QB Darian Durant speaks with the media on Wednesday

 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders got back down to work on Wednesday at Mosaic Stadium following their third straight blowout loss and there was a surprise face on the field.

 

Quarterback Darian Durant was working with the first team during practice despite revealing after the 17-1 loss to Edmonton on Monday that his injured foot was indeed broken.

 

He says he will remain the team’s quarterback as long as they still have a chance, “As long as we have a slither of hope, I want to be out there with my teammates leading them on.

 

“There’s always a slight possibility of something going wrong, but you never get a season back and we all know in this profession the older you get, the more people write you off, so whenever you have an opportunity to make the most of a season you try to do that.”

 

The Riders third straight loss eliminated them from the playoffs in the West Division, but they can still clinch the East crossover with four wins and four loses by Hamilton.

 

Durant says he was in pain on every step he took during Monday’s game in Edmonton after coming for the second half after backup Ryan Dinwiddie was ineffective.

 

He says he was pretty sore again after Wednesday’s practice, “It’s sore every step I take, but this is basically a true do or die situation for us.”

 

Head coach Ken Miller fully expects Durant to be able to play when the BC Lions come to Regina on Sunday.

 

“I think it’s a good decision (for him to play),” said Miller after practice.  “Because risk is very low, it’s not zero, but it’s very low (to do more damage).  There’s very, very little chance of displacement or further injury and with the swelling having gone and his comfort level being tolerable, he’s good to go.

 

“I think that you’re going to see Darian play, I think that you’re going to see his mobility, I think you’re going to see his ability to drop back and move around in the pocket and do all of the things we normally expect from him.”

 

The Riders offence has been non-existent over the past three games, scoring just nine points.  Durant says it just comes down to execution, “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot.  The past couple of games, we’ve been moving the ball between the thirties, but once we crossed over into their territory, whether it would be turnovers or lack of execution, that’s been the problem.  We just have to focus on making sure when we get into scoring position that we capitalize.”

 

Miller sees it the same way, “The play selection right now is not the problem, it’s a matter of getting them executed and getting them completed and then getting enough of them completed in a sequence so that we’re able to finish a drive.”

 

The Riders continue their preparations for BC on Thursday when they’re back on Taylor Field.

 

RIDER NOTES:  Wednesday was the trade deadline in the CFL and the Riders pulled the trigger on one move sending sparingly used RB Hugh Charles to Edmonton .

 

The injury report was long for the Riders at practice on Wednesday as slotback Andy Fantuz, defensive tackles Dario Romero and Keith Shologan, linebacker Jerrell Freeman, defensive back Lance Frazier and offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld all missed practice.  Most are expected to play on Sunday though.