The Saskatchewan Roughriders began Friday’s game with only two opening-day starters on the offensive line.
And one of them was lining up at a different position.
Even so, a robust performance up front powered the Roughriders to a 37-29 CFL victory over the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium.
Saskatchewan rushed for 244 yards — its highest total since the 2013 Grey Cup Game — and threw for 248.
Trevor Harris, who completed 16 of 18 passes, was felled only once in the backfield — and that was a coverage sack — in his fifth game since returning from a knee injury.
“Since I’ve been back, I don’t know how many sacks we’ve given up,” the Roughriders’ starting quarterback told reporters after the game. “I don’t think it’s very many.
“You guys would probably need to check that for me. If somebody could pull that up, that would be awesome.”
The magic number: Five.
Over the last five games, the Roughriders have allowed fewer sacks than any team in the CFL. The numbers:
5 — Saskatchewan.
7 — Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton.
8 — Ottawa.
9 — Winnipeg.
13 — Toronto.
16 — B.C., Montreal.
Over the course of the season, Saskatchewan and Edmonton have allowed the third-fewest sacks (25).
Hamilton (21) and Calgary (22) are the two teams above the Roughriders and Elks.
The Roughriders’ sacks-allowed total after 14 games is their lowest since 2018 (16). The next four 14-game totals were 28 (2019), 40 (2021), 59 (2022) and 44 (2023).
In addition to providing airtight protection on Friday, the offensive line cleared paths for newcomer Ryquell Armstead as he posted the fourth-best single-game rushing-yardage total (207) in franchise history.
Armstead’s previous CFL team, the Ottawa REDBLACKS, is to visit Mosaic Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Playing integral roles in Armstead’s dazzling debut with the Roughriders were left tackle Trevor Reid, left guard Noah Zerr, centre Logan Ferland, right guard Nick Jones and right tackle Trevon Tate.
Reid is the only member of the offensive line who has played the same position for all 14 games this season.
Ferland has started 11 games at right guard, the past two at centre (in place of an injured Peter Godber) and one at right tackle.
Zerr, a third-year CFLer who was signed by Saskatchewan during the off-season, is coming off his first two starts in professional football.
Jones has started three times at right guard and once at right tackle.
Jermarcus Hardrick (five starts), Tate (four), Jacob Brammer (two), Ferland (one) and Brandon Council (one) have also seen starting duty at right tackle.
Zerr is the 2024 Roughriders’ fourth starting right guard, following Philip Blake (two starts), Ryan Sceviour (six) and Zack Fry (four).
Blake, Brammer, Fry, Godber, Hardrick and Sceviour are on the six-game injured list.
Blake, Godber, Hardrick and Sceviour have a combined 385 regular-season games of CFL experience, including 371 starts.
So far this season, the Roughriders have started 12 different offensive linemen and dressed 13.
Braydon Noll, who joined the Roughriders in early August, has been the sixth offensive lineman for the past two games.
Additional support has been provided by defensive tackles Micah Johnson and Miles Brown, both of whom have moonlighted as offensive linemen when injuries have mounted during a game.
Noll, Jones and Tate have all joined the Roughriders since the pre-season concluded.
Despite all the adjustments that have been necessitated by injuries, the offensive line has consistently performed at a high level under the tutelage of position coach Edwin Harrison.
The high point was on Friday, when Armstead was handed the ball 25 times and averaged 8.3 yards per carry.
As well, he erupted for the Roughriders’ two longest runs of the season (39 and 34 yards).
“With the fact that we were able to establish a run game and rush for (more than) 200 yards, it was like back in college,” Harris said. “Our goal every game was to run for 200 and throw for 200.
“Having that balanced attack, it’s really difficult for teams to defend you, because they can’t just have three (pass rushers) and drop nine (into coverage).
“They’ve got to have five, six in the box and when you do that, and then you have to start blitzing to overcome that, that’s when we can really hurt teams.
“I love how well we’re running the football and we’re going to continue to do so and allow our offensive line to be physical.”
