Roughriders Clinch Playoff Spot Despite Loss to Alouettes, harris Urges Calm
REGINA, SK – The Saskatchewan Roughriders secured a CFL playoff berth in record-breaking fashion on Saturday, but the party was muted following a decisive 48-31 loss to the Montreal Alouettes. Despite the setback, the team remains atop the West Division with a stellar 10-3 record.
The Roughriders clinched their playoff spot before even taking the field, thanks to Toronto’s narrow 31-30 victory over Edmonton. This marks the earliest Saskatchewan has secured a post-season berth in franchise history, besting the previous record by 15 days. However, the Alouettes spoiled the party at mosaic Stadium, jumping to a commanding 28-10 lead at halftime and never looking back.
“I think, in the new social media day and age, it will be ‘the sky is falling,'” acknowledged Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, following the game. “We’ve lost one in a row and that’s all everybody remembers.”
Despite the loss, Harris emphasized the team’s strong position. “The fact of the matter is, we’re 13 games in and we’re 10-and-3. We’re sitting on top of the West and we control our own destiny as far as where we end the rest of the season.”
The roughriders’ defense struggled against a potent Alouettes attack, lead by McLeod Bethel-Thompson who threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns. Tyson Philpot was a standout receiver, hauling in nine passes for 238 yards and two majors. The Saskatchewan secondary was hampered by injuries to key players marcus Sayles and Tevaughn Campbell.
Head Coach Corey Mace echoed Harris’ sentiment, downplaying the importance of the playoff clinching and focusing on the team’s performance. “Truthfully, we get all this data about the playoffs and all that stuff and nobody in that locker room cares,” Mace stated. “We’re [steamed] we didn’t do what we wanted to do today.”
West Division Standings:
* Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-3)
* Calgary Stampeders (8-4) – 1 game in hand
* B.C. Lions & Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-7)
* Edmonton Elks (5-8)
The roughriders will enter their bye week with a four-point lead over the second-place Calgary Stampeders. calgary will return to action Friday against the B.C. lions. Saskatchewan will look to rebound when they visit Edmonton on September 27th.
Mace believes the timing of the bye week is beneficial. “I think the timing of the bye is good for us,” he said, “but I reminded those guys, ‘You’ve got
