Zach Collaros would’ve booed Riders too during disappointing loss to Redblacks

Zach Collaros felt the Riders’ lacklustre showing was worthy of the boos that were heard from the sold-out Mosaic Stadium crowd.

“I’d have booed us too we were playing pretty bad,” Collaros said.

Many of the 33,350 faithful in attendance voiced their displeasure with Saskatchewan’s poor effort in a 30-25 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks as the green and white fell to a mediocre 4-3 in Regina during the 2018 season.

“Fans pay their money and they’re able to do that if they’d like,” head coach and general manager Chris Jones said. “Everybody needs to go home look in the mirror and say did I bring my ‘A’ game? Including myself.”

“We’ve gotta learn to win those types of games, especially here at home. That’s what’s one of the more disappointing things, we didn’t have to travel, we didn’t have to stay in a hotel, we were here at our place and allowed a team to come in and walk out with a five-point loss when we’re trying to fight for home-field advantage. That’s the thing that I’m probably most disappointed is we didn’t have the energy that we normally do it didn’t seem.”

Saskatchewan managed just 240 yards of total offence and turned the ball over three times, including two Collaros interceptions. Meanwhile, the Riders defence allowed 494 yards and the league’s best pass rush group was unable to register a sack.

“I can assure you that I don’t just point the fingers at my staff or my players, it starts and ends with me. We’re a good football team, unfortunately tonight we did not play our best football, so you can look squarely at me,” Jones said.

Ottawa sweeps the season series with Saskatchewan, winning both games in convincing fashion even though the margins of victory varied (23 and five points respectively).

“Unbelievably we’ve played our worst two football games against Ottawa,” Jones said. “We’ve been here before the sky is not falling.”