Hamilton
2nd East8-10
Saskatchewan
2nd West12-6
Hamilton @ Saskatchewan preview
Mosaic Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2017 ) Saskatchewan 27, Hamilton 19
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to extend their lead at the top of the East Division standings when they hit the road to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday. The Tiger-Cats have notched back-to-back victories against the Edmonton Eskimos (38-21) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (31-17), and hope to win three straight games for the first time since August 2015, while opening up a two-point lead over Ottawa and Montreal in the process.
Hamilton quarterback Jeremiah Masoli leads the league in passing yards (1,045) and hopes to continue his hot start to the season by guiding the Tiger-Cats to their first win in Regina since July 26, 2015. The Roughriders are left to go back to the drawing board following a 23-17 loss to the Montreal Alouettes. Saskatchewan continues to be its own worst enemy as Brandon Bridge - starting in place of an injured Zach Collaros - threw two interceptions before being replaced in the second half by David Watford, who also tossed a pair of picks in the disappointing loss to a Montreal team which had dropped their previous 13 games. "We've taken a little downturn right now," Saskatchewan coach Chris Jones told reporters. "We've just got to believe in each other, keep working and keep chopping wood."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (2-1): Masoli completed 31-of-41 passes for 369 yards and a touchdown against Winnipeg to finish with more than 300 yards passing for the eighth straight game, which is one shy of matching the CFL record held by Sam Etcheverry (1956) and Kent Austin (1991). "He's just done a fabulous job," Hamilton coach June Jones told reporters. "He's doing the complete thing right now." Mercer Timmis continued his stellar start to the season as he rushed for two touchdowns to take his season total to four while Terrence Toliver caught his first touchdown pass since 2016 after missing the 2017 season with a knee injury.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (1-2): Chris Jones confirmed that Bridge will get the starting nod Thursday despite the Canadian quarterback going 8-of-18 for 111 yards and two interceptions against Montreal. Naaman Roosevelt was one of the lone bright spots on offence as he caught six passes for 73 yards and a touchdown while Charleston Hughes, who was acquired in an off-season trade with Hamilton, recorded his league-leading fourth sack. Saskatchewan signed former University of Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner, who was the rookie of the year in Japan's X-League in 2016, to the practice squad.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Saskatchewan has won three of the last four meetings with Hamilton.
2. Tiger-Cats WR Brandon Banks leads the league with 21 receptions.
3. The Roughriders have committed a league-high nine turnovers.
PREDICTION: Tiger-Cats 28, Roughriders 24