 17 action as they set their sights on first place in the West Division.