Michelle Berg/Saskatoon StarPhoenix
A helmet on the field during Saskatchewan Roughriders rookie training camp at Griffiths Stadium in May 2025.
Darrell Davis
Regina Leader-Post
It wasn’t an overly impressive victory, but beating the hometown Ottawa Redblacks 20-13 ended the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ two-game losing streak and may have gotten them back on track as the CFL playoffs approach.
That’s the Big Question this week: Are the Roughriders back on track?
The Roughriders boast a league-best 11-4 record, but they have been plagued by serious winless skids (six, six and seven games) each of the past three seasons. They needed a victory to make sure they weren’t falling apart again.
Playing against the Redblacks, whose CFL-worst 4-11 mark has eliminated them from playoff contention, Saskatchewan’s defence turned in a respectable performance.
The Roughriders were missing cornerback Tevaughn Campbell, end Shane Ray and three defensive backs who had started at safety — incumbent starter Nelson Lokombo and backup Jaxon Ford were hurt, while third-stringer Kosi Onyeka was unceremoniously released last week for breaking team rules. Those absences shifted C.J. Reavis to safety and gave Antoine Brooks Jr. the start at strong-side linebacker, a position that is typically filled by a defensive back.
Brooks intercepted a pass and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown. Fellow linebackers A.J. Allen and Jameer Thurman also intercepted passes.
The Roughriders provided a persistent pass rush, had three quarterback sacks and limited the Redblacks to 49 rushing yards. It looked like the Roughriders’ defence was back on track and, certainly, holding any CFL team to 13 points is pretty impressive.
The Roughriders were averaging 26.4 offensive points per game — second only to the B.C. Lions’ 29.5 — but entered the contest worried about their persistent slow starts. A.J. Ouellette scored a rushing touchdown on their first drive, but the Riders’ next seven possessions ended with punts. They didn’t score another offensive touchdown until quarterback Trevor Harris threw to Dohnte Meyers for a 66-yard major in the fourth quarter.
Harris completed 27 of 33 passes for 341 yards without an interception, with some route mixups as the Roughriders adjust to the return of receivers Ajou Ajou, Sam Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker.
An offensive drought may be OK against Ottawa and their next opponent, the 5-11 Toronto Argonauts who visit Mosaic Stadium on Friday night at 7 p.m., but the Roughriders can’t afford those lapses when completing their regular-season schedule against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and B.C. Their offence needs a return to form.
There’s also concern on special teams. Although the Roughriders have respectable statistics for their return and coverage teams, they have been ranked last in punting yardage and field-goal percentages.
New punter Jesse Mirco averaged 52.3 and 43.9 yards per punt since replacing Joe Couch two games ago. Rookie Campbell Fair missed both converts and didn’t attempt a field goal while replacing veteran Brett Lauther for the Ottawa game. Lauther has made only 69 per cent of his field goals this season. The Roughriders don’t want their early-season kicking game to stay on track.
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