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The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hoping the Labour Day Classic can be a catalyst for a positive end to the season.
The annual showdown between the Riders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers has usually gone in favour of the home team at Mosaic Stadium – Saskatchewan boasts a 37-20 record in the game, with wins in 14 of the last 16 meetings.
But in football, it’s recent history that is most important, which has gone in Winnipeg’s favour.
Saskatchewan comes into Sunday’s game with a 6-5 record – 2-4 over its past six games – while Winnipeg has a CFL-best 10-1 record and can clinch a playoff spot with a win.
The Riders haven’t beaten the Bombers since Oct. 5, 2019 – a span of 1,056 days – and the Bombers won the last Labour Day Classic 23-8.
Kickoff for Sunday’s game is set for 4 p.m. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 2 p.m.
“It’s a shock the world mentality for us – everyone is kind of counting us out,” said quarterback Cody Fajardo, who statistically had his best game of the season in a 23-16 win over the B.C. Lions last week.
Fajardo threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
“Last week was big for just our motivation, confidence and just getting back to where we are at,” Fajardo said. “Going against the defending Grey Cup champs, that’s a good measuring stick for us so we want to go out there, play our best football and have a chance to win in the fourth quarter.”
The Riders will get some new, albeit familiar, faces back into their lineup on the offensive side of the ball.
Wide receiver Shaq Evans is back after suffering an ankle injury against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 3.
Evans, who has appeared in three Labour Day Classics, knows how big the game is with 33,350 fans expected to be at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday – the first sellout of the year for the Riders.
“(Labour Day) is crazy. This is going to be my fourth one I’ve been a part of and the third one I’ve played in,” Evans said. “I know the intensity is just different and it’s always an antsy week because you just want to get to game day because you know how it’s going to be with the packed crowd.”
The Riders will also have slotback Brayden Lenius back as well after the 25-year-old signed a two-year contract with the team. Lenius had signed with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in the off-season but is back after being cut from camp.
“This game has a big place in my heart. I’ve been watching since I was a kid and I’ve got to play in it twice,” the Regina product said. “It’s a big game and I kind of timed it perfect to be back.”
Saskatchewan also gets back head coach Craig Dickenson, who missed the entire week of practice after testing positive for COVID-19. He is expected to return to the sideline on game day.
The Labour Day Classic will also be special for linebacker Larry Dean. Dean is participating in his first Labour Day Classic in Saskatchewan after missing all of 2021 due to a torn Achilles tendon.
He did get to experience it on the sidelines.
“It was a great atmosphere, as are all our home games. This is a rivalry that has been going on for a lot of years so there’s a lot of passion behind it,” Dean said. “There’s going to be a lot of adrenaline pumping.”
In order to get a win, the Riders will need to stop a Bombers offence led by Zach Collaros. The quarterback has thrown for 2,749 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Dean was a teammate of Collaros in 2016 and ’17 as a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“His football IQ (makes him special) – he knows where everyone is supposed to be at and the way he communicates – he’s a likeable guy,” Dean said. “(The Bombers) do a lot of things well, they have a bread and butter – they can run the ball and with Zach, he can make all the throws.”
Led by Pete Robertson, who is tied for the league lead with eight sacks, the Riders have a CFL-high 34 sacks.
“Their O-line has been together for a while and they play real good together as a group but you’ve got to give more credit to Zach,” Robertson said. “He can make plays outside of the pocket.”
Anthony Lanier II, who has seven sacks, is out this week due to a head injury.
The Bombers also have the league-leading rusher in Brady Oliveira, who has 604 yards on the ground. Prior to being put on the injured list with a broken hand, Riders running back Jamal Morrow was leading the CFL with 564 yards.
Saskatchewan running back Frankie Hickson, who has 363 yards on the year, got 124 of those last week in his first start.
“All offensive linemen love to run block,” guard Evan Johnson said. “Frankie rose to the occasion. He’s a hell of a player. We’re waiting for Morrow to get back too. We’ve got two outstanding running backs in the backfield. No matter who is playing there, as long as we can open up the holes, they can make something special happen.”
Josiah St. John will start at right tackle this week with Jamal Campbell becoming the team’s sixth offensive lineman. Left tackle Terran Vaughn (hamstring) was expected to be back but is not on the depth chart.
Saskatchewan has given up 44 sacks so far and is on pace to give up 72 – the most in a single season by the team.
The Riders’ O-line will need to stop a Winnipeg defensive unit led by defensive ends Willie Jefferson and Jackson Jeffcoat along with middle linebacker Adam Bighill, who was named the CFL’s 2021 most outstanding defensive player.
Along with four sacks this season, Jefferson is second in the CFL with nine pass knockdowns.
“They are very effective at what they do – they may not have the sack totals you expect from (Jefferson and Jeffcoat), but they pressure the quarterback every week,” offensive co-ordinator Jason Maas said. “They make it very difficult for all co-ordinators to game plan against them.
“You try to slow them down as much as you can. There’s a variety of different ways you can do that but they are physical menaces no matter what.”
