Roughriders win, but are far from satisfied

Ten and seven. Chew on that for a few seconds.

That's the record of the Saskatchewan Roughriders with one regular season game left.

At this point a year ago, they were five and 12 with their bags already half-packed for winter vacation.

Granted, a winning record doesn't guarantee any more than a one-week extension to the season, but this team has loftier intentions.

Chris Jones's crew has now reached the point where they complain about what their victories look like.

"We played good enough to win the game," said the head coach following their 37-12 victory over the Alouettes Friday night — but you knew that statement would be followed with "but."

"We're still learning [how] to win, we're still learning to shut the door on people. We played good football, not great."

Jones knows a thing or two about what it takes to be the last team standing at the end of November, having just won a Grey Cup two years ago with the Eskimos.

How your team is playing near the end of October is key and right now, the Riders are looking like they should be in the conversation as a favorite.

According to Jones, his defence is still a work in progress.

"We better be better defensively," said Jones point-blank, already thinking ahead to next week's game against Mike Reilly and the Eskimos.

It's a game which will decide which road the Riders take in the playoffs — the one to Winnipeg for the West Division semi-final, or as the crossover team that heads out east to either Ottawa or Toronto.

Every player in the Roughriders' room seems to be on the same message track — next week's date with the Eskimos is just another opportunity to get better for when it gets real the week after.

"I think we're at a point, we need to perfect our craft. We're good at a lot of spots but we can get better," said defensive back Crezdon Butler, echoed by teammate Kacy Rodgers just a few stalls down.

"There's a lot of things we still don't know yet and how things are going to turn out, but at the end of the day we want to win regardless," said Rodgers.

"It doesn't matter who you put in front of us — West, East, we want to be on a hot streak going into the playoffs."

Rotating quarterbacks

Chris Jones treated Friday night's game as if it were pre-season, at least in regards to the quarterback position.

Once again, starting quarterback Kevin Glenn was pulled early in favour of Brandon Bridge. However, this time it was a planned rotation.

Jones, though, kept that plan to himself.

"I had no clue. As players you go with what the coach calls," said Glenn, admitting his uncertainty about the situation of getting the hook after the first quarter, despite a 14-0 lead, but he figured out his coach's intentions.

"You got to be ready for whatever. You never know when your opportunities are going to come and just about the time you think you have things figured out, you don't," said Jones of his strategy, but leaving no doubt about who will lead.

"Kevin Glenn is our starter. It's a pretty simple process. We have three good quarterbacks. I'm confident in all three of them running different packages."

'That's The Flyin' Hawaiian'

In just his second week back from a season long injury, Chad Owens was once again the Riders' top receiver, with 114 yards and a touchdown — his first as a Rider.

The veteran called it just another chapter in his life story.

"For me, it's about continuing to inspire these young guys, stay on the grind, keep your blinders on and just keep working," said Owens who may have been talking about himself following several weeks of setbacks in his attempt to fully recover from an aggravated foot injury in training camp.

"It may not seem to be going your way right now, you may not be able to see the light, but if you believe and you just keep working, man, things are going to happen, whether it's on the football field or in life."

His biggest cheerleader may be quarterback Kevin Glenn, who knows something about setbacks too.

"That's The Flyin' Hawaiian," said Glenn, referring to the CFL's 2012 Most Outstanding Player's nickname.

"Me, personally, I like the comeback story," Glenn said.

"You could tell this whole season, in the locker room, he's working out and getting prepared to come off [the injury list] and trying to get back on the roster. You could tell in his eyes, when he got on the field he was going to make sure he made some noise."

Thank you, Darian

The Roughriders organization played a short video tribute to Darian Durant, the former Roughrider traded to Montreal earlier this year, prior to Friday's game — a gesture which did not go unnoticed by veteran QB Kevin Glenn.

"It was cool for them to do that, to show some respect. When organizations do that it shows they care about the person and not just a player or a number."

The Riders host the Eskimos next Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.