As the Riders look to snap out of their slump as the season enters a critical stretch, offensive lineman Jamarkus Hardrick says the team hasn't lost faith in itself.
“The proof is in the pudding, man, we just have to play better, gotta get a win,” Hardrick said. “I love the guys in this room, haven’t flinched, haven't wavered. Just excited to get better.”
Hardrick admits he hasn't pinpointed the main reason behind the team's struggles, especially when reviewing film and seeing evidence of the football the Riders know they can play.
“Watching the film, I’m seeing good things. I’m seeing us looking like us and the scoreboard’s not showing it,” he said.
He says the main messages floating around the team right now are to keep working, focus on individual improvements and remember they're playing for more than themselves.
“Do it for somebody else in the huddle. Do it for someone else on the team and this province,” Hardrick said. “This is bigger than us, this is so much bigger than us.”
On the defensive side, lineman Caleb Sanders says the biggest priority is getting everyone on the same page. He believes the defence has had individual players and positions perform well at different times but hasn't consistently put it all together as a unit.
“We have to hone in on the little things. We’ve got to be able to play as a whole defence,”
Despite the recent struggles, Sanders remains confident in what the defence can accomplish. He says the players know what they're capable of and aren't simply going through the motions.
However, confidence alone won't fix the problems. Sanders acknowledges the defence needs to take responsibility for missed opportunities, like getting much-needed sacks and making fundamental tackles.
“We’ve just got to look in the mirror first before we start pointing fingers at anyone else,” he said.
With the pressure mounting, the message from both sides of the line is clear: attention to detail and playing for one another will be crucial if the Riders hope to turn things around.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders return to the field on Saturday to host the Montreal Alouettes. Catch the game on the 620 CKRM Rider Broadcast Network starting at 10 a.m.
