Geoff Robins, CFL.ca
REGINA — Some might already consider the Week 7 matchup between the Roughriders and Stamps a write-off considering the squeaky clean record of Calgary versus the 3-2 record of the Riders, especially knowing Saskatchewan has yet to face a West Division opponent through six weeks of the season.
As for Calgary, Week 7 will also be their first game squaring off against a West Division foe this season, which could provide the first accurate measurement of where these two clubs stand.
It’s tough to make a fair and sizeable preview of the matchup to be because of that fact.
Although the Riders have faced their share of potholes early in the season, they’re coming off back-to-back victories against the Ticats team that ranked third in the CFL’s Nissan Power Rankings prior to their initial meeting this season.
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Brandon Bridge played the majority of the game in the Riders’ victory over the Ticats last week. His confidence gained from back-to-back wins may serve crucial Saturday against the Stamps. (Adam Gagnon, CFL.ca)
The next batch of games for the Riders is a six-game stretch of West Division matchups. Saskatchewan will face both the Stampeders and Blue Bombers twice in that stretch, which will last through partway of the month of September.
The first obstacle the Roughriders face when it comes to the Stamps is the fact they have failed to pull out a win against them since 2013.
Despite Calgary ranking at the top in just about every offensive statistics, the Riders rank fairly close in many key statistics that could prove crucial in pulling off an upset against the lone undefeated team in the CFL.
Saskatchewan ranks third in the league in time of possession, roughly four minutes less than that of Calgary.
It’s important to realize the majority of Saskatchewan’s offensive yards in their Week 6 meeting with the Ticats came in the second half. Brandon Bridge only threw for 20 yards in the first half before leading the Riders to a 31-20 victory.
The Riders’ offensive line also stood their ground, keeping Bridge clean for the entire duration of the night. It was the first game of the season that the Tabbies failed to register a sack.
“Offensive line was doing a heck of a job running the football, making gigantic holes for the running back to run through and actually gave us a lot of time at quarterback,” Brandon Bridge told media following the game last Thursday.
The Green and White have struggled in the passing game, left as the only team in the league yet to reach the 1,000 yards mark.
Brandon Bridge has taken the majority of the offensive reps since Collaros was placed on the six-game injured list. The Canadian-pivot has thrown for 522 yards with just a single touchdown on the year
Saskatchewan has three backs with over 100 yards so far in the season. Along with Jerome Messam, who ranks eighth in the league in rushing, Tre Mason (152) and Marcus Thigpen (144) have both been making heavy contributions on offence. In fact, only two teams in the CFL to have three rushers with at least 100 yards on the ground – Saskatchewan and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Expect the Riders to get all three backs circulating through offensive reps, and not just from the backfield.
Defensively, the Roughriders are sitting behind the Stamps in just about every category.
Statistically speaking, Saskatchewan has the second-best run defence, which could be a major asset in stopping Don Jackson on Saturday. The Green and White have also managed to allow the second-fewest big plays (any play over 20 yards), which can also aid in limiting the Calgary offence.
Overall, it will take a complete performance over the full 60 minutes of play for Saskatchewan, and their defensive performance in shutting down a hot offence, paired with their offences ability to manage the clock, will all be crucial in delivering a victory.
Saturday’s game is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET from Mosaic Stadium, which will wrap up Week 7 and provide a more rounded picture of what to be expecting out of the West.
With files from Riderville.com
