Mitchell Blair
No one expected that the Saskatchewan Roughriders season will come to an end on Sunday a iin Montreal. The Roughriders look for their third win of the season as they battle the Alouettes. It will be a game featuring two teams who played one another in the Grey Cup in 2009 and 2010, yet both will be on the outside looking in win or lose when the playoffs start next week.
The game is meaningless in the standings, but there will be a desire on both sides to finish the season off on a victorious note. With that in mind, Riders interim Head Coach Bob Dyce believes the two teams will battle as if a playoff spot will be on the line. He certainly believes that will be the case as far as his squad goes.
“It doesn’t make a difference in the circumstances, whether you’re playing in a game before the playoffs or playing in the last game of the year. The reality is this is a physical and violent game,” Dyce said after the last practice of the year. “Guys don’t go on the field to half-ass it. They go out to play hard. That’s what this team has done and that’s what I expect I will see.”
That is a sentiment which Rob Bagg agrees with. He is hoping all of the hard work the team has put in over the season can be rewarded with a victory, but he realizes the team on the other side of the field will be saying the same thing knowing their season will come to an end as well when the final gun sounds.
“We have been putting in a lot of work despite the end result. We would like to be rewarded for that, but we know Montreal is in the situation as us and has the same mindset as us so I think it will be a good football game.” Bagg said. “We have guys in here who want to be successful and I really have seen guys putting in the work and doing the little things. They have shown a lot in the last few weeks after our fate was sealed, but as a collective group we have done a great job in making sure everyone understands nothing is guaranteed for next year so you have to show the organization if you want to be here next year, you have to produce.”
Defensive lineman John Chick will try to add to a season that has seen him rack up double digit totals in sacks. He says that isn’t a motivator as he heads into this game and that his focus is going to battle with a squad that he won’t go to battle with as a unit again and to show what you can do for the last time in 2015.
Nobody knows where they are going to be this time next year or six months from now, ” Chick stated. “You look forward to the moment and the last moments with your team. Each day this week was the last time for this year. It will be our last road trip and our last chance to enjoy some camaraderie with the guys, and our last time to put it out there with the guys. That’s why I’m looking forward to it.”
Quarterback Keith Price has a different reason for looking forward to Sunday’s contest. For the University of Washington product, it is his first career start and while he has seen action over the past two games coming in to relieve Brett Smith, the 23 year old knows this one will be special.
“This is a huge opportunity for me and the team. “Price said.” It will be different because you are starting, so you take a different approach and take a different mind-set, but it doesn’t change what I intend on doing which is having fun, being comfortable and play the way I know I can. I have a great group of receivers in that huddle with me who can help me out. It’s going to be fun and I hope at the end of the day, we can get a “W”.
Sunday’s game from Percival Molson Stadium will start at Noon Saskatchewan time with 620 CKRM’s pre-game show beginning at 9 AM. Riderville.com will join that show live from the Four Seasons Sports Palace on Arcola Avenue East at 9:30. At 11 AM, Rod Pedersen will bring you “Rider Nation Pregame” as he gets you caught up on any late-breaking news while getting the thoughts of both teams prior to kickoff before he is joined for the play-by-play with Carm Carteri. Television coverage will be on TSN.
GAME NOTES:
- A win in Montreal would end a 13 game losing streak on the road
- In making the start, Keith Price is the 4th QB to begin a game for the football team for the second straight season
- Weston Dressler is 72 yards away from registering his 6th 1000 yard season
- A win today would mean a sweep of the season series as Saskatchewan beat Montreal 33-21 at Mosaic Stadium September 27
