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The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa REDBLACKS opened the 2014 Canadian Football League preseason Saturday afternoon at Mosaic Stadium. It was the Riders’ first time on-field since their 2013 Grey Cup championship win over Hamilton on November 24, 2013. Here’s the game log from the Roughrider broadcast booth:
– It was 13 degrees Celsius and raining at the 4:09 pm kickoff. The wind was out of the east at 21 km/h.
– The Roughriders had 78 players dressed while the REDBLACKS suited up 70 for a grand total of 148 players on the sidelines for the national anthem.
– Former Roughriders Zack Evans and Keith Shologan of the REDBLACKS received their 2013 Grey Cup rings prior to the game.
– Riders wore their home green uniforms with green helmets and pants. Ottawa wore all-whites (pants, jerseys and helmets).
– Ottawa won the coin toss and elected to kickoff. Saskatchewan got the ball to open the game, defending the north endzone.
– The Riders’ opening drive began with Tino Sunseri at quarterback, at their 36 after a Marshay Green kick return. 2-and-out.
– Ottawa’s first drive began at the Rider 1-yard line after 77-yard punt return by Jamill Smith. Henry Burris was under centre for Ottawa to start out. Chevon Walker rushed it in on first down for an early 7-0 lead just 1:43 into the game.
– Riders’ second drive started at their 38. They were 2-and-out again after an Anthony Allen run and an incomplete pass.
– Ottawa’s second series began at their 33. They managed one first down before punting.
– Riders’ third series began at their 27. They were 2-and-out for a third time after a Taj Smith catch and a Jermaine Thomas run.
– Ottawa’s third series commenced at their 30. Burris got them in position for a 44-yard Justin Palardy field goal making it 10-0 REDBLACKS with 3:51 to go in the first quarter.
– Saskatchewan’s fourth series started at their 33. They were 2-and-out for a fourth time. Punter Josh Bartel hit a 64-yarder to pin Ottawa at their 14 for their fourth series.
– Danny O’Brien replaced Burris at QB for Ottawa for their fourth series. Burris was 5/6 for 42 yards. O’Brien was 2-and-out.
– With 1:07 to go Rider rookie Marshay Green returned a Justin Palardy punt 75 yards to the house. 10-7 Ottawa.
AFTER ONE: REDBLACKS 10 ROUGHRIDERS 7
– Ottawa opened the second quarter with a first down at the Rider 27. A 36-yard PI on Rider DB Dwight Anderson aided the drive. They had to settle for a 34-yard Palardy FG attempt but he was wide right and it was brought out by rookie Rider Troy Stoudemire.
– Darian Durant quarterbacked the Riders for their fifth series. Tino Sunseri was 2/4 for 17 yards in his time. He found rookie Ryan Smith for a first down with a 10-yard pass and then a tripping penalty against back Anthony Allen gave them another first down. Another first down pass to Ryan Smith. Then a couple first down runs from Anthony Allen. That set them up 1st-and-10 at the Ottawa 19. On the next play Durant heaved a touchdown in the right corner of the endzone to former Packer, Seahawk and 49er Brett Swain. 14-10 Riders with 9:04 to go in the half. 98-yard drive, 11-plays and Durant was 3/3 for 35 yards.
– REDBLACKS took over at their 22. A short run and an incomplete pass from O’Brien brought up 2-and-out.
– Riders took over at the 55 with Durant at the helm. 15 yards to Eron Riley. Two plays later Anthony Allen fumbled and Ottawa recovered at their 33. TURNOVERS: RIDERS 1 REDBLACKS 0. O’Brien moved it only 15 yards before punting.
– Riders’ Troy Stoudemire returned it 40 yards to the Rider 54. They got to the Ottawa 41 before a 48-yard Chris Milo FGA. He was wide right and it was brought out by Travon Patterson for no points.
– Ottawa ball at their 24 with 2:25 left. O’Brien managed one first down before punting.
– Riders took over at their 23 with 1:10 to go in the half. They were 2-and-out after a pair of Jermaine Thomas runs.
– REDBLACKS ball at their 36 with 0:21 to go. The clock ran out on them.
AT THE BREAK: ROUGHRIDERS 14 REDBLACKS 10
– The Riders got the ball to start the second half at their 34 with Adam Weber at quarterback. They defended the south endzone. On second down Weber was picked off by Ottawa linebacker T.J. Hill at the Rider 42. TURNOVERS: RIDERS 2 REDBLACKS 0
– Former BC Lion Thomas Demarco QB’d Ottawa to start the second. 2-and-out and Demarco was sacked by LB Mortty Ivy.
– Rider ball at their 20 after a Clifton Smith punt return. On first down rookie RB Keith Toston plowed his way to the Ottawa 52. Coach Corey Chamblin then challenged a non-PI call against rookie WR Isaiah Sweeney. He lost the challenge. Another PI call against Sweeney set them up a the 9. Two plays later Weber fired rookie Brett Swain his second score of the game. It was a 6-play, 90-yard drive. 21-10 Riders with 10:29 to go in the third quarter. Swain will be the toast of the town for at least Saturday night.
– Demarco took over at their 22 but were 2-and-out.
– Rider ball at their 52. Seth Doege came in at QB for Saskatchewan. He ran for an acrobatic cartwheel first down run. They ended up with a Brett Cameron punt which pinned the REDBLACKS at their 2 with 6:06 to go.
– The attendance was announced at 13,014.
– Thomas Demarco finished a 108-yard drive with a 60-yard TD toss to Travon Patterson cutting the Riders’ lead to 21-17 with 2:07 to go.
– Riders took over at their 36 with Doege at QB. The drive carried over into the fourth courtesy of some nice Curtis McNeal runs.
AFTER THREE: ROUGHRIDERS 21 REDBLACKS 17
– Doege displayed great legs running to the Ottawa 38 but a holding penalty brought it back and had to punt.
– Ottawa ball at their 19. They got to the 43 before punting with Demarco at QB.
– A 5-yard punt return by Rider rookie Ryan Smith from NDSU had them starting at their 26 with a 4-point lead and 11:29 to go. Adam Weber came back in at QB with Keith Toston in the backfield. Weber was sacked and they were 2-and-out.
– Ottawa ball at their 42 with 9:44 to go and Demarco still in at QB. Rider CB Paul Woldu intercepted Demarco at the Rider 51. TURNOVERS: RIDERS 2 REDBLACKS 1.
– Seth Doege took over at QB for the Riders and on first down he tossed a first down pass to Kris Bastien just as he was plowed. They ended the drive with a Brett Cameron punt. It pinned the REDBLACKS at their 5 with 6:14 to go.
– Alex Carder came in at QB for Ottawa at this point. Rider veteran DB Macho Harris picked off Carder at the Ottawa 53. TURNOVERS: RIDERS 2 REDBLACKS 2.
– With 3:30 to go Adam Weber came back in behind centre for Saskatchewan. Two short Curtis McNeal runs brought up 2-and-out. A Brett Cameron punt had Ottawa starting out at their 18 with 2:09 to go.
– With Alex Carder at QB, Ottawa struggled to move the ball but converted on 3rd-and-18 from their 20, by getting out to their 42 on a Scott MacDonnell reception. They got to the Rider 52 before facing 3rd-and-10 with 0:30 left. They turned it over on downs with 0:24 to go. TURNOVERS: REDBLACKS 3 ROUGHRIDERS 2
– Seth Doege knelt down twice to end the game and the Riders escaped with the victory.
GAME OVER: ROUGHRIDERS 21 REDBLACKS 17
POSTGAME COMMENTS AND NOTES FROM RIDER COACH COREY CHAMBLIN:
– Since we won, evaluation is always good. It goes hand in hand. We evaluated and we won so it was good today.
– I don’t have a game ball to give out just yet.
– There’s a number of guys that stood out. Brett Swain did a helluva job of adjusting. You want to see if guys can make the big catch.
– It’s good to see that we can score on a drive and get some continuity.
– I think the backs did some good things. We have to make sure they did all their assignments and we’ll check with that. The flashy parts looked good, we just have to see how their protections were.
– We had good returns with Marshay and those guys.
– As soon as I’m through with you guys I’ll stay late to look at film. We’ll meet tomorrow and look at cuts.
– We know exactly what Marshay can do on returns but we need to see what he can do on defense. One play won’t make or break.
– I wouldn’t put any weight on what happened in this game. We’ll see what happens this week.
– They’re different style backs from what Sheets was. We’ll see how they fit into this offense going forward. I know exactly what we have and what to look for.
– It was different to be on the other side of the field. I couldn’t see the clock so that was the biggest thing but it was different for sure.
* The Riders host Edmonton Friday night in preseason game two on 620 CKRM.
