{"id":155230,"date":"2025-09-19T16:26:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T16:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/155230\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T16:26:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T16:26:08","slug":"roughriders-mailbag-injury-dilemma-biggest-surprise-stevens-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/155230\/","title":{"rendered":"Roughriders Mailbag: Injury dilemma? Biggest surprise? Stevens strategy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>KAYLE NEIS \/Regina Leader-Post
\nSaskatchewan Roughriders running back A.J. Ouellette (45) gets tackled by the Montreal Alouettes defence during regular season CFL action inside Mosaic Stadium on Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Regina<\/p>\n

Taylor Shire<\/p>\n

Regina Leader-Post<\/p>\n

Welcome to another edition of the\u00a0Roughriders Mailbag\u00a0where we answer questions readers have about the\u00a0Saskatchewan Roughriders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Following a 48-31 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday in Week 15 of the CFL season, the Roughriders (10-3) are now into their third and final bye week of the season.<\/p>\n

And it comes at a great time as the Green and White are dealing with a few injuries to key starters, while a couple of other potential gamebreakers are nearing their return to the lineup.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to submit a question for the next Roughriders mailbag, email your inquiry to:\u00a0SaskatchewanRoughriders@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n

With the rash of injuries to this team, which is the better path: Plan out your next five games to get\/keep the starters healthy or push hard for top spot and enter playoffs thin at multiple positions? From Scott<\/p>\n

As I mentioned above, the bye week comes at a perfect time for this team especially after what happened in the loss to the Alouettes as the Roughriders clearly weren\u2019t the same team defensively without injured cornerbacks Tevaughn Campbell and Marcus Sayles.<\/p>\n

There are also several other players dealing with injuries, including a couple defenders who left Saturday\u2019s game early in C.J. Reavis and Shane Ray. It also looks like a pair of Canadian receivers in Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker could soon be nearing their return from the six-game injured list.<\/p>\n

But to answer your question, if the game is meaningful in the standings, the Roughriders will play to win and that means putting the best lineup out there. However, we also know that head coach Corey Mace has talked about the \u201ctotality of the season\u201d when it comes to deciding whether to put a player who is dealing with an injury into the lineup. If there\u2019s something on the line, healthy players will play. If a player is banged up, that\u2019s where a decision gets made when it comes to resting him for a potentially more meaningful game. It\u2019s an interesting dilemma.<\/p>\n

The simple answer would be to play everyone who is healthy enough in all five remaining games and hope for no more injuries.<\/p>\n

Injuries that keep players out of regular season games are different than injuries that keep players out of playoff games. That goes for nearly every sport. But at this point of the season, no player is at 100 per cent and everybody is dealing with something. It\u2019s just a matter of what you\u2019re able to play through and if you\u2019re able to help the team win.<\/p>\n

Now that the Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot, playing at home in the West final is obviously the goal. The Green and White are two wins up on Calgary for top spot in the West division, however the Stampeders hold the tiebreaker and have a game in hand.<\/p>\n

The Roughriders are in control of their destiny and if there\u2019s a scenario where Saskatchewan has locked up first place heading into the final two weeks or final week of the season, then yes, they can afford to rest a few players heading into the playoffs.<\/p>\n

But considering how strong Calgary has been this season, I\u2019d expect the battle for first place to come down to the final week of the season, which means the Roughriders will be forced to play their best lineup on a weekly basis. Even if it means being thin come playoff time.<\/p>\n

Good or bad, what has been most surprising about this year\u2019s Roughriders team? From Ed<\/p>\n

Heading into the season, many expected the Roughriders to be a good team and their 10-3 start is indicative of that. That\u2019s not a surprise.<\/p>\n

The fact that two of those losses have been decisive victories by the Calgary Stampeders \u2014 that\u2019s been the biggest surprise. Heading into the season, many would have suggested those would be two\u00a0wins\u00a0on the schedule for the Riders against Calgary, who have been the CFL\u2019s biggest surprise.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about some individual surprises now.<\/p>\n

Quarterback Trevor Harris has been among the team\u2019s best players, but he\u2019s shown that over the past two seasons when he\u2019s been healthy. No surprise.<\/p>\n

Running back A.J. Ouellette is having a great bounce back year but that\u2019s no surprise considering what was expected of him when he signed in Saskatchewan in 2024.<\/p>\n

The Roughriders had a question mark at cornerback heading into the season but Tevaughn Campbell has been as advertised coming back from the NFL and filling a spot that was in flux last year. And after missing last week\u2019s game, the Roughriders found out how important he is. But that\u2019s not a surprise either.<\/p>\n

Maybe linebacker A.J. Allen is the biggest positive surprise when it comes to an individual player. After C.J. Avery got hurt early in the season, Allen \u2014 a Canadian who has been mainly a special teamer for the past three years \u2014 has been having a very strong season. But he also showed flashes of that last year when he got defensive reps. It\u2019s been somewhat of a surprise how well he\u2019s been playing and credit to him for that.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, kicker Brett Lauther\u2019s down year has been the biggest surprise when it comes to the \u201cbad\u201d from the team this year. He\u2019s made 70.7 per cent of his field goals this season after being in the 80s for the past four seasons. Lauther has been better as of late, and there\u2019s still five more games to get those numbers up, but considering how clutch he\u2019s been for this team over his career, it\u2019s definitely been a surprise this season.<\/p>\n

Why are they not using more packages with Tommy Stevens? He\u2019s such a weapon. From Clay<\/p>\n

Aside from his fumble last week against Montreal, Stevens has been an outstanding addition this season as Saskatchewan\u2019s short-yardage quarterback.<\/p>\n

The Roughriders have no problem trotting him out when it\u2019s third-and-short and they need a first down. He\u2019s been effective in that role. He\u2019s also been asked to come in on three separate occasions to try and run down the clock and close out games with his running ability.<\/p>\n

It would be interesting to have this conversation with Harris, the starting quarterback who calls Stevens \u201cthe closer,\u201d and offensive coordinator Marc Mueller.<\/p>\n

Many teams have tried bringing in a mobile quarterback into the game for certain packages or bringing him into the game any time a team gets within 10 yards of the end zone.<\/p>\n

It potentially sets up more options, but I often think this throws the offence out of rhythm and the team would be better off keeping their No. 1 quarterback out there. I imagine Harris would agree.<\/p>\n

If the offence is struggling to move the ball, I could see a scenario where you\u2019d want to bring in Stevens to run a few packages to switch things up. However, the other team knows exactly what you\u2019re trying to do when he\u2019s out there.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an interesting debate but I think it comes down to rhythm and wanting to keep the core starters out there unless it\u2019s on third down or late in a game with the lead \u2014 then it\u2019s Tommy time.<\/p>\n

tshire@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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