Craig Dickenson was the least happy head coach of a 9-4 Saskatchewan Roughrider team I can recall. Of course, the number of 9-4 Rider coaches over the past 43 years is a very short list.
He remains uncomfortable as he wished the Riders could put a full game together. He said bluntly they will have to play better or their time in the playoffs will be brief. Thus he shares the frustration of Rider Nation.
Starting with Dickenson everyone in Saskatchewan everyone knows the Riders are better than B.C. and Edmonton and the equal or better than any East Division team. The looming question is can they beat the Stampeders or the Blue Bombers who combined to beat the Riders four times this season?
On the afternoon of Nov. 13 against the Elks (Shouldn’t the name have been the Elk?), the Riders yet again found a way to win when they looked like they were on the verge of a loss. I still think it is more important to talk about why they won.
After a season of average kick returns, Jamal Morrow had an exciting day. In true Rider fashion he started off with a grave mistake fumbling the opening Elks punt. For the rest of the afternoon, especially on kickoff returns, he was exceptional with an 82 yard return the highlight.
Dickenson said Morrow got it in his head to hit it up in there regardless of what he sees and with good blocking there was room for him to run.
While not getting much attention punter Kaare Vedvik is outkicking opposing kickers. On Saturday his average versus Hugh O’Neill was 45.9 to 38.4 with the net of 37.6 to 31.2. His longest was 58 yards.
The defence gave up 65 yards rushing to Walter Fletcher in the first half. Dickenson said he expressed his irritation at halftime. He said he told the defence he dressed nine linemen and expected them to fill their gaps in the second half. The front seven was much better, limiting Fletcher to 23 yards on nine carries over the third and fourth quarters.
Over the first half of the season the side of the Rider secondary manned by Blace Brown and Christian Campbell was vulnerable. Since Jeremy Clark and Damon Webb replaced them the Riders have not lost a game.
On offence Cody Fajardo has been above average but not elite. Many starting quarterbacks find the second year harder in the league as defences know them better. Between legs and arm Fajardo is always a threat.
On Saturday receiver Duke Williams carried the offence. With 146 yards he had over half of the Rider passing yardage. Equally important, he inspires confidence.
After getting his first completion he said he knew he was on his way to a good day.
The stadium grew silent when he went down on a hard hit in the fourth quarter. He said his knee was burning as he lay on the turf. When the pain subsided he walked off the field. He said he was not leaving the game and returned to the field.
He said coming back showed the dog in him. He said not many people are coming back into the game after such a play. He explained the dog comes from the tough environment of the city in which he grew up. He said it was either be the dog or be eaten. Being the dog has gotten him through life and he will continue to be the dog. He will be the dog rather than the food.
There is a lot of dog in the 2021 Roughriders.
