Each week of the CFL season, The News Review Sports will recap the week that was in Rider Nation as well as preview the upcoming week's action in a weekly segment called Rider Report.
After a 39-18 beat down of the Edmonton Eskimos in Edmonton to start the 2013 CFL season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will know that their opponent for Week Two will be much tougher as the Calgary Stampeders come to town.
Losing 36-30 in the West Division Semifinal last year to the Stampeders, the Riders still have a blood feud with their Alberta rivals that dates back to Henry Burris' betrayal of the Riders for the Stamps that should be carried over in full force in a playoff rematch to open the season at Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium. With Calgary winning 44-32 over the B.C. Lions to open their season, a game that will be an early test to see who is the favorite in the West Division is on deck for Friday Night Football in Week Two.
With high stakes on the line and high expectations for the home opener, head coach Corey Chamblin is hoping for the return of his prized veteran pick up over the offseason to give the Riders an extra boost as Geroy Simon is still listed as day to day heading into the final two days before the Riders home opener. Still, the veteran plans to play, telling the Leader Post on Wednesday that as of right now he plans to play. "If I'm ready to play, I'll play. If not, then I won't, (but) right now, I'm planning on playing,'' said Simon. It's one of those things that you have to take day by day and we'll make that decision when the time comes. I don't think that anyone is 100 per cent at this point of the season after one game and training camp. I feel good, fast and explosive. We just have to wait and see how I react after (today) and the day after.''
Simon's return will be needed as the Riders released import wideout Greg Carr this week. Carr had his best game as a Rider in the West Semifinal last year, hauling in 70 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
Darian Durant did fine leading the Riders offense without Simon in Week One, but everyone knows that the Stampeders are going to be a much more difficult test than the lowly Eskimos, who are projected to miss the playoffs this season, making Simon's return one of the keys to the Riders chances of starting off the season 2-0.
Calgary's rushing attack will be something that Richie Hall will need to gameplan for as defensive coordinator for the Riders as Jon Cornish rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns in Week One. Cornish is one of the most hated players of Mosaic Stadium after his infamous "mooning" incident and the battle between the Roughriders front line and linebackers and Cornish and the Stampeders offensive line will be a key matchup in Friday night's game.
After starting off the season with a win on the road the Riders are looking at the return of the man brought in to help lead them to the Grey Cup to come back for the home opener in a potential West Division Final preview. If the Riders can get Simon in the lineup, they will be set for revenge on Calgary on Friday night.
