Stay tuned for a most intriguing West Division collision.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders — who lead the CFL in offensive points per game — are poised to face a resurgent Calgary Stampeders team that boasts the league’s stingiest defence, from a statistical perspective.
It all adds up to an appetizing matchup that is slated for Friday, 7 p.m., at Mosaic Stadium.
“I think it’s pretty cool from a fan-base standpoint,” Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said during Thursday’s pre-game media availability.
“For our offence, it’s a test. You want to see where you stand and, certainly, Calgary has done a heck of a job defensively to this point in the season.”
Case in point: Calgary (3-1) has allowed rival offences to score only four touchdowns — none of which have been registered before the fourth quarter.
The Stampeders have permitted a mere 20.3 points per game. That figure descends to 18.3 when offensive points are considered.
The Roughriders (4-0) hope to inflate the Stampeders’ defensive numbers, having averaged 29.3 offensive points per game.
“I think it’s one of those games that you get excited for as a fan,” Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris said, “and you’re sure as heck excited as a player — especially because we’re here at Mosaic.
“I know the fans will be out, loud and proud.”
Entering this weekend’s schedule, the Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats are tied for the league lead in touchdowns (15).
With 135 regulation-time points, the Roughriders sport the third-highest total in franchise history.
The 2013 Roughriders, who went on to win the Grey Cup, erupted for 151 points while enjoying a 4-0 start. The 1988 edition amassed 147 starts while winning three of its first four games.
“We’re 4-0, but that doesn’t mean anything at this point,” Harris noted. “This week, we’re trying to go 1-0. That’s really where we’re at right now.
“We just want to re-set from where we were. How can we climb and get better? I think our best football, for sure, is in front of us — as an offence, at least. I don’t think we’ve played clean games.
“Our defence has done a good job scoring touchdowns in a few games for us and setting us up in good spots. We’ve just got to make sure that we keep capitalizing on opportunities that we’re given and capitalizing with effective execution.
“We’re not where we need to be. We’ve got a way to go, but we’ll get there.”
Although there is room for improvement, Harris appreciates the fact that the team has scored plenty of points despite a steady stream of injuries on offence.
Harris, for example, sat out a June 28 home game against the B.C. Lions. With Jake Maier behind centre, the Roughriders won 37-18.
Kian Schaffer-Baker has been out of the lineup for all but a few snaps. Samuel Emilus, another immensely talented Canadian-born pass-catcher, has missed the past two games.
The receiving corps is also without Shawn Bane Jr., who is getting closer to returning to active duty from a knee injury he sustained last September.
A.J. Ouellette has a league-best 347 rushing yards even though he was sidelined for the final three quarters of the regular-season opener.
On top of that, the offensive line continues to perform in robust fashion despite being beset by injuries, as was the case last season.
How have the Roughriders been able to produce as they have despite all the injury-related setbacks?
“I think a lot of it is belief,” said Harris, dispensing kudos to Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller. “Marc put together a system and guys believe in it. Whoever steps in the huddle, we believe in one another.”
PASSING PROWESS
Harris and Calgary’s Vernon Adams Jr. are the CFL’s leaders in average yards per attempt this season.
With 806 yards to show for 80 attempts, Harris leads the loop with an average of 10.01 yards. Adams Jr., with 1,025 yards on 103 throws, is next in line at 9.95.
“V.A. will stick in the pocket for the big play,” Roughriders defensive tackle Micah Johnson said.
“A lot of quarterbacks aren’t giving it a chance right now. They’re just trying to get the ball out as quick as they can and get out of the pocket as quick as they can.
“But you know V.A. is going to take his time and make all his reads. He’ll even stare down a gun barrel and take a big hit to make a big play. We know that’s what he is and he’s even more alive when he gets out of the pocket.”
Adams Jr.’s 116 rushing yards place him 12th in the league. He is averaging an impressive 8.3 yards per carry.
Among quarterbacks with at least 100 rushing yards, the Edmonton Elks’ Tre Ford has the best average (8.8). Adams Jr. (8.3) and the Lions’ Nathan Rourke (8.2) are next.
TREVOR’S TOTALS
• Harris is on a career-best seven-game regular-season winning streak as a starter. In each of those games, he has completed at least 70 per cent of his passes. If he reaches that percentage once again on Friday, he will tie the league-record streak of eight. He set the mark during a stretch that spanned the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Hamilton’s Dane Evans tied Harris in 2019.
• Harris needs one completion for a career total of 2,808, which would move him into a tie with Tom Clements for 11th in CFL history. Friday marks the 46th anniversary of Clements’ regular-season debut with the Roughriders, with whom he spent the first eight games of the 1979 season after being acquired from the Ottawa Rough Riders.
• The next TD pass by Harris — his 186th — will tie him with Montreal Alouettes legend Sam (The Rifle) Etcheverry for 17th All-Time.
EXTRA POINTS
• Brett Lauther is three points shy of becoming the third player to score 1,000 points as a Roughrider. Dave Ridgway leads the list at 2,374, followed by Paul McCallum (1,615). Ridgway and McCallum are in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
• Lauther, who made his CFL debut with Hamilton in 2013, has 1,028 career points. He needs two to tie Stampeders legend Larry Robinson for 25th All-Time.
• A victory on Friday would give Saskatchewan a 5-0 record for the third time. The 2008 team started at 6-0. The 2013 edition won its first five games.
• Ouellette has enjoyed back-to-back 4-0 starts as a Roughrider after helping the 2023 Toronto Argonauts win their first six games.
• Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford needs one kickoff-return touchdown to tie Harvey Wylie’s CFL career record of five. Wylie, a member of the Stampeders from 1956 to 1964, had two of his kickoff return majors against Saskatchewan.
