As the Saskatchewan Roughriders take on the Hamilton Tigercats in CFL action in Regina, SK, August 16, 2025. Photo Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are enjoying a sack spree.
Sixteen sacks over the past three games have vaulted Saskatchewan into the league lead (28) entering Saturday’s CFL West Division game against the host Calgary Stampeders.
“The guys just have the mindset that they want to get to the quarterback,” Roughriders defensive tackle Caleb Sanders said after Thursday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium.
“We take it personally in the D-line room. We’re a really competitive crew. Everyone wants to get one. Everyone wants to have the most.
“I think it’s a good culture that we’ve built around the D-line to want to have sacks and to perform well in general.”
Sanders registered one of Saskatchewan’s six sacks in last Saturday’s 29-9 victory over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Roughriders amassed eight sacks in the previous home game — a 21-18 conquest of the Edmonton Elks on July 25. Saskatchewan added two more sacks while defeating the host Montreal Alouettes 34-6 on Aug. 2.
Sixteen sacks is the Roughriders’ best total over a three-game span since July of 2013, when opposing quarterbacks were felled 17 times early in a championship season.
The run of 16 rapid-fire sacks includes four by Micah Johnson and Shane Ray, two by A.J. Allen, Malik Carney and Mike Rose, and singles by Sanders and C.J. Reavis. Allen and Reavis are linebackers. Everyone else plays on a formidable defensive line.
“Once you’re on a roll, you can stay hot,” Sanders said. “It’s just a matter of time before everyone starts getting sacks.
“For the most part, we’ve been getting a lot of sacks. Guys are always itching to keep getting more.”
In addition to consistently pressuring the quarterback, the Roughriders’ defence is the league’s best against the run.
Saskatchewan’s opponents are averaging only 69.1 rushing yards per game. The next-best average, belonging to Montreal, is 10.3 yards behind the pace set by Saskatchewan.
“It starts with us stopping the run,” Sanders stated. “If we get them in a second-and-long situation, they’ve got to pat the ball a little more.
“If we can get them in those situations, then we can do what we all know we can do. We can go pass rush.”
The defence in general is a primary reason why the Roughriders sport an 8-1 record.
Saskatchewan has not surrendered a touchdown in either of the past two games while limiting the opposition to a single-digit point total both times.
“Just like I was saying with the pass rush, we take it personally,” Sanders said. “We don’t want to get scored on. We don’t want teams to be able to drive the ball on us.
“We take a lot of pride in just being a good defence. Having a defence of this calibre, it means a lot to be on it.”
YES, THERE IS A “W” IN “ONYEKA”
Saturday’s Roughriders-Stampeders game will pit cousin against cousin — in this case, defensive backs Kosi Onyeka (Saskatchewan) and Godfrey Onyeka (an ex-Rider who is now with Calgary).
“It’s definitely fun to play another tough opponent, another good opponent — especially one that beat us,” Kosi Onyeka said, alluding to the Stampeders’ 24-10 victory at Mosaic Stadium on July 12. “We’re just looking to go 1-and-0 this week.
“It’s also good because I’ve got family on that team. I know I’m going to be matched up against him (on special teams). He’s going to be matched up against me sometimes. I’ve just got to show the world who’s the better Onyeka.
“But it’s all love because, no matter what happens and no matter who wins, it’s a W for the family and a W for the last name. It’s also good because I know a lot of guys there.
“It’s a small league, so you end up just making relationships in general. But nothing really changes this week. We’ve still got to go 1-and-0 and come back here with a W.”
The Roughriders have won handily in both games Kosi Onyeka has played this season.
After suffering a knee injury early in training camp, he was sidelined until the Aug. 2 game in Montreal.
“The ligament heals itself, so it was just a waiting game,” Onyeka said. “I feel good now with all the rehab.
“Shout-out to the therapy staff. Shout-out to the coaches. They got me right. They got me back on the field, so I’m blessed.”
Onyeka has quickly recorded four special teams tackles, three of which were witnessed by a sellout crowd this past weekend.
“Every time we can lace it up and get a W in front of the home crowd, it’s a good feeling,” he said. “It’s always rewarding, too, when the fans show love.
“We’re just trying to do the same thing every week, with the same mentality. We come to work every day with that chip on our shoulder. We know if we work hard during the week, it kind of smoothens out during the game.
“You push yourself throughout the week and then game time comes and it’s like, ‘OK, we’ve already seen this multiple times.’ That’s where we kind of get in that flow state.”
GAME BALL
Roughriders defensive lineman Benoit Marion was presented with a game ball on Saturday, in recognition of his varied and invaluable contributions on special teams.
For starters, he registered two special teams tackles in the victory over Hamilton.
“He ran down and made a couple of plays,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “Certainly, there’s just his energy and what we ask him to do.
“He’s a bigger body and he’s able to get down the field pretty danged quick and make some plays for us. He’s able to help us in protecting the kicks as far as our punt game is concerned.
“You put a lot on those guys’ plates when they’re able to play on the core four special teams. He has been one of those guys consistently throughout the year.”
