Part II: Riders face off against the Tiger-Cats

It will be a meeting of two very different attitudes Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, in a pretty good battle for top spot in the east, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, in a pretty good battle with themselves for jobs next year, will face off.

The Riders, with two wins in 12 tries, are saying all the right things leading up to the game, believing as long as there's a chance, they won't rule the playoffs out.

Darian Durant is leading the charge with that theme, hesitant to discuss anything other than the Tiger-Cats and Saturday night, much like his contract status now that the Riders have confirmed a desire to open talks with their quarterback whose current deal expires this winter.

"That's between the front office and my agent, I'm just trying to focus on football right now." said Durant Friday during his pre-game scrum with reporters. "We're still in the playoff equation, to me that's more important than anything at this moment."

And when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Durant knows their playoff chances are between slim and none, but the better he plays, the more the Riders win down the stretch, which means the better off he will be when contract talks get serious.

He said as much on Friday.

"I'm just trying to focus on football. If I play well and do what I'm supposed to do, then everything will work itself out."

It was a much different scenario a few years ago. The last time Darian Durant talked contract extension with the Riders he was on top of the world. 

He had just led the Riders to a Grey Cup Championship and had every right to command a half million dollar salary.

His bargaining power today is not what it was.

You don't exactly have a stack of chips to gamble with at the table when you're 34 years old and you only have one victory under your belt from the last two years.

But at least the ball is apparently in his court. 

"We're just going to progress as Darian wants to progress and if it gets done prior to the season ending then that will be great. If not, if he doesn't feel comfortable with it, then we won't." said Head Coach and GM Chris Jones on Friday. 

"He knows we want him here. He knows he's a staple in this organization and that's the direction we're heading."

Maybe the paranoid side of Durant is thinking he will get the same take it or leave it offer John Chick received last December.

He was asked if he could see himself testing free agency.

"If it was up to me, no. But at the end of the day it's football and you have to understand the business side of things. Peyton Manning for example  — no one would have probably ever thought that he would be wearing another jersey besides the Indianapolis Colts. It's the sad part of the business, but its something that may happen. Hopefully not, but if it does, I just have to roll with it."

Versus the Tiger-Cats​

One thing is certain — if the Riders don't play better than the last time they faced Hamilton, no new deals for anybody.

They lost 53-7 in Steeltown.

Former Rider defensive end John Chick spent a good part of that night knocking Durant to the ground.

On his first visit to Mosaic Friday, after he was unceremoniously dumped by the Riders last winter, he expects a tougher challenge.

"They keep saying they feel the world is against them so they've got lots to prove and they have abilities." said Chick, who sits fourth in the league with nine sacks.

Eric Norwood, who was the odd man out when Hamilton signed John Chick, will make his Rider debut against his former team tonight. Norwood, who had 13 sacks in 2014, has recovered from a four-ligament tear in his right leg.

Rider royalty will make his final appearance at Mosaic Saturday night.

Kent Austin has a unique perspective on the old stadium having won the Grey Cup as the quarterback of the Riders in 1989, and as the Head Coach of the Riders in 2007.

Although his relationship with Rider fans over the years was one of love-hate, the fans are what he remembers most fondly.

"When we brought those Grey Cups back, once as a player and once as a coach, to see all the thousands of fans that were here on the podium that was erected for the presentation was pretty cool."

Rider fans will remember Kent Austin more fondly should he allow them to enjoy a rare victory Saturday night.

Kick off is at 7:30 p.m. CST. Stay warm.