‘There’s only so many cracks at it’: Riders’ veterans looking to make up for past playoff disappointments

The veteran voices inside the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ locker room have been sharing a similar message this week.

“As you get older, you realize your chances are fewer and fewer and I do sense that, especially in guys like (centre) Dan Clark, (defensive tackle) Micah Johnson and (defensive end) A.C. Leonard. They know that there’s only so many cracks at it and they want to make hay while they can,” head coach Craig Dickenson said. “Some of the rookies think you’re going to be in the playoffs and make a run every year or have a chance to and the veterans know even though it’s a nine-team league, it’s hard to win the Grey Cup and you only get so many cracks at it.

“I think there’s a lot of urgency in the locker room.”

Wide receiver Shaq Evans knows the pain that comes with losing at home in the playoffs. Evans was on the 2018 and 2019 teams that lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers – 23-18 in the semi-final in 2018, 20-13 in 2019.

“This is the biggest game of my life so far. Coupled with the fact that we lost in 2018 to Winnipeg and 2019 to Winnipeg and both were at home so like coach Dickenson said there’s pressure and I want everybody to feel pressure because I feel like pressure makes diamonds,” Evans said. “I haven’t had too many opportunities like this in my lifetime. I didn’t make the playoffs in high school, I didn’t win any championships in college so this game is super important for me.”

The Riders come into the game with a 9-5 record – the second-best record in the entire CFL. But with only two players voted league all-stars — Johnson and defensive back Nick Marshall — the Riders feel like they are the underdogs coming into Sunday’s game with the Calgary Stampeders (8-6). Kickoff for the game is set for 3:30 p.m.

“Guys feel that in the locker room and we want to go out there and show this league why we’re a nine-win team,” quarterback Cody Fajardo said. “Especially on offence, people have been kind of dragging our name through the mud all year and we’re a nine-win team but everyone wants to talk about the deep ball.

“I think this whole team has a chip on their shoulder because of what happened with the whole all-star ballot thing and I think there are some guys who think they got snubbed.

“Get your popcorn ready because I think it’s going to be a great CFL football game.”

The Riders’ offence is averaging 20.7 points a game (seventh in the CFL), 307.6 yards a game (eighth) and only had 12 pass plays all year go for more than 30-yards (eighth).

But while the numbers aren’t eye-popping on the offensive side of the ball, the defence has put together another solid year, only giving up 20.3 points a game (fourth), 334 yards (fifth), collecting 47 sacks (second) and 17 interceptions (tied for first).

But no matter what the numbers are, Dickenson feels he has the players needed to make a run in the playoffs.

“I think if we get hot, we can make a run. I don’t want to say we’re healthy but we’ve gotten the right guys back at the right time and I think we have enough depth to make a run,” Dickenson said.

And Sunday’s game is a battle between familiar foes. The Riders and Stamps met three times in the regular season with Calgary winning the series 2-1.

Calgary’s also been the more successful of the two teams in the postseason, with 12 games and seven wins between 2010 and 2019. It’s also the first time the Stamps have been to Regina for a playoff game since 2009.

The winner of the game will meet Winnipeg in the West final on Dec. 5.

“I’m going to speak for myself and I’ve been here for four or five years so I can’t stand Calgary or Winnipeg,” defensive back Ed Gainey said. “I wouldn’t have the playoff picture any other way.”

Notes: Quarterback Mason Fine will be the backup to Fajardo in the game according to Dickenson.