Each week of the 2014 CFL Season, The News Review Sports will break down the latest Saskatchewan Roughriders news and notes as the 2013 Grey Cup champs look to defend their title.
Despite flooding in the streets of Regina making life difficult for the diehard Riders fans travelling to Taylor Field for Sunday's 2014 home opener to greet the defending Grey Cup champs, there was no shortage of things to cheer about once fans did get into the stadium as Saskatchewan once again blew out the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in what was a carbon copy of their 2013 Grey Cup triumph despite several key pieces missing for the first time.
Missing former superstars in Weston Dressler and Kory Sheets after both jumped to AFC West teams in the NFL in the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders during the offseason, quarterback Darian Durant and the Roughriders defence picked up more than enough of their former teammates workload in what was a very convincing 31-10 victory to brighten the spirits of a province where many had their Canada Day's ruined by wet weather.
With road teams struggling in Week One of the CFL season after the temporary labour dispute between the league and players led to a shorter training camp, Hamilton found they were no exception to the trend as after the Calgary Stampeders thrashed Montreal on Saturday the defending champions sent out an equal message that they will be back as favourites to lift the Grey Cup even without the likes of Sheets and Dressler in the fold.
New running back Anthony Allen was perhaps the biggest breakout star in a game dominated by a mix of familiar and new faces on offense. Playing in his first CFL game, the former Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills product showed that the Riders running game is still capable of carrying them to victory with an impressive 156 yard, one touchdown performance on the ground that was matched with 20 yards receiving as well as a touchdown catch to show off the former Super Bowl champion's versatility.
Wet conditions also didn't seem to slow down Darian Durant's 2014 debut as the recipient of a big offseason payday after winning the Grey Cup ensured that questions wouldn't be asked of his ability to remain at the highest level of CFL quarterbacks without his two most dangerous weapons with 15/22 passing for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a game that was ill suited to throwing the ball through the air for big yardage thanks to the wet and stormy atmosphere.
Still Durant's connections to new targets in Allen and Brett Swain for touchdowns were enough to deem his first performance of the season as a productive one, even if he only threw for 138 yards and an interception. Not needing to do much with the Riders defense dominating the game for long stretches, Durant's veteran leadership and game management may not of showed up in the box score but it allowed the Roughriders to take home a no nonsense victory while allowing the team to build confidence in their rushing attack as they chewed up clock in the second half after leading 24-1 at halftime.
Most impressive on the day was the Roughriders defence, who picked up 10 quarterback sacks in the win, getting to Hamilton quarterback Zach Collaros early and often. Linebacker Brian Peters had no problem likening their performance on defence to that of their Grey Cup victory, driving home the fact that the Roughriders feel that they are still the same champs despite being nearly 10 starters less going into 2014.
"Was it similar to the Grey Cup? Yes,'' Riders linebacker Brian Peters said after Sunday's game during a press conference according to the Leader-Post. "Even though we have different personnel and different guys, we're still the same team.''
"We came out fast in the Grey Cup and we came out fast (Sunday),'' said Peters, who had three defensive tackles, one of the Riders' 10 sacks and a forced fumble.
"On defence we had a few two-and-outs to start the game. Our offence was moving the ball, which gave the defence a break. Once we get rolling, we're a tough team to stop.''
On the offence, Anthony Allen and the Riders offensive line were undoubtedly the star of the show in an ugly football game that demanded a strong performance in the trenches that was delivered from the men up front who allowed their new starting running back shine. Allen, a former NFL player just like former Rider Sheets, didn't forget to credit his offensive line like a true pro.
"The offensive line did a great job of blocking,'' said Allen. "Knowing that it was going to rain, we knew that we had to run the ball. The offensive line did a great job of parting the way for me.'
When it came to the weather affecting the result of the game, head coach Corey Chamblin noted the wet weather has been here for awhile which helped them succeed in tough conditions.
"We've had the wind in training camp, we've had the rain in training camp," Chamblin said. "When you look at it, it's funny because the last time these two teams played, the weather wasn't great then, either."
"It's just something that we're getting used to getting to the point that the weather shouldn't be a factor for us."
Next up for Saskatchewan is a trip East to Ontario where they will be taking on the Argos in Toronto on Saturday for their Week Two matchup. Saskatchewan will once again be favoured going into the game despite being on the road, as the Argos were blown out on the road by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL season opener last Thursday. Former Rider Drew Willy threw for four touchdowns to give Winnipeg a 45-21 win that exposed the Argos defence.
Despite the confidence of the Riders and the clear dominance on the field as well as the scoreboard, the jury still should be out on exactly how good the 2014 Saskatchewan Roughriders truly are. After all, not much can be learned from a blowout win in terrible conditions in Week One of the long CFL season.
Despite giving their fans something to cheer about and confidence that the loss of their former heroes is not the end of the Roughriders chances of repeating as Grey Cup champs, fans shouldn't be hinging to this win as evidence that the Riders are the best team in the league.
That will be determined soon enough, but for now the Riders are finding out that even a storm can't rain on their parade quite yet.
