Ottawa @ Saskatchewan preview
Mosaic Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 20, 2019 ) Saskatchewan 41, Ottawa 44
The Saskatchewan Roughriders look to continue their winning ways when they host the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday. The Roughriders have won four consecutive games, including a 17-10 weather-shortened win over the Montreal Alouettes before their bye week, to climb back into the hunt for their first West Division title since 2009, and hope to stay hot by avenging a 44-41 loss to the Redblacks in Week 2.
"I think the guys are seeing some dividends pay off with their work," Saskatchewan coach Craig Dickenson told reporters. "We're also very humble and know that there's a lot of season left and we have a lot to prove still." Ottawa's offensive woes continued as it dropped a 21-7 decision to the East Division-leading Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 10. The Redblacks have lost six of their last seven games while being held to three touchdowns over their last 77 offensive possessions, falling into third place in the division, and hope to stop their slide by completing the season sweep of the Roughriders for the second time in as many years. "It's frustrating as we're obviously having trouble scoring," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "We're going to keep working with these guys and find a way because we have to."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (3-6): Dominique Davis completed 20-of-40 passes for 238 yards against Hamilton, but finished without a touchdown pass for the fourth time this season. Lewis Ward missed a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter against the Tiger-Cats to see his streak of consecutive makes end at 69, which was the longest in professional football. Ottawa added linebackers Jeff Knox Jr., who made 112 tackles in his rookie season with Saskatchewan in 2015, and Brandon Calver to the practice roster Tuesday while starting running back John Crockett is expected to return after missing a game with an undisclosed injury.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (5-3): Charleston Hughes and Earl Okine each scored a defensive touchdown in Saskatchewan's win over Montreal in the first regular-season game to end early after it was called with 2:41 left in the third quarter due to lightning strikes in the area. Kicker Brett Lauther, who has made seven of his eight field goal attempts this season, is nearing a return after missing the last five games with a groin injury while defensive end Micah Johnson will be sidelined once more with an ankle problem. Defensive lineman A.C. Leonard could return to the lineup after he was taken off the six-game injured list with a shoulder issue he sustained on Aug. 6.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Hughes needs two sacks to move into an eighth-place tie on the CFL's all-time list.
2. Ottawa has scored 16 points or fewer in each of its last four losses.
3. Davis has been held to two touchdown passes in his last five games.
PREDICTION: Roughriders 27, Redblacks 18