Rob Vanstone: 3-0 Roughriders inspire belief and breathe a sigh of relief

06/24/2024 12:10 PM

There was an undercurrent of "3-and-uh-oh" as reporters waited to pose questions to Saskatchewan Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace on Sunday night.

Although the Green and White had just registered its third consecutive victory to begin the 2024 CFL season, the most urgent inquiries pertained to the status of Trevor Harris.

The Roughriders' starting quarterback had left the game and limped to the locker room in the final minute of the second quarter.

Although Harris was on the sideline and in his game uniform for the second half, there hadn't been anything hinting at a definitive word as to his condition.

Over to you, Coach …

"I haven't sat down with him, but I talked to him at halftime and he was in pretty good spirits," Mace said to begin his post-game media conference.

"In the second half, he was in my ear, saying, 'Coach, I can go!' But we wanted to play it just a little bit safe."

As a result, Shea Patterson remained in the game at quarterback and helped the offence play mistake-free football, sans Harris.

"With Shea, I thought they were moving the ball pretty well," Mace said. "They were able to get us out of the game and headed into the bye week to give Trevor some more rest.

"But the way he was acting, it sounded like he was ready to go."

Whew!

Now, of course, that is a preliminary assessment. More should be known in the next few days.

It helps matters considerably that the Roughriders do not play again until July 4, when the Toronto Argonauts are in town, and that six full days remain before practices resume.

It is also comforting to know, based upon what Mace had to say on Sunday night, that the injury to Harris doesn't seem to be a replay of 2023.

Last year, the Roughriders were 3-1 in games Harris started and finished. Early in the fourth quarter of the fifth contest, he suffered a knee injury that turned out to be season-ending.

It was, in essense, a season-ender for a 2023 Roughriders team that could not recover from the absence of its field general.

The hiring of Mace and a mostly new coaching staff engendered optimism that the Roughriders would reverse their fortunes following back-to-back 6-12 seasons.

Under Mace, Saskatchewan proceeded to win its first two games — both on the road.

The Roughriders entered their home opener with a 2-0 record for the first time in franchise history.

Another first: Never before had Saskatchewan rallied from double-digit fourth-quarter deficits to win twice in a row.

Sunday's game was much easier on the nerves, at least in terms of the score.

The Roughriders forced a turnover on the opening kickoff, scored a touchdown two plays later on a pass from Harris to Samuel Emilus, and led for all but the opening 1:05.

Hamilton's offence was virtually non-existent until late in the first half, when a Tiger-Cats touchdown and convert reduced the Roughriders' lead to 18-7.

Saskatchewan scored the next 10 points, thanks primarily to an interception-return touchdown by middle linebacker Jameer Thurman, and the fans could breathe much easier as a result.

Except, of course, for the issue of the injured starting quarterback.

Hence the relief that was felt when Mace said the decision to withhold Harris from the game for the entire second half was largely precautionary.

"Why risk it?" Mace said. "We love Trevor. It's a long season.

"We're confident with what Shea has provided for us to this point and certainly we were still able to maintain the lead and move the ball down the field and execute the offence.

"I didn't see any point in letting Trev go back in the game."

Harris was lobbying — a source of reassurance — and there were times when he was throwing the ball on the sideline.

From that vantage point, he saw and appreciated the Roughriders' best demonstration of complementary football in this young season.

A balanced offence showcased by A.J. Ouellette, who enjoyed his best game as a Roughrider.

A prized free-agent signing during the off-season, Ouellette led the Roughriders in yardage along the ground (98, on 20 carries) and through the air (47, on four receptions) on Sunday.

"We'll have to look at the film and know we need to get better, but it was fun to kind of feel like we had a little run game going," offensive tackle Jermarcus Hardrick said.

"It definitely wasn't perfect, but you could tell from the look in the guys' eyes that we're starting to feel it."

Hardrick contributed to a team that was stout on both lines of scrimmage — a winning formula, on any day.

The Roughriders dominated the turnover battle, 5-1, and controlled the play defensively and on special teams.

"I envy those special teams guys," Hardrick said. "To play like that and to start the game off with a turnover, it's always nice to start like that.

"We should always have their back. Sometimes, they're going to need our back. Sometimes, they're going to need the defence's back.

"We all played complementary football."

The early reviews are, as a result, complimentary.