10 Thoughts: Roughriders no match for Stampeders on Saturday afternoon

National Post

2 days ago

After a 19-hour delay, we finally got to see the Saskatchewan Roughriders take on the Calgary Stampeders in Week 6 of the CFL season.
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And after watching what went down, those who waited out the postponement or drove back in for the game were left utterly disappointed after the visiting Stampeders came into Mosaic Stadium and beat the previously undefeated Roughriders 24-10.
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With not much good and plenty of bad, here are the top 10 takeaways from Saturday's game:
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10 Thoughts:
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1. Playing the game on Friday night would have been much more optimal than delaying it until Saturday. That's why the CFL and the two teams waited nearly four hours to make the official decision. One thing to improve next time around is the transparency and communication surrounding the situation. Let everyone in attendance know exactly how the situation is playing out, what the forecasting models are showing, and what the timelines are. Let fans make an informed decision for themselves if they want to wait it out with all the information available. Going hours between updates, which provided no official data or timelines, was not helpful.
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2. While the transparency and communication could have been better on Friday night, props to the Roughriders for how they handled the postponement of the game. From the $50 vouchers handed out to season ticket holders — which add up to nearly $1 million — to tickets for future games, the club's attempt to make it up to the fans for the postponement is commendable.
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3. As for the game itself, while Saskatchewan forced two turnovers on the first two drives, there wasn't much to like from the Roughriders first quarter of play as they failed to generate a single first down. Ditto for the second quarter. Both teams had to endure the postponement — and it was probably tougher on the visiting Stampeders who had to scatter across the city in various hotel rooms and dorms — but the Riders weren't into the game early. No excuses for that.
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4. After rushing for a career-high 139 yards in Week 4 against B.C., running back A.J. Ouellette was limited to nine yards on six carries, which is the first time he's been held under 10 yards in a game since 2021. The lack of production isn't necessarily on Ouellette — as head coach Corey Mace referenced postgame — but Calgary's defensive line dominated Saskatchewan's offensive line and made life uncomfortable for Ouellette and quarterback Trevor Harris.
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5. Something must have been said to spark the team during halftime as Saskatchewan came out hot to open the second half as Harris found Joe Robustelli for his first career touchdown reception. It looked like the Riders had grabbed some momentum back, however it was quickly taken away as Adams hit 2025 first overall pick Damien Alford — who looked outstanding in his first CFL start by the way with 156 receiving yards — for an 81-yard touchdown. Despite the loss, Robustelli was a bright spot for the Riders with a career-high 191 yards on 11 catches.