Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-3-0)
at Edmonton Eskimos (4-2-0)
Thursday, 8 p.m., Commonwealth Stadium
CKRM, TSN
THE FORECAST: Environment Canada is calling for a cloudy evening with a 70-per-cent chance of showers and a low of 15 C.
THE LOWDOWN: The Roughriders and Eskimos meet for the first time in the 2018 regular season. Edmonton has won seven of the teams’ past 10 regular-season games, but the Roughriders won 54-31 the previous time the squads met in Edmonton (Aug. 25 of last season) … Edmonton is coming off a 44-23 victory over the host Montreal Alouettes on July 26, the Eskimos’ second straight victory. The Roughriders lost 34-22 to the visiting Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, a loss that snapped Saskatchewan’s two-game winning streak.
THE RIDERS’ ROSTER: The Roughriders activated quarterback Zach Collaros off the six-game injured list Monday and he’s listed first on the depth chart for this contest. It’ll be his first start since June 21 against the host Ottawa Redblacks. Collaros left that game after sustaining a concussion and was replaced by Brandon Bridge, who started the Roughriders’ past four games … Collaros takes the roster spot of former third-stringer Devin Gardner, who moves to the practice roster … The Roughriders released Jerome Messam on Monday, leaving them with a pair of international tailbacks in Marcus Thigpen and Tre Mason. That duo is expected to rotate against the Eskimos … Saskatchewan enters this game ranked second in the CFL in rushing (averaging 122.2 yards per game), but ninth in passing (191.0 yards per game) … The Roughriders’ receiving corps could get a boost with the return of Duron Carter. The receiver has spent the past five games at cornerback, but Nick Marshall’s return to the corner means Carter can move back to offence. He enters the game with five catches for 52 yards this season … Carter replaces Caleb Holley, who has been placed on the one-game injured list. The rest of the starting receiving group remains the same, with Shaq Evans, Naaman Roosevelt, Josh Stanford and Jordan Williams-Lambert … The offensive line comprises Dan Clark at centre, Dariusz Bladek and Brendon LaBatte at guard and Thaddeus Coleman and Terran Vaughn at tackle. Josiah St. John (who comes off the six-game injured list) and Takoby Cofield are listed as the backups, but defensive tackle Eddie Steele has been serving as the sixth O-lineman in recent weeks … The starting defensive line features Mic’hael Brooks and Zack Evans at tackle and Charleston Hughes and Willie Jefferson at the end spots. Hughes leads the CFL this season with eight sacks … Steele, Tobi Antigha, Chad Geter and Jordan Reaves will be the backups on the D-line … Matt Elam is to make his second straight start at strong-side linebacker in place of the injured Derrick Moncrief. Sam Eguavoen (weak side) and Sam Hurl (middle) also will start at linebacker, with Cameron Judge and Kevin Francis (who opened the season on the six-game injured list) providing backup … Marshall’s return is the only change in the secondary. Jovon Johnson starts on the other corner, with Crezdon Butler and Ed Gainey as the halfbacks and Mike Edem and Marc-Olivier Brouillette splitting time at safety … Saskatchewan is tied for fifth in the league with five interceptions. Antigha — who has been dropping to safety — has two of them, while Carter, Johnson and Marshall each has one … Brett Lauther went 5-for-5 on field-goal attempts in the loss to Calgary, making him 18-for-20 on the season. He leads the league in average field goal attempted (38.9 yards) and average field goal made (39.2 yards), thanks to a league-best 7-for-8 success rate from 40 to 49 yards … Punter Josh Bartel and long-snapper Jorgen Hus once again will fill those roles … Collaros, Francis, Marshall, St. John and backup fullback Albert Awachie come onto the roster. Gardner, Holley, Messam, defensive tackle Makana Henry (one-game injured list) and defensive back Tristan Doughlin (six-game injured list) are off.
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