{"id":143812,"date":"2025-09-14T18:02:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T18:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/143812\/"},"modified":"2025-09-14T18:02:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T18:02:07","slug":"uninspired-roughriders-thumped-by-alouettes-in-cfl-schlocker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/143812\/","title":{"rendered":"Uninspired Roughriders thumped by Alouettes in CFL ‘schlocker’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Saskatchewan Roughriders<\/a> turned in their worst 200-minute performance of the CFL season on Saturday against the Montreal Alouettes.<\/p>\n

Yep, three-plus hours of badly played, when-is-this-gonna-end schlock from \u2014 surprisingly \u2014 the team with the league\u2019s best record, worsened by a CFL-controlled God Centre that couldn\u2019t let the lopsided contest proceed at a civilized pace.<\/p>\n

Aware that earlier losses by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Elks had earned Saskatchewan a postseason berth, the Roughriders have stumbled into their final bye week still sitting atop the West with a 10-3 mark despite looking totally uninspired in a 48-31 thumping that ended Montreal\u2019s five-game losing streak.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t doing our job,\u201d Roughriders middle linebacker Jameer Thurman told CJME\u2019s Britton Gray. \u201cA testament to them, they attacked us and exploited some of our run defence. I missed some tackles. At the end of the day it was just guys not doing their job.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just wasn\u2019t clicking for us today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Alouettes totally exploited inexperienced cornerbacks Kerfalla Exum\u00e9 and Benny Sapp III, who started their first CFL games because last-minute roster changes moved Saskatchewan\u2019s Tevaughn Campbell and Marcus Sayles to the one-game injured list.<\/a><\/p>\n

Those emergency moves also bumped hard-working receiver Joe Robustelli<\/a> from Saskatchewan\u2019s roster. The Roughriders offence still netted 466 yards, although most came after the game had been decided. The real damage was done to their defence.<\/p>\n

Saskatchewan\u2019s defence entered the game leading the CFL in sacks, turnover ratio and fewest rushing yards allowed. Trying to protect their vulnerable secondary, the Roughriders reverted to a conservative four-man pass rush with zone coverages. It didn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

With in-game injuries to linebacker C.J. Reavis and defensive end Shane Ray, the Roughriders ultimately had backups in six of their 12 defensive positions and didn\u2019t force a turnover. They lost the turnover battle 4-0.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo excuses \u2014 we\u2019ve gotta be better than that,\u201d said Riders head coach\/defensive co-ordinator Corey Mace.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we tackled terribly \u2026 some of that is my fault by putting them in the wrong situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montreal gained 530 offensive yards, including 125 on 19 carries by Stevie Scott III, a little-known running back who stepped into action when starter Travis Theis was hurt on the first drive.<\/p>\n

Als quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson didn\u2019t get sacked while completing 20 of 26 passes for 379 yards with three touchdowns. Bethel-Thompson threw nine times to receiver Tyson Philpot, who caught every one while matched mainly against nowhere-in-the-vicinity Exum\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Philpot scored two long touchdowns as the Alouettes, who lost 34-6 to the visiting Roughriders earlier this season, improved their record to 6-7 and remain second in the East.<\/p>\n

After back-to-back sellouts, the Roughriders announced 26,951 tickets \u2014 about 6,400 short of capacity \u2014 had been distributed. Halftime featured the induction of Alex Smith<\/a>, Chris Best and Steve Molnar into the team\u2019s Plaza of Honour. But with rain falling for most of the game, it was otherwise a painful experience for fans held captive by the CFL\u2019s Replay Centre.<\/p>\n

It should really be called the \u201cGod Centre\u201d because it\u2019s so over-eager to get calls correct<\/a> that it seemingly interjected itself into every decision, particularly when Montreal coach Jason Maas or one of his players would stage on on-field melodrama. The CFL could have told referee Tim Kroeker and his on-field crew, \u201cStay at home; we got it\u201d as the constant confusion caused numerous delays.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s horrible to move game-changing, on-field decisions into a replay booth in Toronto, where the supervisors can watch numerous replays to deem that Montreal DB Wesley Sutton was so perfectly positioned that his disputed first-quarter interception was legal. Or that an Alouettes offside penalty was actually illegal procedure against the Roughriders.<\/p>\n

The league also allows reviews of pass interference penalties, so it was fortunate the Roughriders defensive backs didn\u2019t get close enough to Montreal\u2019s receivers to get penalized, otherwise the game might still be ongoing.<\/p>\n

After winning back-to-back games against the hated Blue Bombers in their annual Labour Day Classic\/Banjo Bowl<\/a> series, the Roughriders have to be mystified over their no-show against the Alouettes. Montreal has used five different quarterbacks this season, including injured starter Davis Alexander, and hadn\u2019t gotten very good performances from Bethel-Thompson, its veteran backup.<\/p>\n

The Roughriders evidently need a break, a one-week respite to relish what they\u2019ve accomplished, before digging into their final five regular-season matches with the incentive of earning a home playoff game. A home game that has to be better than the last one.<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

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