Mitchell Blair
The last weekend of the CFL season features four games in which it doesn’t matter who wins or who loses. The first round playoff matchups have been decided, the teams who have byes to their respective divisional finals have been determined and we know what two teams won’t be making the playoffs. However, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders prepare for a game that many say is meaningless, meaningless is a phrase that insults defensive end Ricky Foley as he gets ready for Saturday’s regular season finale against Edmonton.
“I think it is,” Foley said. “No one wants to have bad film and everyone wants to look good especially in a year where there is likely to have a lot of movement in the off-season with Ottawa coming on board. I don’t find it any different than playing in a game where you are down by 20 points in the 4th quarter. You can show your pride and play like a man or you can just give up and go through the motions.”
Foley also realizes the Edmonton Eskimos will likely not lay down when they come into Mosaic Stadium on Saturday. He says if that is the attitude his team takes as they come out from under the helmet than his team is in trouble.
“You want to go into the playoffs on a high with a great deal of confidence,” Foley admitted. “As an organization, you have to have a winning vibe going in. You can’t give a half-ass effort if called upon because if you cut corners or slack off, it leaves a bad taste and it sends you into the playoffs on the wrong foot. I can’t see that happening here.”
While it’s not clear how much Foley will play Saturday, it is expected receiver Taj Smith will. The 2nd year Rider goes into the game 99 yards away from having a 1000 yard season. He says while the game has meaning for him, he does understand it will be different than a game where who wins at the end does matter.
“For me, it’s just another game and it is one to get ready for the playoffs,” Smith explained. “I think this is a perfect chance for us to get into that playoff mentality. It will give us a chance to rest some guys and give some guys who might need some playing time before we are done a chance to get out there.”
As for the 1000 yard season, Smith says it’s something he isn’t thinking about saying personal goals aren’t his reason for playing the game.
“I just to want to win the game,” Smith said. “I want to finish the season on a high and go into the playoffs with a win. I’m just happy to have another opportunity to go out and show what I can do. I can’t dictate how many catches I’m going to have or yards that I’ll get. I’m just going to play my game and hope at the end of the day I have done what I can to help us win.”
As Smith mentioned, the game does give Head Coach Corey Chamblin an opportunity to sit some regulars and give some players a chance to earn some meaningful snaps and show the coaching staff they are more than ready if their number should be called somewhere down the playoff road. Chamblin says on the surface it might look to be tough coaching in a game that doesn’t have an impact on who finishes where, but it doesn’t change his mentality or his approach.
“We are going out to win,” Chamblin explained. “Some will call the game meaningless, but if it was, we wouldn’t play it. There will be some changes going in with guys going in that wouldn’t normally see action. There are things we still need to work on though going in and there are some things we need to be better at.”
While Chamblin hasn’t said yet who will and who won’t start, he says the message to his players is to finish on a positive and win the game even though they know they will finish. What is left to determine is whether or not the players take to that message knowing that win or lose they will return next week to start what they hope is a mini three game season that will culminate with an appearance in the 101st Grey Cup when they host the Western Semi-Final against the B.C Lions.
Saturday’s game against the Eskimos will start at 3 pm. The Riders will go in trying to finish with a record of 12-6. If they can do that, they will have finished with 12 wins for the first time since 2008.
