The Saskatchewan Roughriders won their last game against the Toronto Argonauts and earned two points in the CFL standings.
CFL analyst Glen Suitor believes they also got a less quantifiable victory in the process.
“They beat the Argos, and they also beat down self-doubt,” Suitor said on the SportsCage. “When you lose two in a row, no matter how hard you fight it, you’re starting to question in your mind if you’re doing the right things to prepare.
“To go out there in this one and snap that losing streak of two is big.”
There were several key contributors in the 28-24 come-from-behind win last Saturday. Suitor highlighted a couple of former University of Saskatchewan Huskies who stepped into starting roles at important positions and excelled.
Daniel Wiebe was elevated to first-string duties at receiver after Sam Emilus and Johnny Johnson were added to the injured list because of ailments sustained in Vancouver on Aug. 23. Wiebe caught six passes for 56 yards. What impressed Suitor more was that 36 of those yards came after catches.
And then there was Nelson Lokombo, who was moved from corner to his old position of safety in place of the sidelined Jaxon Ford. Lokombo had a crucial interception in the fourth quarter, which set up a Saskatchewan touchdown. It was only the second pick of his CFL career. That resonated with Suitor, who noted Lokombo’s lack of interceptions before the game.
Not to be overlooked was the Riders front seven.
Argos quarterback Chad Kelly threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns. But Suitor indicated the Riders wore Kelly down with their aggressive play. Kelly had two interceptions in the game – James Burgess Jr. recorded the other one for the Riders – and was limited to 139 yards in the second half.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the Riders defence shut out the Argos over the final two quarters.
“What happens when you play physical on the quarterback – not dirty, but physical – is it pays off because they start in the second half seeing ghosts,” Suitor said. “Even veterans and guys like Chad, they’re going to start seeing ghosts and they get back in that pocket and then the pressure’s really not there, but they rush their throw. They overthrow. They start to hop around. They start to look at the rush.
“That’s when you feel like you’ve got them where you want them as a defence. And I thought that’s what happened in this game.”
Even though it wasn’t the prettiest performance for the Riders, there was a lot to like with how they got the job done. There are many positives to take into their pivotal home-and-home set against Winnipeg.
The one thing to question is Alex Hale. After three straight perfect games, the kicker missed a 50-yard field goal and a convert in the fourth quarter that would have tied the score.
Windy second-half conditions give Hale a bit of a reprieve, though, according to Suitor.
“Keep the competition on him, but I don’t think we’re anywhere near needing to make a drastic change because of that windy second half where he missed a couple (kicks),” he said.
Watch the full interview below.
