Thanks to a 37-18 win over BC on Saturday night, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are the CFL’s first team to 4-0.
And whether they’ve needed a last-minute Mario Alford kick return or a dominant performance from tailback AJ Ouellette to come away with a win, one thing has been constant: this Saskatchewan defence is here to change games.
When you take a quick scan of this depth chart, all you see is playmakers. And that embarrassment of riches is the biggest reason why the Riders sit number one overall as we approach the quarter mark of the 2025 campaign.
Take, for example, what Saskatchewan boasts in their defensive backfield.
WESTJET CANADA DAY WEEKEND
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Already on the roster is last year’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Rolan Milligan Jr. after leading the league with eight interceptions. At two interceptions already this season, Milligan Jr. lines up beside Marcus Sayles on the boundary side of the field. Sayles, for his part, just happened to be Pro Football Focus’s No. 1 ranked boundary corner last season.
And just for good measure, with the boundary side already stacked, the Roughriders went out and signed Regina Rams standout Tevaughn Campbell after six seasons in the NFL. Immediately slotted in at field corner, Campbell has registered two interceptions this season and gave us a signature moment with an 89-yard return for a touchdown Saturday night.
It’s not just the secondary where Sask is ridiculously deep, either. At linebacker, Jameer Thurman is off to a torrid start with 27 defensive tackles and a pair of sacks. Right beside Thurman is 2020 fourth-round pick A.J. Allen, who looks to have finally arrived in his fourth CFL season. Allen sits second on the team with 19 defensive tackles to go along with one sack.
When you consider Thurman and Allen in the middle of the field coupled with this defensive line, it shouldn’t come as any surprise the Riders have been so good against the run. Let’s not forget the interior of Saskatchewan’s front four boasts veteran forces Micah Johnson and free agent signing Mike Rose.
Finally, there’s the pass rush.
Even though the Riders didn’t record one against BC, they sit third overall with ten sacks in four games. Rose and Johnson are beasts in the middle. Malik Carney was PFF’s top ranked edge defender last year. Shane Ray is a former NFL first-round pick. And 2023 Global Draft pick Habakkuk Baldonado is off to a great start with a pair of sacks. It’s crazy how many ways this group can get to opposing quarterbacks.
There are plenty of reasons Saskatchewan is one of two unbeaten teams so far. Trevor Harris has looked solid in two starts. Ouellette has flirted with or gone over 100 rushing yards in three straight games. And Alford is one of the league’s most dangerous return threats.
But the consistent force for the Roughriders in all four of their wins has been a deep and talented group on the defensive side of the ball. It’s something head coach Corey Mace started building last year and looks to have taken an emphatic step forward one season later.
QUICK HITS
This year’s other unbeaten team is the Blue Bombers after moving to 3-0 with a convincing 36-23 over Edmonton to open WestJet Canada Day Weekend. Year after year, Winnipeg just keeps on getting the job done despite key departures every winter. It consistently reminds you just how good this core group really is. This week it was Nic Demski, Zach Collaros, Kyrie Wilson, and Sergio Castillo leading the way from that cohort.
It was nice to see the defence driving the bus as Hamilton picked up their first win of the season Friday night, upsetting the dominant Alouettes in the process. Bo Levi Mitchell and the passing attack was still strong, but the Ticats held Montreal to under 300 yards of total offence and just 17 points. They were averaging 30.0 and 422.0 against, respectively, entering Week 4.
Finally, it seems like Ryan Dinwiddie’s harsh words coming out of last week hit home in Toronto. Generally very even keel, head coach Dinwiddie was rather outspoken after the Argos dropped to 0-3.
“I ain’t putting up with that stuff no more,” Dinwiddie said following a crushing 39-32 loss to Saskatchewan. “We (have to) come and do the work. These guys are getting paid; this is their job. They need to come here with some purpose. It’s not a good atmosphere right now.”
Toronto clearly pulled their socks up Sunday night to wrap up Week 4. Led by Andrew Chatfield Jr. and the defensive line, which was disruptive throughout, the Argonauts recorded five sacks en route to a 29-16 win over Ottawa. It was exactly what Toronto needed as they get set for their first showdown this season with Hamilton on Friday Night Football.