Montreal has a familiar ring to Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Shea Patterson.
Patterson saw his first CFL regular-season action when he was a member of the Montreal Alouettes, who are to play host to the Green and White on Thursday (5:30 p.m., TSN, CKRM).
In the role of short-yardage quarterback, Patterson played in five games with the Alouettes in 2021.
Now he is poised to start against them in a much-anticipated matchup of 5-1 teams.
Patterson recognizes that being a member of the visiting team at Percival Molson Stadium does create some challenges.
“It’s got to be the cowbells,” he said with a chuckle, “and the constant guy over the speakers. He talks the entire game.
“I’m looking forward to it, though. It’s a very fun atmosphere to be in. The city of Montreal is beautiful. I’m excited to go out there.”
Plenty of excitement has emanated from Patterson’s performance on Friday, when he posted a quarterback-efficiency rating of 115.6 while helping the Roughriders defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 19-9 at Mosaic Stadium.
In addition to completing 17 of 25 passes for 261 yards and one touchdown, he rushed four times for 35 yards and helped Saskatchewan dominate the time of possession (32:23 to 27:37).
Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros, a two-time winner of the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award, had a 78.2 QB efficiency rating on Friday.
Patterson has been behind centre for 3½ games in place of Trevor Harris, who is on the six-game injured list while recovering from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
The circumstances aren’t ideal, obviously, but Patterson is enjoying being a starter.
“I’m grateful for it,” he said. “I’m blessed to be in the position I am in right now. Trevor’s working hard to get back.
“I didn’t know it was going to come. I just had faith that eventually, whether it was this year or next year, I’d get an opportunity. Fortunately, it’s happening right now and I’m enjoying the moment.”
All the hard work, in close collaboration with Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller, has put Patterson in position to succeed when opportunity knocks.
“It’s just something that you’re kind of in line for,” he said. “When it’s your turn, you’re either ready for it or you’re not.
“That’s why I work so hard every day — because you never know when that opportunity can come.
“Just like every other guy in that locker room, when that opportunity comes, they’re going to be ready.
“Coach Mace and Coach Mueller have done a great job of getting everybody ready.”
INJURY UPDATE
After Monday’s practice, Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said “it would probably be pretty tough” for receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker to be ready for Thursday’s game.
Schaffer-Baker had four receptions for 60 yards before leaving Friday’s game with a shoulder injury.
“We’re doing a deeper dive on exactly how the time with that recovery is going to look,” Mace said.
Ajou Ajou stepped in admirably for Schaffer-Baker, catching four passes — all in the second half — for 110 yards.
“As a coaching staff, we’re not going, ‘Oh, man, we’ve got kind of a rook going in there,’ ” Mace said. “All of our rookies to this point have been playing really well and we expect him to have that same result.”
Schaffer-Baker’s status beyond Thursday’s game depends on the progress of his rehabilitation.
“Like most of our guys do, he’s just going to attack the heck out of it, whatever that prognosis is,” Mace said. “When he’s ready to go, he’ll be out here doing what he does.”
Schaffer-Baker has 25 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns this season.
THE GREAT INDOORS
The Roughriders practised inside at REAL District’s AffinityPlex soccer facility on Monday due to the high concentration of smoke from the wildfires.
“We’re very thankful that we do have this as an option,” Mace said. “When you look around, there are no yard markers and things like that, so there are small details with some things and it’s not a perfect situation.
“At the end of it, we still get the looks that want to get to prepare for our opponent. It’s just a luxury for us to be able to have this at the drop of a dime when we have to move.
“We’re grateful for that and grateful to the guys who were ready to adjust when we had to.”
FAST FACTS
• Thursday’s matchup features the league’s two stingiest teams. Montreal has allowed only 22.7 points per game. Saskatchewan is close behind at 23.0.
• Saskatchewan has allowed the fewest yards per play (5.63). Montreal, at 5.71, is second-best.
• The Roughriders have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (50.3), fewest yards per rush (3.7) and fewest yards per first-down play (5.7).
• Montreal is first in passer efficiency (109.6), followed by the B.C. Lions (108.7) and Saskatchewan (104.5). Harris has a 110.8 rating. Patterson is at 97.1.
• Saskatchewan has intercepted the most passes (12) and allowed the fewest picks (four).
• Thursday’s game showcases the only two teams with positive turnover differentials. Saskatchewan is plus-11. Montreal is plus-6.
• The Roughriders have forced a league-best eight fumbles over six games. Saskatchewan’s opponents fumbled only 11 times all of last season.
• Defensive halfback Rolan Milligan Jr. leads the league in four categories — interceptions (four), interception return yards (101), pass knockdowns (nine) and special teams tackles (11).
• There’s more! Milligan Jr. and Montreal’s Tyrice Beverette are tied for the most defensive plays (51). As well, Milligan Jr., Roughriders linebacker Jameer Thurman and Calgary Stampeders defensive back Tre Roberson share the league lead in defensive takeaways (four).
• A.J. Allen is tied with the Toronto Argonauts’ Jack Cassar for third in special teams tackles (nine). Adam Auclair, with eight, is in a four-way tie for fifth. Allen and Auclair are both Roughriders linebackers.
