1997 Saskatchewan Roughriders season

{{Infobox NFL team season

| logo =

| team = Saskatchewan Roughriders

| year = 1997

| record = 8–10

| division_place = 3rd, West

| coach = Jim Daley

| general manager = Alan Ford

| stadium = Taylor Field

| playoffs = Lost Grey Cup

| MOP = Bobby Jurasin

| MOC = Dan Farthing

| MOR = Todd McMillon

| shortnavlink = Roughriders seasons

}}

The 1997 Saskatchewan Roughriders finished in third place in the West Division with an 8–10 record and lost in the 85th Grey Cup game to the Doug Flutie-led Toronto Argonauts. Despite finishing the season tied with the BC Lions, the Roughriders were placed above the Lions after winning the season series three games to one. The 'Riders proceeded to upset the Calgary Stampeders by a score of 33–30 in the West-Semi Final and then defeated the favoured Edmonton Eskimos 31–30 to proceed to the Grey Cup game.

Offseason

=CFL draft=

class="wikitable sortable sortable" ! style="background:#00994D;color:white;" width="15%"\| Round ! style="background:#00994D;color:white;" width="15%"\| Pick ! style="background:#00994D;color:white;" width="20%"\| Player ! style="background:#00994D;color:white;" width="15%"\| Position ! style="background:#00994D;color:white;" width="20%"\| School/Club Team
align=center\| 1	2	Ben Fairbrother	Offensive lineman	Calgary
align=center\| 2	13	Chris Szarka	Fullback	Eastern Illinois
align=center\| 4	26	Mark Raphael	Cornerback	Ottawa
align=center\| 5	34	Andre Batson	Wide receiver	York
align=center\| 6	42	Dan Comiskey	Offensive Lineman	Windsor

= Ottawa Rough Riders Dispersal Draft =

class="wikitable"

!Round

!Pick

!Player

!Pos

|David Archer

|QB

|Lamar McGriggs

|LB

|10

|Shawn Daniels

|FB

|18

|Dave Dinnall

|RB

|26

|Profall Grier

|RB

=Preseason=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Game ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Date ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Opponent ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" colspan=2 \| Results ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Venue ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Attendance
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" \| Score ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" \| Record
style="background:#ddffdd" ! B \| Fri, June 13 \| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 39–21 \| 1–0 \| Taylor Field \| 19,681
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! C \| Thurs, June 19 \| at Edmonton Eskimos \| L 18–24 \| 1–1 \| Commonwealth Stadium \| 32,291

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Game

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Date

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Opponent

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" colspan=2 | Results

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Venue

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Attendance

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" | Score

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" | Record

style="background:#ddffdd"

! B

| Fri, June 13

| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 39–21

| 1–0

| Taylor Field

| 19,681

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! C

| Thurs, June 19

| at Edmonton Eskimos

| L 18–24

| 1–1

| Commonwealth Stadium

| 32,291

Regular season

=Season standings=

class="wikitable" \|+ West Division ! Team !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! PF !! PA !! Pts
align="center" \| align="left" \|Edmonton Eskimos	18	12	6	0	479	400	24	Details
align="center" \| align="left" \| Calgary Stampeders	18	10	8	0	522	442	20	Details
align="center" \| align="left" \|Saskatchewan Roughriders	18	8	10	0	413	479	16	Details
align="center" \| align="left" \|BC Lions	18	8	10	0	429	536	16	Details
align="center"

{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/standings/1997/reg |title=CFL.ca - Official Site of the Canadian Football League 2 |access-date=2017-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715074133/http://www.cfl.ca/standings/1995/reg |archive-date=2009-07-15 |url-status=dead }}

Saskatchewan finished ahead of BC in the standings because they defeated BC in 3 of their 4 regular season meetings.

=Season schedule=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Week ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Game ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Date ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Opponent ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" colspan=2 \| Results ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Venue ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Attendance
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" \| Score ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Saskatchewan Roughriders\|border=2}};" \| Record
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 1 ! 1 \| Thur, June 26 \| at BC Lions \| W 24–23 \| 1–0 \| BC Place \| 18,881
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 2 ! 2 \| Fri, July 4 \| vs. Edmonton Eskimos \| L 18–24 \| 1–1 \| Taylor Field \| 25,751
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 3 ! 3 \| Sat, July 12 \| vs. Toronto Argonauts \| W 27–23 \| 2–1 \| Taylor Field \| 22,956
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 4 ! 4 \| Fri, July 18 \| at Calgary Stampeders \| L 13–22 \| 2–2 \| McMahon Stadium \| 30,366
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 5 ! 5 \| Sat, July 26 \| vs. Calgary Stampeders \| W 21–19 \| 3–2 \| Taylor Field \| 26,483
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 6 ! 6 \| Thur, July 31 \| at Edmonton Eskimos \| L 34–37 \| 3–3 \| Commonwealth Stadium \| 30,917
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 7 ! 7 \| Fri, Aug 8 \| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 30–20 \| 4–3 \| Ivor Wynne Stadium \| 12,582
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 8 ! 8 \| Fri, Aug 15 \| vs. BC Lions \| L 26–39 \| 4–4 \| Taylor Field \| 28,556
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 9 ! 9 \| Thur, Aug 21 \| at Toronto Argonauts \| L 1–27 \| 4–5 \| SkyDome \| 17,330
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 10 ! 10 \| Sun, Aug 31 \| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| L 12–43 \| 4–6 \| Taylor Field \| 29,788
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 11 ! 11 \| Sun, Sept 7 \| vs. BC Lions \| W 46–12 \| 5–6 \| Taylor Field \| 22,966
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 12 ! 12 \| Sun, Sept 14 \| at Calgary Stampeders \| L 24–28 \| 5–7 \| McMahon Stadium \| 28,414
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 13 ! 13 \| Sun, Sept 21 \| vs. Montreal Alouettes \| L 22–24 \| 5–8 \| Taylor Field \| 25,570
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 14 ! 14 \| Sun, Sept 28 \| vs. Edmonton Eskimos \| W 29–5 \| 6–8 \| Taylor Field \| 29,361
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 15 ! 15 \| Fri, Oct 3 \| at Montreal Alouettes \| L 29–30 \| 6–9 \| Olympic Stadium \| 12,322
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 16 ! 16 \| Fri, Oct 10 \| at BC Lions \| W 26–19 \| 7–9 \| BC Place \| 22,399
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 17 ! 17 \| Sun, Oct 19 \| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 22–19 \| 8–9 \| Taylor Field \| 31,909
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 18 ! 18 \| Fri, Oct 24 \| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| L 9–55 \| 8–10 \| Winnipeg Stadium \| 30,222

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Week

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Game

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Date

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Opponent

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" colspan=2 | Results

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Venue

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Attendance

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" | Score

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Saskatchewan Roughriders|border=2}};" | Record

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 1

| Thur, June 26

| at BC Lions

| W 24–23

| 1–0

| BC Place

| 18,881

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 2

| Fri, July 4

| vs. Edmonton Eskimos

| L 18–24

| 1–1

| Taylor Field

| 25,751

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 3

| Sat, July 12

| vs. Toronto Argonauts

| W 27–23

| 2–1

| Taylor Field

| 22,956

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 4

| Fri, July 18

| at Calgary Stampeders

| L 13–22

| 2–2

| McMahon Stadium

| 30,366

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 5

| Sat, July 26

| vs. Calgary Stampeders

| W 21–19

| 3–2

| Taylor Field

| 26,483

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 6

| Thur, July 31

| at Edmonton Eskimos

| L 34–37

| 3–3

| Commonwealth Stadium

| 30,917

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 7

| Fri, Aug 8

| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 30–20

| 4–3

| Ivor Wynne Stadium

| 12,582

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 8

| Fri, Aug 15

| vs. BC Lions

| L 26–39

| 4–4

| Taylor Field

| 28,556

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 9

| Thur, Aug 21

| at Toronto Argonauts

| L 1–27

| 4–5

| SkyDome

| 17,330

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 10

| Sun, Aug 31

| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| L 12–43

| 4–6

| Taylor Field

| 29,788

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 11

| Sun, Sept 7

| vs. BC Lions

| W 46–12

| 5–6

| Taylor Field

| 22,966

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 12

| Sun, Sept 14

| at Calgary Stampeders

| L 24–28

| 5–7

| McMahon Stadium

| 28,414

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 13

| Sun, Sept 21

| vs. Montreal Alouettes

| L 22–24

| 5–8

| Taylor Field

| 25,570

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 14

| Sun, Sept 28

| vs. Edmonton Eskimos

| W 29–5

| 6–8

| Taylor Field

| 29,361

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 15

| Fri, Oct 3

| at Montreal Alouettes

| L 29–30

| 6–9

| Olympic Stadium

| 12,322

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 16

| Fri, Oct 10

| at BC Lions

| W 26–19

| 7–9

| BC Place

| 22,399

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 17

| Sun, Oct 19

| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 22–19

| 8–9

| Taylor Field

| 31,909

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 18

| Fri, Oct 24

| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| L 9–55

| 8–10

| Winnipeg Stadium

| 30,222

=Roster=

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
colspan="7" style="background-color: #00704a;color:white;text-align:center;" \| Saskatchewan Roughriders roster
style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Quarterbacks Running backs Wide receivers Slotbacks \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Offensive linemen Defensive linemen \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Injured Practice Roster Italics indicate Import player → More rosters

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"

colspan="7" style="background-color: #00704a;color:white;text-align:center;" | Saskatchewan Roughriders roster

style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Slotbacks

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Linebackers

Defensive backs