New digs, same problems for Riders
Saskatchewan 0-2 start brings back memories of last year’s Farewell Season
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ inaugural season at Mosaic Stadium is starting to look a lot like their 2016 farewell season.
Last year was dubbed the Farewell Season in recognition of the Riders’ final year at old Mosaic Stadium.
The Riders opened the season with an 0-2 record en route to losing 10 of their first 11 games.
Fast-forward to 2017 and the Riders again have an 0-2 record after losing 43-40 in double-overtime to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the first CFL regular-season game at the $278-million new Mosaic Stadium.
The similarities between 2016 and 2017 aren’t limited to the Riders’ records. The Riders fell to 0-2 in 2016 courtesy of another overtime loss — a 39-36 setback in Edmonton against the Eskimos, who won the game on a 32-yard Sean Whyte field goal after Saskatchewan had failed to register a point on the first OT possession.
Justin Medlock’s 28-yard field goal in Winnipeg’s second overtime possession was the difference in Saturday’s game. Saskatchewan’s Tyler Crapigna had a chance to give the Riders a 43-40 lead on their second overtime possession, but his 33-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the left upright. All Winnipeg needed was a single to win.
“You just have to fight through it,” Roughriders receiver Naaman Roosevelt said. “We got down on ourselves, which we can’t do, because we kind of did it last year. We did fight through it at the end, but it just wasn’t enough.”
An inability to close out games has been among the Riders’ issues.
The Riders held a 13-7 third-quarter lead over the Montreal Alouettes before eventually losing 17-16 on June 22. On Saturday, Saskatchewan led 17-3 in the second quarter before the Blue Bombers exploded for 24 consecutive points and assumed a 27-17 lead at 4:02 of the third quarter.
Former Riders receiver Weston Dressler scored on touchdown receptions of 87 and nine yards in a span of 37 seconds. Crapigna then narrowed the gap to 27-20 with a 32-yard field goal.
The Blue Bombers replied on their next possession with a 35-yard touchdown catch by L’Damian Washington and assumed a 34-20 lead after Medlock’s convert.
Breakdowns in the secondary contributed to all three of the Blue Bombers’ third-quarter touchdowns.
“It was just taking advantage of their miscues,” Dressler said. “They had two mental busts that allowed us to get open. It wasn’t anything special and I’m sure they are kicking themselves in the other room for it.”
Chris Jones — the Riders’ head coach, defensive co-ordinator and general manager — was indeed lamenting the breakdowns.
“It’s not necessarily that the teams we are playing are making plays, it’s we are allowing them to make plays,” Jones said.
“It was the same thing as last week. We played very good defence against Montreal. Then they hit us with a 65-yard play because we don’t cover our guy. (On Saturday) it was the same thing. We come out in the second half and we blow a coverage and they score (on Dressler’s 87-yard) touchdown.
“We have to find a way to do things the correct way 100 per cent of the time and not just some of the time.”
The Riders rebounded in the fourth quarter with back-to-back touchdown receptions by Nic Demski and Roosevelt to force overtime.
The defence also bounced back after struggling through the latter part of the first half and into the third quarter. Despite the rally, the Riders had to settle for coming close.
“We have to get over whatever it is that loses those close games and get that win,” Riders slotback Bakari Grant said.
“We have to get that belief that we’re going to win a game and you’re starting to see that change on people’s mindsets on the sidelines.”
Changing that mindset isn’t easy, especially when it comes to winning in June, July and August — a period in which the Riders are 1-19 since 2015.
“Winning is a cultural thing and it’s something that is instilled every day,” Grant said. “When you go from a losing culture, it’s hard to flip it. When you start seeing a progression, that’s what you want to see early in the season. That’s what I’ve seen from the outside coming in.”