WINNIPEG — The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be looking to win their fourth straight game today when they face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
It’s the third meeting of the 2017 regular season for the teams. Winnipeg won 43-40 in double overtime at Mosaic Stadium on July 1, but the Roughriders tied the series with a 38-24 victory over the visiting Bombers in Sunday’s Labour Day Classic.
Saskatchewan enters today’s game with a 5-4-0 record, while Winnipeg is 7-3-0.
To set up the contest (1 p.m., CKRM, TSN), here’s one man’s list of five things (or people) that bear watching:
1. Bringing the Noise: Fans at Investors Group Field can be a loud and boisterous group, especially when Saskatchewan is in town. To prepare for the din, the Roughriders practised with crowd noise blaring out of the speakers at Mosaic Stadium this week. The booing, cowbells and airhorns will pose the biggest problem for the Roughriders’ offence, which could have difficulty communicating in the huddle and before the snap. Quarterback Kevin Glenn and his cohorts will have to rely on the silent count and hand signals they worked on during the week.
2. Kienan LaFrance: Unlike most of his teammates, the Roughriders tailback will have a cheering section at Investors Group Field. The product of Winnipeg played with the junior Winnipeg Rifles and the University of Manitoba Bisons before beginning his CFL career in 2015 with the Ottawa Redblacks. LaFrance, who signed with the Roughriders in February, is to make his first start of the season for Saskatchewan today. He replaces Cameron Marshall, who suffered a knee injury in the Labour Day Classic. LaFrance has big shoes to fill, as Marshall was leading the Roughriders in rushing yards and combined yards and was a key component in the Roughriders’ pass protection.
3. Royce LaFrance: Royce, who isn’t related to Kienan, is to make his first appearance of the season for the Roughriders today. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive tackle out of Tulane University has been biding his time on Saskatchewan’s practice roster since signing Aug. 21. LaFrance comes onto the active roster to replace Nick James, who has been put on the six-game injured list after getting dinged in the Labour Day Classic. LaFrance doesn’t have James’ size — James tipped the scales at 325 pounds (or thereabouts) — so LaFrance will have to rely on his quickness to disrupt things in the middle of the Roughriders’ defensive line.
4. Ed Gainey: The Roughriders defensive back is on quite a roll, with six interceptions in his past three games. Gainey had a single-game, franchise-record four picks in Saskatchewan’s 41-8 victory over the B.C. Lions on Aug. 13 and then had two more in the win in the Classic. The second of his interceptions Sunday occurred in the Roughriders’ end zone with just over two minutes left in regulation time. Saskatchewan, which forced just five turnovers in its first six regular-season games, has created 16 turnovers over its past three contests. With 21 turnovers forced, the Roughriders went into Week 12 ranked second in the CFL.
5. Standing Tall: Folks from Winnipeg weren’t happy during the Labour Day Classic with what they believed were stalling tactics used by the Roughriders. The complaints arose from three occasions when Saskatchewan players sought medical attention just as the Bombers were set to deploy their no-huddle offence. The Roughriders since have proclaimed their innocence, but it’s a given that Winnipeg’s supporters will be vocal (see No. 1) if a Saskatchewan player takes a knee during today’s game.
