Craig Dickenson talks strategy with the Saskatchewan Roughriders‘ special-teamers. (File photo courtesy of the Saskatchewan Roughriders)

By Britton Gray/ CJME News

Riders preparing for triple trial against Stamps

Oct 1, 2021 | 11:09 AM

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are preparing for a baseball-type schedule for the next few weeks.

Saskatchewan is to face the Calgary Stampeders three straight times, with a bye week breaking up the schedule after the second meeting. During that bye week for the Riders, the Stamps will play the B.C. Lions.

“Only in the CFL will you play a team three times in a row,” Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo said. “That’s what makes this league so unique is that there’s a lot of only-in-the-CFL moments and this is one of them where you’re playing a team three times in a row.

“When we first got the schedule, I remember looking at it and going, ‘Calgary three times in a row. That’s interesting.’ ”

Game 1 between the Stampeders and Riders is on Saturday at McMahon Stadium. Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m.

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While it is a rarity in the CFL for this to happen — the last time it happened to the Riders was three straight against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1950 — it can still happen on occasion.

Riders offensive co-ordinator Jason Maas faced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats three times in a row as a member of the Ottawa Redblacks’ coaching staff in 2015.

Ottawa ended the regular season with two games against Hamilton and had a bye week before hosting the Ticats again in the East Division final.

“You just take each game as it goes,” Maas said. “After that first game, you kind of just adjust. Each team is going to put more in for this first game and have some stuff in the bag and then again it comes down to adjustments during the next games.”

Fajardo admitted playing a team back to back always adds an extra wrinkle to things.

“You never know what the other team is going to switch or change. You never know how much you want to keep and change. I’m excited about the opportunity and (with it being) my first time playing a team three times in a row, it’s very exciting,” Fajardo said.

The Riders are entering the game with a 5-2-0 record and will look to continue their first-half success into the second part of a shortened 2021 season.

Meanwhile, the Stamps, who mirror the Riders’ record at 2-5, will try to get things back on track.

Riders head coach Craig Dickenson expects to see an extremely motivated Calgary team that’s coming off a bye week.

“They’re a proud organization,” Dickenson said. “Calgary is 14-and-2 over the last 10 years coming off a bye. They will be ready to play and they will have a good plan and have their guys motivated and ready to play and it will be our toughest game to date. We will have to play our best game to beat them.”

The Green Zone pregame show begins at 3 p.m.