Only five regular-season games remain, barely enough to turn this year from a disaster into a success
With only five games remaining on their regular-season schedule and mired in a seven-game winless streak, the Roughriders need to get desperate if they’re going to make the CFL playoffs. Desperate teams play harder. The Roughriders typically play hard, usually right to the end of every game, but they’re not yet desperate enough.
Maybe it was pre-planned, those public criticisms coming from a head coach whose kind-hearted personality can make you forget he’s ultra-competitive, committed to building a winning team in football’s heartland. It came after a bye week, which is a perfect time to reset a team’s attitude. Mace reminded his players there’s a “standard” to meet when they represent the Roughriders.
In Mace’s eyes they weren’t meeting that standard, so he twice gave them face-to-face reminders.
They were dropping catchable passes, blowing defensive assignments and perhaps being too flippant about everything. It may have happened again Wednesday, when the team’s practice was closed to the public. That can be the team’s little secret, but everyone will see if it resonates Friday when the Roughriders visit the Calgary Stampeders, arguably the CFL’s worst team.
What isn’t hidden is the Roughriders’ injury list. The team has played nearly half its games without starting quarterback Trevor Harris, is missing three of its prized free-agent signings — running back A.J. Ouellette, tackle Jermarcus Hardrick and defensive end Malik Carney, who looked doubtful after missing practices this week — and has spun 16 offensive linemen through the five positions, where only Logan Ferland and rookie left tackle Trevor Reid have played every game.
The defensive line has also been ravaged by injuries, although there was some hope Anthony Lanier II could rejoin the roster after practising lightly this week to test his recuperating knee.
“No, we’re still working on it,” said Lanier. “I miss my guys and they miss me as well. It’s always better when you’ve got the whole family together.”
Carney would be the fourth D-lineman on the injury list. Lanier has extra value because he can play end or tackle.
“We’re light in numbers right now,” said defensive line coach Phillip Daniels. “Having (Lanier) back in the rotation would help us out, but I understand it’s a slow process.
“I’m still pleased with how we’ve played. I don’t know if we’re still Number One, but we were Number One against the run and we had the lead in (quarterback) sacks for awhile there. And we’re fighting, you know what I’m saying?”
Despite being short-staffed, led by ageless tackle Micah Johnson, Saskatchewan’s defensive line has performed better than any of the team’s other positional groups.
“It’s unfortunate those guys end up getting hurt, but Miles is not a dirty player,” said Daniels. “I know he took responsibility for hitting the quarterback but when you’re a lineman and you’re moving fast, sometimes getting blocked into somebody, it’s hard to slow down and change direction. Some things are stacked against us, but we try our best to not hurt people.
“I told Miles, ‘Keep playing the way you play because I know what kind of player you are. You are a guy that goes out and puts all your heart and soul into this.’ ”
More heart and soul could help this needs-to-be desperate football team, minus the fines, penalties and particularly the injuries.
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