The CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ defensive end Willie Jefferson isn’t impressed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders 3-0 start to the 2021 season.
“They ain’t played nobody special. Nobody with no heat, the way we’re coming,” Jefferson told the media in Regina.
“We came out here for one reason and one reason only: to shut the Rider fans up and come up with a win.”
Winnipeg enters the Labour Day Classic with the stingiest defence in the league. The Blue Bombers are allowing a CFL-low 14.75 points per game. Saskatchewan has the highest-scoring offence in the three-down league, averaging 28.6 points per game led by quarterback Cody Fajardo.
“Put him on his back and keep him on his back as often as we can. Make it hard for him to find his receivers, make it hard to come out of the pocket when he’s trying to scramble and just make it hard for him, period,” Jefferson said.
“We know it’s a battle for first place in the West, but we could care less. We just want to give them our best game and show them that their offence isn’t as prolific as people are saying.”
Earlier in the week, star running back Andrew Harris said: “There’s nothing better than shutting up 30,000 fans in their building and that’s what we’re aiming to do.” Jefferson is on the same page with his teammate.
“If we come in here and do what we want to do, the way we want to do it, the noise is not gonna be a problem,” Jefferson said, “and the fans are not gonna be a factor.”
