Despite struggling in the red zone in recent weeks, the Saskatchewan Roughriders aren’t about to wave the red flag heading into Friday’s matchup with the Calgary Stampeders.
asserted
Roughriders → struggle → Stampeders
The Riders scored touchdowns on 28 of 39 red zone possessions through their first 10 games, a 72 per cent success rate.
asserted
Riders → score → rate
Over the last four, they’ve scored on nine of 15 trips to the red zone, dropping that rate to 60 per cent.
asserted
they → score → cent
Saskatchewan came up empty on four red zone possessions in last week’s 31-24 loss to the B.C. Lions.
asserted
Saskatchewan → come → Lions
Despite the less-than-stellar numbers near the goal line, quarterback Trevor Harris believes the Riders are fully capable of finishing drives and sees no reason for alarm.
asserted
Riders → believe → alarm
“This is about us just executing.
asserted
us → execute → ?
If you look at last week, we hit a (goal post upright), had an unsuccessful run play, and then a full moon happened where Tommy Stevens got stopped on a third and one, which never happens,” said Harris.
asserted
Harris → look → third
“We can make a mountain out of a molehill if you’d like, but to me, I think it’s just about us going out and executing.
asserted
us → make → me
I think we’re in the right spot, but I don’t think it’s like time to push the panic button.”
asserted
it → think → button
The West Division standings remain tight, with Saskatchewan tied with B.C. at 8-6 behind first-place Edmonton (11-4).
asserted
Saskatchewan → remain → Edmonton
The Riders can clinch a playoff spot with a victory Friday over Calgary, a scenario they’re well aware of.
asserted
they → clinch → scenario
“Yeah, we talked about that.
asserted
we → talk → that
Every week we talk about winning the football game, but just the implication of this game is that it’s an opportunity to check off a box,” said Riders head coach Corey Mace.
asserted
Mace → talk → box
“We know it’s at stake, and we’re at home with the ability to do that.
asserted
we → know → that
As far as the alignment in this situation, it’s there for us.
asserted
it → ’ → us
It’s just going out there and playing winning football.”
asserted
It → go → football
Get breaking National news
While the Stampeders sit last in the West, head coach/GM Dave Dickenson believes his team controls its own fate.
asserted
team → get → fate
He wants his team focused on one game at a time.
asserted
team → want → time
“We have our destiny in our hands, I guess, but we’re just trying to win a game.
asserted
we → have → game
We did feel like we needed the two wins versus Ottawa, with the schedule as it was.
asserted
it → feel → schedule
We understand that our last three games are against teams that are a game or two ahead of us, and we can win season series against these teams,
asserted
we → understand → teams
” said Dickenson.
asserted
Dickenson → say → ?
“These are huge games for us, but let’s start with the first one.”
asserted
’s → let → one
The Riders acquired kicker Brett Lauther from the Ottawa Redblacks on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 CFL draft.
asserted
Riders → acquire → draft
The deal brings Lauther back to Saskatchewan, where he spent eight seasons and won a Grey Cup in 2025 before signing with Ottawa in the offseason.
asserted
he → bring → offseason
After some struggles in his final two seasons with the Riders, Lauther has made 32 of 34 field goals this season, a 94.1 per cent success rate.
asserted
Lauther → make → rate
He’s also three-for-three from beyond 50 yards and 22 of 23 on converts.
asserted
He → ’ → converts
Lauther arrived in Regina late Wednesday and participated in Thursday’s walk-through, but won’t be in the lineup Friday.
asserted
Lauther → arrive → lineup
“It’s been a crazy 24 hours, but very thankful to be here right now,” said Lauther.
asserted
Lauther → say → ?
“I guess it’s bittersweet.
asserted
it → guess → ?
I mean, obviously coming back here I couldn’t be happier.
asserted
I → mean → ?
But you leave, and you make a lot of relationships over there.
asserted
you → leave → relationships
I’m very thankful for the Redblacks organization.
asserted
I → ’m → organization
They gave me a chance to play football this year, and I’ll be forever in debt to those guys.
asserted
I → give → guys
In 114 regular-season games with Saskatchewan, Lauther made 295 of 360 field-goal attempts for a franchise-record 81.9 per cent success rate.
asserted
Lauther → make → rate
Lauther arrived in Regina late Wednesday and participated in Thursday’s walk-through, but rookie Dawson Hodge will handle the kicking duties Friday after making all five of his field-goal attempts over the last two games.
asserted
Hodge → arrive → games
The Stampeders have won six straight regular-season games in Regina and 10 of their last 11 visits.
asserted
Stampeders → win → visits
The six-game streak equals their longest in Regina, set from 1947 to 1949.
asserted
streak → equal → 1949
ADAMS IS FLYING HIGH:
asserted
ADAMS → fly → ?
Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was named CFL player of the week after completing 24 of 30 passes for 422 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Saturday’s 45-31 win over Ottawa.
asserted
Jr. → name → Ottawa
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
