Chris Jones can be defensive and cryptic at the best of times in post-practice media scrums.

On Tuesday, he was near his best…or worst, depending on your point of view!

“You know what, we’re not even talking about the game. We’re practicing for Toronto and the Ottawa game’s over,” snorted Jones in response to what he saw on video from Saturday’s 30-25 Saskatchewan Roughriders’ home loss to the RedBlacks. “We’re just are out here attempting to work and try to get better. We’re not living off of what we did yesterday in any phase. Everybody wants to blame the offense for lack of production but defensively we gave up nearly 500 yards offense the other night. Again it’s not just one side of the football. It’s all three sides.

“We’re not worried about last year, like I just said. We’re not worried about last week. We’re worried about the here and now so we’re going to work as hard as we can to show up and play as good of football as we can to attempt to win a football game in Toronto against a very well-coached football team.”

Even quarterback Zach Collaros was defensive about the Green and White offence’s shortcomings.

“You learn from it, you watch the tape and your learn from it and try to get better as a result,” asserted an ‘I’d rather be somewhere else than talking to you guys’ Collaros. “I did watch the tape several times. We learned we didn’t play well enough to win and have to get better. Everything starts with detail. It’s just attention to detail, and execution.”

Jones, meanwhile, offered no status update on import defensive back/linebacker Matt Elam after he was injured Saturday against Ottawa. He wasn’t on the practice field Tuesday with Wednesday being a closed workout. The Riders visit Toronto Saturday at 5:30 on T-S-N.