By Leader-Post staffNovember 5, 2009
REGINA — Defensive halfback Eddie Davis expects to be back for the CFL playoffs — whenever they begin for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Davis injured a knee in Saskatchewan's 33-30 overtime victory over the B.C. Lions on Oct. 24. The 36-year-old veteran had arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 28 and, on Wednesday, pronounced himself ready to return for the playoffs.
"I think I'll be ready for next week," said Davis, whose squad may not have a game until Nov. 22 if it beats the visiting Calgary Stampeders on Saturday to earn an automatic berth in the West Division final.
"I'm usually a quick healer and I've been taking care of it, getting treatment, and Ivan (Gutfriend, the Roughriders' head athletic therapist) has been working on it."
"I'm usually a quick healer and I've been taking care of it, getting treatment, and Ivan (Gutfriend, the Roughriders' head athletic therapist) has been working on it."
Davis, who tore the meniscus in the joint, said the arthroscopic procedure went "pretty well."
"(The knee) blew up on me pretty big on Wednesday night and hurt like hell," he said, "but after Thursday, the swelling went down little by little each day."
"(The knee) blew up on me pretty big on Wednesday night and hurt like hell," he said, "but after Thursday, the swelling went down little by little each day."
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Head coach Ken Miller feels the worst might be over in terms of the Riders' battle with the flu.
Miller said Wednesday that he asks Gutfriend daily if he has received any phone calls through the night from players who are feeling ill. Lately, much to Miller's relief, Gutfriend hasn't had anything to report.
"We are getting healthier by the moment,'' Miller said. "I anticipate that we will be as healthy for this weekend as we have been for a long time.''
Miller said Wednesday that he asks Gutfriend daily if he has received any phone calls through the night from players who are feeling ill. Lately, much to Miller's relief, Gutfriend hasn't had anything to report.
"We are getting healthier by the moment,'' Miller said. "I anticipate that we will be as healthy for this weekend as we have been for a long time.''
Last week, the Riders had five players miss practice with illnesses. On Wednesday, all of the players were on the field, including defensive end John Chick. Chick was kept out of Tuesday's practice because of the sniffles.
"Most of the guys in the locker room have had a touch of something but I think that we're through the cycle,'' Miller said. "We haven't had any new reports of the flu in the last three or four days.''
"Most of the guys in the locker room have had a touch of something but I think that we're through the cycle,'' Miller said. "We haven't had any new reports of the flu in the last three or four days.''
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The Roughriders are trying not to get swept up in the excitement about playing for first place on Saturday.
"We're not excited yet, because we haven't accomplished it,'' quarterback Darian Durant said. "Once we get to that point, then we'll be very excited around here. We have to take care of the business at hand. We can't overlook this game. We can't worry about a Western final game if we don't take care of this one. Then we have a semifinal game to worry about. The thing is, take care of this game, and then we have one more and we're in the Cup.''
"We're not excited yet, because we haven't accomplished it,'' quarterback Darian Durant said. "Once we get to that point, then we'll be very excited around here. We have to take care of the business at hand. We can't overlook this game. We can't worry about a Western final game if we don't take care of this one. Then we have a semifinal game to worry about. The thing is, take care of this game, and then we have one more and we're in the Cup.''
That said, the Roughriders are more than aware of the magnitude and ramifications of the Calgary game.
"We're all human here,'' Durant said. "We know what's at stake and we know what's at the end of the road if we take care of this game. The beauty of it is that there's not another game in front of it that you have to overlook. This game is the most important game of the season. It's right here at our hands and it's up to us to take advantage of it.''
"We're all human here,'' Durant said. "We know what's at stake and we know what's at the end of the road if we take care of this game. The beauty of it is that there's not another game in front of it that you have to overlook. This game is the most important game of the season. It's right here at our hands and it's up to us to take advantage of it.''
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The Roughriders are undefeated against Calgary this season, but does that give them an edge?
"Those guys want this game just as much as we do,'' Durant said. "I wouldn't say we've had their number this year. We won by one and we tied one. Each game has been pretty tight that we've played against them. Hopefully our crowd comes in and is an advantage for us. Hopefully we're clicking on all cylinders and it's not as tough as the other ones.''
"Those guys want this game just as much as we do,'' Durant said. "I wouldn't say we've had their number this year. We won by one and we tied one. Each game has been pretty tight that we've played against them. Hopefully our crowd comes in and is an advantage for us. Hopefully we're clicking on all cylinders and it's not as tough as the other ones.''
The Roughriders won 24-23 in Calgary on Aug. 1 on the strength of a 65-yard touchdown pass from Durant to Chris Getzlaf late in the fourth quarter. The Roughriders and Stampeders also played to a 44-44 overtime tie Oct. 17 at McMahon Stadium.
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