‘We spotted them 14 points’: Riders’ defence looking for faster start against Stamps

The members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defence felt like they gave the Calgary Stampeders a gift to start their last game — one that won’t get a follow-up.

“We spotted them 14 points,” Riders linebacker Godfrey Onyeka said Thursday. “I think they scored 23 points so that says everything right there.

“We made a couple mistakes in the beginning and then we settled down a bit and the game was still pretty close so we’re pretty confident in this one.

“We won’t start that way again, I promise you that.”

The Riders lost 23-17 to the Stamps on Saturday, with Calgary jumping out to an early lead after scoring touchdowns on its first two drives of the game.

“It’s really just about us and us playing better because at the end of the day, making the type of mistakes we made and slow starts like that, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing,” defensive tackle Micah Johnson said.

“It’s professional football. Anyone can come out and beat anyone so if you give it to them, they are going to take it.”

The Riders will have a chance to get the season series back to even on Saturday as they host the Stamps at Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

While the Riders are the CFL’s top rushing defence this year, the Stamps were able to find some success against them, with running back Ka’Deem Carey averaging 7.1 yards a carry en route to 78 yards on the day.

“He did get us quite a few times on the outside sweeps but we had a couple missed tackles and on two of them, we just didn’t have a guy setting the edge,” Onyeka said.

“I don’t think that’s a huge problem and not something they are going to go back to. I don’t think it’s something that works on us because we’re so fundamentally sound but we will see how it goes.

“I do think a lot of the stuff they got was kind of lucky but we will see how this week goes.”

While Johnson had a disruptive game for the Riders, constantly bringing pressure and gathering two tackles for a loss, he said he can bring more in the rematch.

“You pick it up. I know everybody is obsessed with the sack and I get it — it’s the heralded thing — but there are so many different ways to make an impact and I think I play the run better than any D-lineman in the league,” Johnson said.

“I feel like I can be even more disruptive and pick it up.”

Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell has been dealing with a shoulder injury recently. Despite that, Onyeka said Mitchell still looks like the two-time CFL most outstanding player.

“He just sees things very, very quickly. He’s kind of like (Riders defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy). They just process things before they happen and it’s cool to be on the field with someone like that,” Onyeka said. “He’s definitely still Bo.”

Notes: The Riders practised inside on Thursday due to air quality concerns.