THREE POINTS OF THE GAME

1. PLAYOFF PUSH 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ playoff fate is in their hands as they prepare to finish the regular season with back-to-back home games on two successive Saturdays — against the Montreal Alouettes (Oct. 17) and Edmonton Elks (Oct. 24). There are various possibilities, but the simplest way to put it is this: The Roughriders, who are on a four-game losing streak, will advance to the post-season if they defeat Montreal and Calgary. History has shown that anything can happen once you reach the playoffs. 

2. BIG PLAY BARRAGE 

Head Coach Corey Mace put it succinctly after Monday’s 44-24 loss in Montreal: “There’s too many big plays that don’t go in our favour.” On Thanksgiving Day at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, the Alouettes’ Davis Alexander threw five touchdown passes — including scoring strikes of 51, 46 and 45 yards. Alexander struck for five majors after the B.C. Lions’ Nathan Rourke (on Sept. 25) and the Calgary Stampeders’ Vernon Adams Jr. (Oct. 2) connected for four. This is the CFL, remember. Big plays are inevitable. But it is time for the defence to recapture its earlier-in-the-season form. Not too long ago, the minimization of explosive plays was a calling card for the Roughriders’ defence. 

3. HARRIS AND HISTORY 

Trevor Harris’s next touchdown pass will give him the second-highest single-season total in team history (32). Kent Austin’s team-record total of 35, from 1992, is within range for the 2025 Grey Cup MVP. This past Monday, Harris gave the Roughriders a 5,000-yard passer for only the fourth time. Twelve more completions will move him into seventh on the CFL’s All-Time list. With so much at stake over the final two games, take a few moments to appreciate a future Canadian Football Hall of Famer.