Eight is great: Riders’ defence looks for repeat performance against Elks

In the season-opener against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last Saturday, the Riders recorded eight sacks in the 30-13 win — the fourth-most ever by the team in a single CFL game.

The club record is 10, which was set in 1984 and then tied in 2014. The Riders had a nine-sack game in 2009 at B.C. The CFL record is 13 set by Edmonton in 1993.

The Riders’ defence also forced five turnovers by the Tiger-Cats, with three fumbles and two interceptions.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been on a defence that had eight sacks and five takeaways in a game. That was a great performance by our defence, but we’ve got to come out and match that performance again,” defensive end A.C. Leonard said.

Leonard and the Riders’ defence will take on former head coach Chris Jones and the Edmonton Elks on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 5:30 p.m.

Leonard was one of seven Riders who had a sack against the Tiger-Cats. Leonard is also looking to defend his title as CFL sacks leader after recording 11 in 11 games in 2021.

Despite emerging as one of the CFL’s top pass-rushers last season, Leonard said he has taken on more of a leadership role in his seventh season.

“(I) just come in and lead by example and work hard every day and show them the way,” Leonard said. “It feels good to be with Pete (Robertson) and Keion (Adams) in Year 2. We’re closer off the field as well and it feels great.”

Another defensive lineman will look to continue a run of success he has had against the Elks.

Charleston Hughes is continuing to add to his career sacks total after recording one last week, bringing him up to 133. That’s seventh all-time and he sits one sack behind former Montreal Alouettes star John Bowman for sixth.

“It meant a lot (to get that first sack). It meant a start to a great season for me. We started off great, we ended that game the right way for a defensive line so it’s one of those things that it felt awesome to play,” Hughes said.

Hughes has sacked Edmonton quarterbacks 23 times in his career, tied for his highest total against a single team. He also has sacked Riders quarterbacks 23 times.

“We’re going to get our best football against Edmonton. All we can do is go in and play our best football and match fire with fire,” Hughes said.

It would mean a lot to the 38-year-old to finish his career as the CFL career sacks leader.

“It was something I never thought was attainable at the beginning of my career and slightly became, ‘Oh, I’m in reach.’ It is something I’ve had my eyes set on,” Hughes said.

The Elks will be trying to rebound after a 59-15 loss to the B.C. Lions where barely anything went right for the team.

Leonard, who played under Jones in 2016 and ’17, knows the bench boss would have let his team know how he felt about the effort last Saturday.

“I know it was rough, I know he wasn’t happy and I know he was giving them a mouthful,” Leonard said. “We want to dominate from the first play. We want to come out and play physical and play fast and impose our will the whole game.”