Riders, Lions set to face in West final after unusual regular-season series

There is nary wide favourite successful Saturday’s CFL West Division semifinal betwixt the Saskatchewan Roughriders and B.C. Lions, particularly fixed their antithetic regular-season bid that had some teams signaling lopsided victories.

In their archetypal matchup of the play connected July 13 successful Vancouver, the Lions (9-9) trounced the Riders 35-20. When the Lions travelled to Regina connected Oct. 13, the Riders (9-8-1) returned the favour with a 39-9 victory.

When the teams measurement onto the tract astatine Mosaic Stadium, Riders caput manager Corey Mace is expecting to look a motivated Lions squad.

“I’m expecting the champion mentation of them. We talked astir that arsenic a team, that stats and records haven’t got thing to bash with what’s astir to get started here,” helium said.

“Everybody’s connected a cleanable slate. You’re going to get everybody’s champion roster. These guys are coming disconnected a bye week and I’m definite that their coaches and their players person been putting successful the other work, truthful we expect the champion mentation of them, conscionable similar we expect the champion mentation of us. So, it’s going to beryllium a hellhole of a game.”

The 2 regular-season games had immoderate chiseled differences. In the B.C. victory, the Riders played were missing starting backmost Trevor Harris with a genu injury. Lions backmost Vernon Adams Jr. had a monster game, completing 24 of 42 passes for 451 gait portion person Justin McInnis hauled successful 14 passes for 243 yards.

In Saskatchewan’s win, Harris was astatine the helm portion the Lions were nether the absorption of Nathan Rourke, who replaced Adams arsenic the starter. While Rourke struggled, completing 15 of 23 passes for 200 yards with 2 interceptions, Harris was outstanding, totalling 271 yards and 2 touchdowns connected 25 of 30 passes.

The Lions were besides forced into six turnovers by the Riders, including a 48-yard interception instrumentality for a touchdown by linebacker A.J. Allen connected B.C.’s 2nd violative play of the game.

Saskatchewan topped the CFL with a plus-26 turnover ratio successful 2024, its champion ratio since the Riders acceptable their franchise grounds of plus-27 successful 1994. The Riders forced a CFL-best 49 hostile giveaways this season.

For B.C. caput manager Rick Campbell, shot information volition beryllium captious successful Saturday’s game.

“We request to bash a bully job. We talked astir walking the walk, of not conscionable talking astir it successful practice, of making definite we’re securing the shot connected offence and making definite connected defence were we’re trying to get the shot out,” helium said. “And obviously, Saskatchewan is truly bully astatine it, but successful immoderate playoff crippled turnovers are going to beryllium a large origin successful it truthful it’s decidedly a constituent of accent for us.”

While Campbell was preaching shot protection, Adams, who made 10 stars and finished the play with 16 touchdowns passes and 9 interceptions, remains committed to playing his attacking style.

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“I’m going to play my game. I can’t play timid and not instrumentality immoderate shots,” helium said. “If I person a turnover, I anticipation my defence volition spell retired there, person my backmost and get 1 close back. If they get scored on, we request to person their backmost and spell people and lucifer that. If we’re some down, peculiar teams request to amusement up for us, for some for some sides.”

Riders antiaircraft lineman Micah Johnson isn’t amazed that Adams is readying to play aggressively.

“I wouldn’t expect VA to bash it immoderate different way,” Johnson said. “You know, that’s him. He’s going to attack. He’s assertive with the ball. He believes successful his receivers. He’ll bent successful the pouch and instrumentality a deed to present the shot downfield. He tin manoeuvre astir the pouch to widen plays to get the agelong ball.

“We cognize that’s his DNA. But I’m assured with the full backmost end, guys been picking worldly disconnected each year. If that’s however they’re going to play, we tin play it similar that.”

The Riders person made 1 important alteration connected offence, adding Ryquell Armstead who volition articulation A.J. Ouellette successful the backfield. Expectations are precocious for Ouellette, 1 of Saskatchewan’s off-season signings, and Armstead, acquired from the Ottawa Redblacks connected Sept. 16.

“Since bringing Q in, we knew could beryllium an enactment for us, either aboriginal successful the play oregon the pushing the playoffs. Unfortunately, determination are immoderate guys that won’t beryllium capable to play this week truthful we could bring some of them connected the roster, but we consciousness having the enactment of some those guys connected the roster this week players into our favour,” said Mace.