Courtesy Montreal Gazette:

The Saskatchewan Roughriders embark on their second straight back-to-back series when the team hosts the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday.

“Back-to-backs are tough and it’s hard to win both games,” Riders centre Jeremy O’Day said Monday after touching down at the Regina International Airport. “There isn’t any advantage playing the same team because they are also playing you.”

Last weekend featured the completion of four back-to-back sets. Two ended in sweeps as the Riders took care of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 55-10 on Sunday at Canad Inns Stadium, while Calgary took both ends of a home-and-home with the Edmonton Eskimos, winning the back half at Commonwealth Stadium 35-34. The other two series were split.

Since 2000, the Riders are 22-20-0 in home-and-home sets. Over that span, Riders have posted five sweeps and been swept on four occasions.

Despite the inconclusive stats, Riders quarterback Darian Durant likes the back-to-back series.

“Coming into Game 2 against Winnipeg, we just wanted to get better,” said Durant. “We wanted to improve on what we didn’t do in the first week. It will be the same mindset for this one. Some people don’t like back-to-backs

but I do because it comes down to fundamentals. It’s not about Xs and Os or out-scheming. It’s about executing.”

Riders defensive halfback Lance Frazier also appreciates the challenges posed by playing the same team over back-to-back weekends.

“It’s more of a challenge because you get familiar with each other,” said Frazier. “If you win the first game, you know they will come back tougher in the second one. That’s what makes it more challenging.”

Another challenge is the repetition of preparing for the same team for consecutive games. The first game is like a normal week because the opponent is fresh. The second week might get tedious studying the same videos of the same players.

“You have to challenge yourself and not get lackadaisical when you’re preparing for the same team,” said O’Day. “You know they are going to make changes and try to stop what you did in the first game. You have to prepare going into the second week.”

The Riders and Stampeders share first place in the West Division with 6-4 records; the Eskimos are second at 5-5.

“Those are big games and they are probably a little hungry,” said running back Wes Cates. “If we keep them down and keep ourselves on top, we’ll be in nice shape heading into the last third of the season with games against Calgary and (being) close to first place.”

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