Riders special teams look to stop big returns, keep Ottawa’s Pimpleton in check

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will look to put an end this week to breakdowns their special teams have been grappling with.

Saskatchewan has allowed big return touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. Calgary Stampeders returner Tyreik McAllister returned a missed field goal 120 yards just before halftime, in what ended as a 40-37 Riders’ win two weeks ago.

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Last week, the Riders gave up a 68-yard punt return touchdown to Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Janarion Grant as Saskatchewan lost that contest 40-34.

“You walk into a game, it’s obviously the last thing you want to happen,” said Riders linebacker Nick Wiebe, who was the team’s Most Outstanding Special Teams player last season. “Just certain things — lane discipline and things like that — we have to clean up and should be solid on the weekend. Just small tweaks here and there, but we will be solid.

“It’s just new guys in new spots,” he continued. “Early in this season, our leveraging just hasn’t been up to par, so that’s been a big part of it. Just getting guys used to the system and getting guys used to what’s going on out there. A lot of guys first CFL games and stuff like that. No excuses, the standard is the standard.”

But the Riders don’t have an easy task ahead of them to try and right some of those issues.

Saskatchewan (2-1) is taking on the Ottawa Redblacks (0-3) on Friday with one of the CFL’s most dynamic return men, Kalil Pimpleton, in action.

Pimpleton had a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown last week against the Montreal Alouettes.

“He housed one on us last year that got called back by a holding call, so we got lucky on that one,” Wiebe said. “We can’t let him out of the five (yard) by five (yard) box this week. He is dangerous, he is fast, he is shifty, he is strong on contact, he is one of the best we will see all year, so have to be ready this week.”

Riders head coach Corey Mace believes the team needs to just do its job when it comes to stopping Pimpleton.

“Every team has a really good returner and Kalil has shown to be one of those,” Mace said. “The return he had last week proves that he still definitely has the juice. We just have to be disciplined with how we are covering kicks and do our job.”

The Riders have both good and bad news when it comes to the team’s injury situation this week.

Wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker (oblique), wide receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby (shoulder) and safety Nelson Lokombo (ankle) are all available for the game. Running back A.J. Ouellette (ankle) and wide receiver Sam Emilus (ankle) are both questionable for the contest.

The team will be without wide receiver Jaylen Johnson (shoulder), as he, defensive tackle Ali Saad (calf) and returner James Letcher Jr. (elbow) have all been ruled out for the game.

Kickoff for the showdown is set for 5:30 p.m. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 3:30 p.m.