Sunday night's clash with the BC Lions marked the start of what will be the stretch that determines the Saskatchewan Roughriders 2014 CFL Playoffs situation, a two month stretch in which the Riders along with the rest of the stacked West Division will be trying to catch up with the one loss Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos in the race for first place and the first round bye.
To make things more interesting in Sunday's important meeting between the Lions and Riders the two teams would be entering the game with Saskatchewan holding a 5-2 record to the 5-3 record for BC, making a game that would have significant impact in the standings with the Riders trying to remain one game back of first place that much more interesting when the owner of the Lions guaranteed a win at BC Place for the home team.
That guarantee from the Lions leading up to the game in a stunt to sell tickets that didn't quite pay off (more people went to see last year's clash between BC and Sask.) ended up being the fuel the Roughriders needed to escape Vancouver and BC Place with a memorable victory than was spurred on by backup Tino Sunseri who came in for an injured Darian Durant to help lead a 20-16 victory that improved the team's record to 20-16.
Sunseri came in early on in the game for Durant, who was finding his groove early with 9/15 passing for 105 yards, eventually throwing eight complete passes for 83 yards, none more important than the touchdown pass to lineman Dan Clark who scored what will be the unlikeliest touchdown of the Riders season to keep the team on pace to make things interesting in the race for first in the West.
Still despite Sunseri's heroics the Riders would win the game in the end by doing what has worked so far this season despite their lack of scoring by playing sound defence and keeping the Lions from getting an sort of momentum in the game along with timely field goal kicking from Chris Milo to earn the victory. Other than a special teams miscue that allowed a 75 yard punt return for Tim Brown garner an early scare, the Roughriders once again stifled an opposing offence to the point of forfeit as the Lions were forced to change quarterbacks from Kevin Glenn to Travis Lulay late after Glenn was disposed of by the stingy Saskatchewan defence.
All in all the Lions night was largely unsuccessful because of that Roughriders defence, and not just because the team's guarantee of victory was ruined along with the promise of returns on tickets purchased. Perhaps fans overlooked the Riders solid play on the other side of the ball last year with all of the glitz and glamour going on when the team was attacking on offence with the likes of Kory Sheets, Weston Dressler, Geroy Simon and company giving the team star power. Now with those names gone it may be the likes of Tyron Brackenridge, Tristan Jackson, John Chick and Rickey Foley becoming not only the stars of the Riders as the season progresses.
That doesn't mean that fans shouldn't remain concerned about the lack of offensive fireworks for the Riders going into Septemeber, the month of August was unkind to Darian Durant who after leaving early on Sunday night continued his problems in finishing drives with touchdowns this season. Having Chris Getzlaf, Taj Smith and Rob Bagg all in the lineup at the same time will likely be a help if all three can stay healthy (or in Smith's case, out of trouble) at the same time, but now with Durant's injury status looming into what are two of the most physical regular season games of the year against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers there will once again be question marks surrounding the offence.
Offence wasn't an issue last time the Riders and Bombers clashed as thanks to John Chick along with a costly interception from Drew Willy that turned into a Saskatchewan touchdown it was a easy road win to turn around the season for head coach Corey Chamblin that probably could have came without the team playing offence at all.
After Willy cost the Bombers what would have been a pivotal win in the West last month, don't expect the same type of miscues on offence from the former Riders backup who knows a thing or two about the Labour Day Classic/Banjo Bowl as a famous quarterback of the big rivalry games in beating Winnipeg on the road as a backup. Willy, whose season has been up and down as Winnipeg has crashed to earth a bit after a hot start, should be motivated by his trip back to Taylor Field this weekend which should make for good sports theater in the annual showcase event for the CFL.
Everything will hinge on Darian Durant's health come the weekend however. From the magnitude of the moment in a potential Durant v. Willy showdown, the chances of Saskatchewan picking up the needed home win to the hope of Saskatchewan's offence turning it around relies on how healthy Durant will be or if he plays at all. Two provinces will be waiting, because it is the Labour Day Classic.
