Roughriders Eye Full Health as They Prepare for West Final
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are using their bye week as a tune-up period before returning to playoff action next week.
After finishing the regular season with a 12–6 record, the Roughriders have the weekend off as they await the winner of the B.C. Lions vs. Calgary Stampeders semifinal to determine their West Final opponent on November 8.
Encouragingly, several injured players appear to be trending in the right direction ahead of the postseason. Quarterback Tommy Stevens returned to practice this week as the Riders took part in three days of workouts. He was joined on the field by cornerback Marcus Sayles and offensive linemen Trevon Tate and Zack Fry.
However, receivers KeeSean Johnson and Dohnte Meyers remained sidelined through Wednesday and Thursday’s sessions, as did halfback Rolan Milligan and defensive end Shane Ray.
Head coach Corey Mace, who was named the West Division’s Coach of the Year on Wednesday, remains optimistic that the group will be ready to go.
“I’ll say everybody’s trending to be back,” Mace said. “We’ve got a few guys still getting in extra work, but everyone’s moving toward being where we need to be for the West Final.”
Mace added that this week’s focus is about fine-tuning the fundamentals that have defined the Roughriders’ identity all season.
“We just want to lock in on who we are as a team, keep the energy high, and sharpen the details,” he said. “It’s that time of year where anybody can win any game.”
While waiting to learn whether they’ll face the Lions or Stampeders, much of the Riders’ attention this week has been internal — refining execution and maintaining physical readiness.
Middle linebacker Jameer Thurman said the bye week is an opportunity to rest, refocus, and prepare strategically for what’s ahead.
“We earned this bye with our play in the regular season,” Thurman said. “It gives us a chance to take care of our bodies, clean up what we need to, and prepare to execute when the time comes. Every edge we can get over our next opponent, we’ll take it. We’re treating this like a normal game week.”
Mace echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the balance between self-improvement and opponent awareness.
“We’re focused on what we can do better, but we’re also mindful of what our opponent will try to do against us,” he said.
Once the West semifinal concludes, the Riders’ game-planning will intensify ahead of next Saturday’s West Final, which marks the first time since 2019 the game will be played at Mosaic Stadium.
Mace said playing at home provides a significant advantage.
“The edge of being here, in this stadium, is tremendous,” he noted. “Last year we went into someone else’s building and it was tough. This time, we want that same kind of energy on our side. That’s why this stadium was built — for games like this, with Rider Nation behind us.”
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