Darrell Davis
Regina Leader-Post
This doesn’t happen very often, but the first-place Saskatchewan Roughriders are about to play a second straight home game against the second-place B.C. Lions. Next up is the CFL’s West final, slated for 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.
With a Grey Cup berth on the line there are dozens of interesting matchups and hundreds of ways to win the football game, but the premium battle features the league’s top-scoring offence against its stingiest defence. During the regular season, B.C. averaged scoring 31.1 points per game while Saskatchewan surrendered 22.7.
Hence The Big Question: Can the Roughriders defence stop Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke?
The Calgary Stampeders did a decent job against Rourke on Saturday.
Despite losing the West semifinal 33-30 on a walk-off field goal by B.C.’s Sean Whyte, the Stampeders limited Rourke — a finalist in balloting for the CFL’s outstanding player — to 16 completions on 22 attempts for 223 yards and no touchdowns. Rourke, who got sacked three times, was B.C.’s top rusher with 68 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
That’s what makes Rourke so dangerous.
Unlike Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, who runs only out of necessity (eight times for 53 yards and no touchdowns). Rourke was eighth in the league with 564 yards and 10 TDs on 61 carries, 19 of which went longer than 10 yards.
Rourke was injured and didn’t play in one of the two early-season losses to Saskatchewan, but he’s rounding into form on a team that has won seven straight games. One of those decisions was a 27-21 win over the Roughriders in their regular-season finale.
On B.C’s first offensive play, Rourke tossed a 63-yard touchdown pass. On B.C.’s next three possessions he completed three passes, recorded only two first downs, was sacked by Riders defensive end Malik Carney and intercepted by safety Nelson Lokombo.
Saskatchewan was leading 18-10 when Harris was removed 10 minutes into the second quarter, just to make sure he would be healthy for this rematch. Rourke remained in the contest with B.C.’s starters, while the Roughriders rotated backups through their offensive and defensive units en route to a loss that was actually decided by two controversial officials’ calls.
The Roughriders are the CFL’s best defence against the run, allowing only 76 rushing yards per game. However, they surrender 342 passing yards per game, which is eighth-best of nine teams.
Saskatchewan’s secondary has been dishevelled by injuries to Lokombo, halfback Rolan Milligan Jr. and cornerbacks Tevaughn Campbell and Marcus Sayles. They recently moved strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis to safety and inserted Antoine Brooks Jr. into Reavis’ spot.
Saskatchewan uses that position as a regular blitzer, bolstering the pass rush from Carney and defensive tackles Mike Rose and Micah Johnson. It’s a gamble blitzing against an offence with dangerous receivers like Keon Hatcher and Justin McInnis, plus reliable tailback James Butler, but getting consistent pressure definitely allows the Roughriders to, maybe not stop Rourke, but at least slow him down.
