Everywhere you looked, there was Antoine Brooks Jr.<\/p>\n
The Saskatchewan Roughriders\u2019 strong-side linebacker registered five defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, two sacks and two pass knockdowns during Friday\u2019s CFL game against the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I was in the element in that game,\u201d Brooks Jr. said after Tuesday\u2019s practice at Mosaic Stadium. \u201cI just think the little kid in me was coming back out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was having fun and just maintaining what I need to do, just to be successful. Honestly, I felt I was mostly successful last week, so that\u2019s why I was having as much fun as I was.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fun began on Oct. 3, when Brooks Jr. marked his first CFL start as a linebacker by scoring on an 85-yard interception return in addition to making three defensive tackles (one for a loss) and one special teams stop in a 20-13 victory over the host Ottawa REDBLACKS.<\/p>\n
The tackling tally was identical one week later, when the Roughriders defeated the visiting Toronto Argonauts 27-19 to clinch first place in the CFL\u2019s overall standings and nail down hosting privileges for the Western Final (Nov. 8, 5:30 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).<\/a><\/p>\n Then came Friday\u2019s command performance in Winnipeg \u2014\u00a0his best game, statistically, in nine regular-season appearances (one last season; eight this year).<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you start going over the playbook and start watching film and start seeing stuff multiple times, it\u2019s going to seem fun,\u201d said Brooks Jr., who started one game at cornerback in July.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to make the whole game just slow down for you. Then things just happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Oh, do they ever.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a heck of a football player,\u201d Roughriders Head Coach and Defensive Co-ordinator Corey Mace said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen it since he\u2019s been here.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great for him to be able to get out there and make some plays for the team. It\u2019s unfortunate that we didn\u2019t get the win, because he had a heck of a game.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooks Jr.\u2019s passion for the game drives him to play it virtually any time of year at a variety of positions. So far, he has not been spotted in offensive line sessions, but \u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIf I was 300 pounds, I\u2019d probably be playing there, too,\u201d the 5-foot-11, 215-pounder, who hails from Lanham, Md., said with a laugh.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll work on my DB stuff, but my fun side of conditioning is offence. I\u2019ll go over there and start doing juke moves and start doing drills \u2014\u00a0running back stuff, like coming out of the backfield.\u201d<\/p>\n He even has a number (33) that is commonly assigned to a running back.<\/p>\n