CFL 2024 Season Week 17 Game Preview: Ottawa Redblacks at Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Ottawa Redblacks have a third straight opportunity to get into the postseason with a win in their matchup with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday.
Ottawa (8-5-1) is coming off its second straight loss as the Redblacks fell to the Montreal Alouettes last week. Jeremiah Masoli is making his second start of the season for the Redblacks at quarterback. The Redblacks are ranked third in total offense, but the defense has struggled over the last couple of games to get opposing offenses off the field.
Saskatchewan (6-7-1) got a much-needed win last week against the Calgary Stampeders after over two months of zero wins. While Trevor Harris continues to play well at quarterback, the newest addition, Ryquell Armstead, is coming off 207 rushing yards last week and will get the start in the backfield again. The defense is led by defensive back Rolan Milligan, who has made six interceptions during the season.
Preview
Game Information
Line: Roughriders -3.5, O/U 51.5
Date/Location: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan
Kickoff Time: 3:00 pm EST
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 24 Degrees Celsius
TV/Streaming: CTV, RDS, CFL+
Injury Reports/Inactives
Injuries have been the theme of late for Ottawa with six players out on the injury report. Three of those who will be out are from the secondary in Ty Cranston (back), Alonzo Addae (knee) and Brandin Dandridge (knee). Starting quarterback Dru Brown won't play as he is dealing with his ankle injury and has no timeline on his return.
Rookie wide receiver Ajou Ajou is the only player listed as out for the Riders as he deals with a knee injury. Three defensive players are questionable for the game, including defensive back C.J. Reavis (knee), defensive lineman Bryan Cox Jr. (illness) and linebacker Jordan Herdman-Reed (leg).
Keys to Victory
Masoli has actually helped the Redblacks offense over the last two weeks to put up points in the second half when he has stepped in for Brown, but turnovers and slow starts have hurt Ottawa. The defense needs to step up and force turnovers. They will be challenged against the Riders' stellar offensive line to stop their former running back Armstead.
The Riders' defense has also taken a step back during their two-month winless drought as they need to set the offense up with a strong start with a defensive stop. Corey Mace loves to employ a balanced attack of Harris throwing it and Armstead running it, so the strategy stays the same for Saskatchewan on offense.
Prediction
Ottawa feels like a team that has lost confidence and is getting back to the losing ways of the last few seasons. Injuries on defense have plagued this team and appears to continue going in that direction. The Riders have had their fair share of injuries, but their depth has helped them stay in playoff contention. There is more trust with Saskatchewan right now and with another strong Armstead game, the Riders should be able to get back to .500 on their season record.
Saskatchewan Roughriders 28, Ottawa Redblacks 20
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