It's not something Rider nation is used to. An offense that can't move the ball on the ground. After four weeks the Riders rank 7th in the league in rushing, with an average of 83.2 yards a game.

"We've been focused on the pass game, we have a few new receivers so we have to take care of business and make sure everyone's on the same page," explained running back Wes Cates, "We know the run game is what it is. I've been a little banged up and we've had some guys up front a little banged up."

As for Cates himself, after missing the first two games of the year, he has just 24 touches in two games. Nowhere near the 20 touches he averaged per game last year. But Cates knows the time will come when his number is called more often, "It's nothing to really get alarmed about, it's nothing that I'm getting frustrated with. I'm just trying to work with the team and play my role and help when I can but obviously as I get better I probably want the ball a little more but I'm not going to sit there and be a detriment to my team just for the sake of having the ball in my hands."

Head Coach Ken Miller agrees, "You know Wes hadn't played a down before last week so to expect him to have as many carries as he did, particularly in the first part of last season, wouldn't be a good thing."

But the lack of a run game is haunting the Riders pass game as well. It appears the defenses are giving the Riders run less and less respect and coming at quarterback Darian Durant with less hesitation than they have in the past.

Veteran Gene Makowsky, who will start his first game of the season this week against Calgary, knows you can set up the pass with a sound run game, "That's big, that's pretty well why you run the ball in the CFL, give (the opposing defense) something else to think about and keep them off balance a bit. You don't have to hit home runs every play but you got to have at least the threat of running and that keeps defenses guessing a little bit."

PRACTICE NOTES - DE Joe Sykes was practicing in place of injured John Chick, who will likely miss 2-4 weeks with a shoulder injury. LB Sean Lucas did not practice but Coach Ken Miller believes he'll play Saturday in Calgary. OL Gene Makowsky will start his first game at LG after missing four weeks with a knee injury. Daniel Francis and James Patrick were splitting reps at safety.