Riderville Tops Swaggerville

For the first time this year, the Saskatchewan Roughriders looked like the team that has went to back-to-back Grey Cups.

Sparked by the return of Ken Miller as head coach and the presence of slotback Andy Fantuz on the Green & White’s sidelines, the Roughriders sent their fans home happy for the first time this season with a 27-7 win over the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic.

“Our team played with great effort and great energy the entire game,” said a joyful Miller during his post-game media conference.

“Defence was absolutely great, didn't give up a touchdown.  Special teams, Milo just punted and kicked the ball exceptionally well, our coverage teams were good and our offence was productive enough for us to win.”

The win is the Riders’ seventh straight over the Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic  and improves Miller’s record in the annual meeting between the two rivals to 5-0, one of the wins came as offensive coordinator for Kent Austin in 2007.

“We certainly do have a lot of work to do, but we made a big step and developed a base to work from,” continued Miller, who took over the struggling Riders after they dropped to 1-7 two weeks ago in Toronto.

The Riders got going early with a 38-yard touchdown strike by quarterback Darian Durant to Chris Getzlaf and they never looked back.  Getzlaf would finish with two touchdown grabs and 51 yards on the day.

Durant was efficient going 13-for-21 for 232 yards and three TDs.  The third score came on a highlight reel catch by Weston Dressler in the third quarter.

Dallas Baker had a team-high 82 yards on four catches in his first game with Saskatchewan.

"Everyone in this room was prepared, we knew where we could make plays against them on both sides of the ball.  It's all about preparation,” said a much happier Durant in a raucous Riders locker room.

Sunday’s game marked the first time that Durant was calling the plays for the Riders offence.  He says he’s still learning, but enjoyed the experience, “There's still a learning curve for me, some things that I feel I need to work on, but it was a great experience and it's something that I think I can build on and that I enjoy doing.

“Coach Miller would give me some input at the beginning of the series, you know, what he thought would be there later on in the series.”

Miller liked what he saw during the team’s first experiment with Durant handling the play calling, “I think the sky's the limit for Darian as a quarterback and I think for him to progress and for us to be effective, it was important for us to do (the play calling) that way.

“He is right up there (as a top tier QB) and certainly Damon Allen when we coached in Toronto called a lot of his own plays, so he's certainly in that caliber.”

Dressler also felt Durant handled his new role well, “He did great.  I thought he did a good job of listening to what we were telling him throughout the game, what the coaches were telling him and then just going out and executing what we thought would work against them.”

The most impressive performance of the game might have come from the Riders defence as they took the swagger out of the Blue Bombers step by keeping their offence out of the end zone, while forcing four turnovers, in an unusually aggressive attack from defensive coordinator Richie Hall.

“We have had more success when we've played more aggressively and so coach Hall, with my blessing, decided to play aggressively,” said Miller.

Jerrell Freeman was a monster for the Green & White, finishing with seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a game sealing interception in the fourth quarter.

Fellow linebacker Barrin Simpson says they were going to do anything to win, “It wasn't about them, it was about us and we wanted to win at all costs and make that we went out there and got a victory.”

While coach Miller didn’t want to talk about his role in the team’s inspired performance, his players didn’t shy away, “He makes you believe because he believes everything he says.  His enthusiasm brings about enthusiasm in us.  Our attitude reflects the leadership,” says Simpson.

Defensive tackle Dario Romero added, “He commands the locker room.  He just has a real calm confidence about him and he leaves the expectations on the players to be professionals, be accountable and get the work done that's need to win."

Miller says he believes that this game won’t just be blip on the radar like the Riders only other win of the season which came in Week Four over Montreal, “I think this is something that is consistent with the character of the men that we have in the locker room, so I think it is something that they'll carry and go forward with.

“We're going to use this game to build on and when I talked with the team for the very first time, I talked to them about competing and winning the Grey Cup, that's the direction that we're headed.”

This was a spirited Labour Day Classic with two Bombers players being ejected and a number of after-whistle scuffles for the referees to sort out.  The Rider players expect that to carry on to next week’s Banjo Bowl.

“I think the tone is set for next week going into Swaggerville and they know what to expect and as a team now, we know what our standard is and we've got to meet that next week,” said Romero.

“It's a rival game.  The Riders, Blue Bombers, it's a rivalry,” added Simpson.

One of the loudest ovations of the game went to All-Canadian Andy Fantuz when he was shown on the Maxtron.  He could be in lineup when the Riders hit the Canad Inns Stadium field next Sunday.  

Fantuz still has to clear waivers, which should come by Wednesday, and Miller says you could see him on the field when the team returns to practice this week.

“I think he will have cleared the waiver period, so I think that he will practice with us Wednesday if something doesn't transpire the rest of Monday or Tuesday.”

The Riders get back to work on Wednesday with practice at Mosaic Stadium.