While the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost Saturday's game against the Montreal Alouettes, the team can celebrate the spot it has secured in the CFL playoffs.

A timely loss by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the Calgary Stampeders later Saturday means the Riders are guaranteed, at the very least, a crossover playoff berth.

It's a big relief to Saskatchewan fans following the game, in which the Roughriders lost to Montreal 34-28.

But Riders head coach Corey Chamblin warned that a playoff spot can only get the team so far.

"It's about winning, because it's not about so much the playoffs," Chamblin told reporters after the game.

"You get in there and [if] you're not a winning team … you're not going to win. It's about learning how to win … that'll carry you forth."

Chamblin said his players need to work on their fundamentals, such as tackling, blocking and catching.

The Riders came within 21 yards of a touchdown in the last minute of Saturday's match.

Quarterback Darian Durant said it should not have been that close.

"We got to make more plays through the game to put ourselves in a better spot, so that we don't have to overcome a deficit like that," Durant said.

Durant was helped off the field at the end of the game with a shin injury, but he said he should be OK.

The Roughriders' next game is at home against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday.