Riders take on Stamps in 2022 finale

The 2022 Saskatchewan Roughriders will take the field for one final time Saturday.

The Riders’ season will come to an end after their showdown with the host Calgary Stampeders. Kickoff for the game is set for 6 p.m. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 4 p.m.

Saskatchewan will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016 after going on a slide where it lost 10 of its final 12 games. The skid also included a six-game home losing streak.

Despite the fact the Roughriders’ season will come to an end in Calgary no matter the result, linebacker Darnell Sankey said there’s still a lot on the line.

“I was always told you are what you put on tape,” he said. “When it comes down to it, the people who watch the tape – GMs, owners, scouts – I don’t think they care if it’s the last game. They want to see you perform.

“Guys that are working to establish themselves on a team, whether it is a young guy or older guy, I think we are here to do a job. It’s meaningless in the playoff talk but it’s not meaningless as a player because every game could be your last. You want to go out there and put your best foot forward every single down.”

Head coach Craig Dickenson said there was still a positive mood around practice during the week.

“Our job is to play football, put the best team we can out there and try to win the game and continue to work hard each day we are in,” Dickenson said. “I think (the players) are excited to play. You only get to play so many games in your career and you only get to coach so many games, so you want to make the most out of every opportunity.

“We’re going to do the best we can to play the best football.”

The Riders-Stamps contest isn’t the only game this weekend that won’t affect the CFL standings; in fact, none of the games will. It’s the first time since 1996 that all playoff matchups and sites were locked in prior to the final week of the regular season.

While there aren’t any playoffs in their future, the Riders will turn an eye to next year as players look to prove they belong on the Riders’ roster or somewhere else in the CFL.

The biggest question mark the Riders will need to determine is the future of their quarterback position. Cody Fajardo suggested he’s heading to free agency after he was benched in last week’s pivotal showdown against the Stamps – a game the Riders lost 32-21, eliminating them from the playoff race.

“There’s a lot that’s going to be playing out (this off-season) but I think I owe it to myself to see what’s out there and take it to free agency and we will see what is going to happen from there,” Fajardo said after Tuesday’s practice at the AffinityPlex. “I’m not going to rule out any team — I want to play football a little bit longer.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I’m focused on this last week and being as prepared as I can, helping Mason (Fine) as much as I can for this last week, and give it my all.”

Fine was given the starting quarterback job last week, throwing for 196 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s just huge to go out there and play well,” Fine said. “It’s go out there and do my thing.”

Despite Dickenson indicating the coaches would try to get a third quarterback on the roster, that’s not the case as neither Jake Dolegala nor Levi Lewis are dressing for the game.

Another player looking to prove himself to the coaches is wide receiver Jester Weah. He was with the Riders throughout training camp and pre-season but was released. He was re-signed on July 23 and has spent the season on the practice roster. He’s set to play this week with injuries to Kyran Moore (ankle), Duke Williams (ankle), and Tevin Jones (knee).

“It’s just an opportunity to go out there and show what I can do,” Weah said. “Just play hard and play fast and try to get a win.”

Weah had three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown in the pre-season.

The game will also see defensive end Charleston Hughes return to the lineup. Hughes hasn’t dressed for a game since Sept.30.

“I’ve still got it,” Hughes said. “There ain’t a doubt in my mind that I’m one of the best defensive ends in the league. Maybe if I was fortunate to play as much as other guys, I would be leading the league in sacks.”

Hughes will try to add to a pass rush that has struggled in recent weeks, getting only one sack over the past three games.

“It just has a lot to do with the flow of the game. A lot of teams have been running the ball on us lately and try to avoid passing,” Hughes said. “It’s tough getting to the quarterback when a team is having success with the run and stacking the box and chipping (pass-rushers) and making sure you can’t pass rush as much as possible.”

The Riders’ defence will look to try to stop a Stamps rushing attack that had 212 yards on the ground.

With Saturday’s game meaning nothing for the Stamps, they are choosing to rest a number of players. That includes running back Ka’Deem Carey, who had 75 yards on the ground last week and is the CFL’s leading rusher heading into the final slate of games this season with 1,088 yards.

Dedrick Mills will be Calgary’s top rushing option. He had 103 yards in Calgary’s win last week.

A pair of Riders linebackers will not only be chasing down running backs, but some key milestones now.

Sankey has 115 tackles and is three tackles away from tying the Riders’ single-season record of 118 set by David Albright in 1987.

Larry Dean has 97 defensive tackles and if he reaches 100, the Riders would only be the second team in CFL history to have two players record 100 or more tackles in a season. The B.C. Lions did it in 2016 (Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill).

“I’ve been made aware and it’s something to think about, but as long as I go and do my job, I don’t think that should be a problem hitting (the mark) and even getting more,” said Sankey, who was named the team’s most outstanding defensive player and most outstanding player earlier in the week. “Every play, I expect to make the play.

“It’s a tremendous blessing and opportunity the team gave me. I’m excited for it and whatever the future holds.”