History not on Roughriders' side in the playoffs

All last week the Saskatchewan Roughriders, to a man, played up the importance of having momentum going into the playoffs.

So much for that.

The Riders killed any notion of riding 'Big Mo' into the post-season with a 28-13 loss to the Eskimos on a frigid night at Mosaic Stadium.

Coupled with an Argos victory in B.C, the Riders loss means they will play in Ottawa in the eastern semi-final next Sunday.

Now, the Riders will spend all this week playing down the importance of having momentum.

"At this point it really doesn't matter what we prefer, you just have to go in there with the right mindset," said receiver Rob Bagg.

"As soon as we got back in the locker room everyone flipped a switch."

They really will want nothing to do with Saturday's loss, other than to flush a game in which they committed thirteen fouls.

"We wanted to win to go in hot to playoffs, you know playing well, but it's not so much the loss but it's more so how we played the game," said Bakari Grant, who became the third Riders' receiver this season to pass the one thousand mark, the first time in his seven year career.

"The number of penalties, shooting ourselves in the foot at certain points throughout the game. We know what it is, it's playoff time and right now we have three games ahead of us to focus on," said Grant.

It really doesn't matter which order they come — they will have to beat both the Redblacks and the Argonauts to advance to the Grey Cup, something no western cross-over team has ever accomplished.

Quarterback Brandon Bridge, who came in early to relieve Kevin Glenn for the third straight game, says their mindset hasn't changed.

"If we have to live out of a suitcase for three weeks to win a Grey Cup that's what we will do," said Bridge, who completed 12 of 18 passes and one touchdown pass to Marcus Thigpen.

"Our whole mindset is to win that Grey Cup, we actually don't want to come back, the only time we want to come back is when we get that Grey Cup." 

When the Riders leave for Ottawa on Friday they will not to return to Regina until they are done playing, either from elimination or after the Grey Cup game.

"Because that's what we've done in the past, we're going to stick with what's worked," said head coach Chris Jones referring to their late September-early October eastern road swing when they beat the Redblacks and Argonauts in that order.

But even Jones confessed concern over having to defy the odds of being the first western team to cross over to the east and make it to the Grey Cup game.

Its never happened.

"Anytime you travel across country it's tough to win football games." said Jones.

"It's a one game deal now, it's do or die, there's no more mulligans whatever you call it in golf, I'm not much of a golfer but you get beat, you go home, it's one of those deals where I like that pressure, it's kind of fun."

And lets not forget the team they will be facing next Sunday. 

An Ottawa team driven by motivation to play in their own Grey Cup Game.

Remember the 2013 Roughriders who would not be denied that opportunity to win the championship in their own stadium.

Injury front

The Roughriders suffered injuries to two key players Saturday night.

Left Guard Brendon LaBatte suffered a leg injury in the second quarter and was carted off the field. He was on crutches after the game.

"It does not look good, probably will be out," said Jones after the game.

"Anytime you lose your best offensive lineman that's tough, I don't think anybody in the league would get up in the morning and want that to happen to their team, it's something we have to do but that's pro football."

LaBatte's injury could mean an opening for Derek Dennis to return but that would mean busting the ratio to have three Americans on the offensive line.

The Riders also lost veteran cornerback Jovon Johnson who took the worse of a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth quarter.

Jones said they will have to wait until later in the week for his status.

Avalanche zone

Mosaic Stadium officials were forced to close off a large section of the lower bowl on the east-side.

That area was declared an avalanche zone, with large chunks of snow hanging precariously from the canopy above.

Regina received a large dumping of snow the night before the game.