"We want all the smoke. Let's go": Roughriders ready for Winnipeg

11/08/2024 04:55 PM

WINNIPEG — Have no fear. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are here.

The Green and White arrived in the Manitoba capital on Friday, poised to oppose the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL's Western Final.

Although the Blue Bombers have finished first in the division for the fourth consecutive season, the second-place Roughriders are a confident group as they strive to dethrone the perennial West champions.

"We've got guys that believe in one another. We believe in who's leading us," Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris said.

"We believe in our system. We believe in our preparation. We believe in our work ethic. That's the kind of thing that's going to overcome anything.

"Fear, it's just one of those acronyms: False Evidence Appears Real. We're just going to keep the faith in each other this week and go out there and tee it up and let it fly. But I'll tell you one thing: This group isn't fearful.

"We want all the smoke. Let's go."

Neither side is likely to smoke the other, based upon how the teams' matchups have played out to this point.

The season series began on July 19 at Mosaic Stadium, where the Roughriders won 19-9.

Winnipeg paid another visit on Sept. 1, winning a 35-33 nailbiter in the appropriately named Labour Day Classic.

The long-time rivals collided again one week later, with Winnipeg prevailing 26-21 at Princess Auto Stadium — the site of Saturday's division final (5:30 p.m., TSN, CKRM).

"As a kid, you dream of being in games like this," Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said.

"They do a good job as a fan base as well. You can't ask for much more from a players' standpoint. It's going to be an awesome day."

Not to mention a loud one.

The decibel count is always elevated at Princess Auto Stadium, but especially so when the Roughriders come to town. Factor in the importance of Saturday's game and the noise emanating from the stands could be ear-splitting.

"You've got to love the chaos," running back A.J. Ouellette said. "Embrace it and quiet it down.

"That's the best feeling — when you can get them to quiet down."

Harris is of the same mindset.

"Embracing the chaos is kind of where I'm at," he said. "I'll refrain from giving poster-board material, but I'm excited. I can't wait.

"It's the kind of crowd that you dream of growing up. You're in your backyard and it's never the whole crowd behind you. It's always, 'The crowd's going wild! It's crazy!' This is what it's about.

"My son is constantly doing the announcer voice in the house and he's always down by a certain number of points.

"These are the games you live for and these are the games this team lives for. I think our DNA and who we are will come through in this game."

"DISCIPLINE, DISCIPLINE, DISCIPLINE"

All-CFL defensive tackle Micah Johnson was asked if the Roughriders "hated" the Blue Bombers.

"Hate's a strong word," he replied. "We're playing football. But we dislike them a lot. I'll put it that way."

There is an accompanying respect for a Winnipeg team that is quarterbacked by Zach Collaros.

"Zach's a great quarterback — a Hall of Fame quarterback," Johnson said. "When you go against vets like that, there's not too much that they haven't seen or that you can throw at them from a coverage standpoint.

"For us, it's just about getting to him as a D-line and making him as uncomfortable as he can be. It's also important to keep him in the pocket as well.

"I think people kind of sleep on his mobility. He might not be a burner, but he moves in the pocket well, and when he gets out of the pocket, he can extend plays. And it's like he can always find that deep person, that deep threat.

"I think as a D-line, we're taking a lot of onus on ourselves for this game — and not just in affecting the passing game, but also the running game.

"We feel like we can really affect this game as a D-line and we're taking that challenge on."

A major challenge will be presented by Brady Oliveira, who rushed for 1,353 yards in 17 regular-season games en route to repeating as the division's Most Outstanding Player.

"He's a very patient runner," Johnson noted. "I think that's one of his best qualities. They do a good job of trying to put you in situations where you have extra gaps on the edge.

"You have to play sound, disciplined football. I think that's the biggest thing with them, because Brady has the patience. He'll wait and if one person is out of his gap, he's guaranteed to find it every time.

"He'll make you pay, so it's just discipline, discipline, discipline when you're playing them, and everyone focusing on doing their job."

DEALING WITH A DYNASTY

As a youngster in Montreal, Samuel Emilus was a huge fan of an Anthony Calvillo-quarterbacked Alouettes team that was a regular Grey Cup participant.

Now a CFLer and a third-year Roughrider, Emilus hopes to play a role in dethroning a powerhouse from Winnipeg.

"Growing up, the Grey Cup was the biggest game," Emilus recalled. "Just watching the Alouettes win it twice in a row, that's something I've always wanted to do.

"Now that I'm getting closer to achieving it, it's sweet. It takes me back to when I was young to now being a part of the league and finally having a chance to do it."

When the Roughriders were last in Winnipeg, Emilus caught a 52-yard bomb from Harris to set up a touchdown pass to KeeSean Johnson.

More plays of that nature will be required to get past Winnipeg and advance to the 111st Grey Cup Game, set for Nov. 17 in Vancouver.

"Since Day 1, we've talked about the goals," Emilus said. "We have a set of goals as a team and one of them was to get to the Grey Cup.

"Obviously, it's right in front of our eyes right now, so I think the guys are motivated to get there. It's always sweet when you set up goals and you achieve them."

Winnipeg won CFL titles in 2019 and 2021 before suffering down-to-the-wire defeats in the championship games of 2022 (won by the Toronto Argonauts) and 2023 (Montreal).

"They've been to the last four Grey Cups, so they've got experience," Emilus said. "We've got to come in ready, be extremely prepared, and give them a challenge."

OUELLETTE'S GO!

Ouellette rushed 14 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns last Saturday to help Saskatchewan defeat the visiting B.C. Lions 28-19 in the Western Semi-Final.

Afterward, Harris quoted a recent conversation with the hard-charging Ouellette, who said: "They didn't pay me to come here and run in June and July. They did it so I could run in October and November.' He was like, 'Let's frickin' go!' "

Ouellette chuckled when that quote was revisited once more — this time by reporters.

"I didn't think he took it to heart too seriously," the bruising tailback said. "I was just being me, yelling stuff, but it's true.

"This is where I feel like I shine the most and I feel like most of the defenders out there don't want to be out there."