Rod Pedersen
For the first time in almost a decade the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-2) paid a visit to the nation’s capital for a Week 6 CFL road trip against the Ottawa REDBLACKS (1-3). Here’s the game log from the broadcast booth:
– It was a perfect night for football with a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius with a west wind at nine km/h. The sky was clear and the field was dry.
– The scratches for the Riders from their 46-man roster were OT Levy Adcock and RB Anthony Allen.- The Riders wore their “all-white” uniforms with white jerseys, pants and helmets. The REDBLACKS wore all black uniforms, pants and helmets.
– The Riders won the coin toss and deferred. The REDBLACKS took the ball to open the game.
– Ottawa defended the west endzone in the opening quarter with Henry Burris at quarterback. Their opening series began at their 26. 2-and-out.
– Saskatchewan’s first series began at their 32 with Darian Durant at quarterback. They easily moved the ball downfield but lost left guard Brendon Labatte with a left leg injury. They moved it 78 yards downfield and capped the series with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brett Swain. The drive took six plays. 7-0 Roughriders at the 4:24 mark
– Ottawa’s second series began at their 20. On the second play Burris was picked off by Rider corner Tristan Jackson who returned it to the Ottawa 30. An unnecessary roughness penalty on Ottawa OT Jerall McCuller put the ball on the Ottawa 15. TURNOVERS: REDBLACKS 1 RIDERS 0
– They capped the short series with a 15-yard Chris Milo field goal. 10-0 Riders with 8:07 to go in the first quarter.
– Ottawa took the ball at their 35 following the field goal. On 2nd-down Burris’s pass was tipped into the hands of Rider linebacker Brian Peters at the Ottawa 45. TURNOVERS: REDBLACKS 2 RIDERS 0
– Six plays in Will Ford rushed for a one yard touchdown to put Saskatchewan up 17-0. 4:37 remained in the opening period.
– Ottawa’s fourth series began at their 30. Their first first down of the game came on this series. They got to their 48 before punting.
– Riders’ fourth possession began at the Ottawa 27 after a massive 48-yard punt return by Tristan Jackson from the Rider 20. It was a two-play, 27-yard drive ending with another Will Ford one yard touchdown run. 24-0 Saskatchewan with 1:42 left in the quarter.
– Ottawa’s fifth series began at their 28. It carried over into the second quarter.
AFTER ONE: RIDERS 24 REDBLACKS 0
– The drive ended with Brett Maher attempting a 31-yard field goal but he hit the right upright for a dead ball. No points.
– The Riders got it at their 25 for their fifth possession of the game. They managed a pair of first downs but the drive ended with a Zack Evans sack of Darian Durant at the Rider 50.
– With 10:54 to go in the half, Ottawa took over at their 24. They got to the Rider 42 before attempting a 49-yard Brett Maher field goal. It was wide, and Tristan Jackson returned it 111 yards to the Ottawa endzone. 31-0 Riders with 8:01 to go in the half.
– A 70-yard kickoff single by Chris Milo put the Riders up 32-0.
– With 5:49 to go in the half Ottawa started from their 25. They got as far as their 53 before setting up for a punt. Trick play! Back-up QB Thomas Demarco punted and it was recovered by the REDBLACKS’ Dobson Collins in the Rider endzone. TOUCHDOWN! Riders 32 REDBLACKS 7.
– The Riders took over at their 29 with 4:43 to go. They got to their 54 before turning it over on downs. On 3rd-and-1, Will Ford dropped a screen pass from Darian Durant. TURNOVERS: REDLBACKS 2 RIDERS 1
– Ottawa ball at the Rider 54. They managed one first down before attempting a 46-yard Brett Maher field goal. Nope! Fake. But the kick was recovered by the Riders’ Terrell Maze at Saskatchewan’s 31.
– Rider ball with 1:26 to go in the half. They got a first down but had to punt from their 48.
– Ottawa ball at their 7 with 1:03 to go. They got one first down before punting. Rider returner Tristan Jackson fumbled the return and Ottawa recovered at the Rider 48. TURNOVERS: RIDERS 2 REDBLACKS 2
– Ottawa ran one play and the clock hit 0:00.
AT THE BREAK: RIDERS 32 REDBLACKS 7
– Ottawa got the ball to start the second half, beginning at their 30. They were 2-and-out.
– The Riders’ first series began at their 15. They got to the 55 before punting. Darian Durant went down in the series with a knee problem. Back-up Tino Sunseri started warming up.
– Ottawa’s second series began at their 26. They were 2-and-out.
– The Riders’ second series commenced at their 33. Durant was back in. A 41-yard P-I penalty on the REDBLACKS set the Riders up at the Ottawa 15. They had to settle for a 34-yard Chris Milo field goal. 35-7 Riders with 6:21 to go in the third.
– Ottawa took the ball at the 35. They got to their 47 before punting. Henry Burris was sacked by the Riders’ David Lee in the series.
– The Riders’ third series began at their 24. They were 2-and-out.
– A crazy ran on the field during a timeout with 3:15 to go in the frame. Security chased him but he got off the field and out of the stadium without being caught.
– REDBLACKS started from their 35 yard line. The drive carried over to the fourth.
AFTER THREE: RIDERS 35 REDBLACKS 7
– The REDBLACKS ended the drive with a 49-yard Brett Maher field goal attempt. However he was wide right and Tristan Jackson brought it out of the endzone.
– Saskatchewan got it at their 31, 0:39 into the fourth. Jerome Messam was the running back, replacing Will Ford. He had two two carries but the team was 2-and-out.
– Ottawa ball at their 38 with 12:55 to go. They moved the ball as far as the Rider 30 but Burris gave up another sack, this one to Ricky Foley setting up 3rd-and-17 at the Rider 40. They turned it over on downs. TURNOVERS: REDBLACKS 3 RIDERS 2
– Rider ball at their 40 with 9:14 remaining. They ended the series with a 42-yard Chris Milo field goal. 38-7 Saskatchewan with 7:49 to go.
– Ottawa took it at their 35. Thomas DeMarco was in at QB for Ottawa. Burris ended 17 of 33 for 217 yards and two INTs. DeMarco went 4 for 4 downfield and ended the series with a 5-yard touchdown toss to Jamall Smith. 38-14 Riders with 5:44 to go.
– The next kickoff was illegal, out-of-bounds, and the Riders got it at their 45. Tino Sunseri came in at QB. Darian was 19 of 25 for 294 and a TD. Will Ford was back in at tailback in this series. They were 2-and-out.
– With 3:30 to go Ottawa started from their 37. They got one first down before punting.
– Rider ball at their 13 with 2:47 to go. They got a first down on a Will Ford rush, but had to punt.
– 1:13 to go, Ottawa got it at their 30. 2-and-out including a David Lee sack of Thomas DeMarco.
– With 0:43 remaining the Riders got it at their 38. They ran three plays and ended the game in the “V” formation.
GAME OVER: ROUGHRIDERS 38 REDBLACKS 14
POSTGAME COMMENTS FROM RIDER HEAD COACH COREY CHAMBLIN
– The guys came out and played fast. We adjusted to everything they did quickly. The guys just played fast.
– The defense is starting to understand what it will take to be a good football team. We’ll have to be tougher than we have in the past and they realized that.
– There was a lot of nerves playing Henry and Chevon because they’re homerun hitters. I was pleased with the outcome.
– It was a combo of having Getty back, and a lot of players back. We got comfortable and got the mindset that we can win.
– There’s a lot of concerns with injuries. I’ll know tomorrow where we stand but we have to get ready for a big game in Winnipeg.
– Every guy has a role and when they step into it, they’ve gotta be a star. Tristan Jackson’s done a good job of doing that.
– Feel real good. It’s time to put this one to bed and move on.
WR ROB BAGG
– We came out real hot. We sat back a bit in the second half but it was a big win.
– I got a couple balls thrown my way. Sometimes you get them at Z, sometimes you don’t. You never know who’s going to have a big game with this offense. We play hard for each other and do whatever it takes.
– I think even if you look at Game 1, we’ve had new guys in the offense every game. When you lose, people are critical but we’ve improved in each game if you look closely. Obviously getting Getz back makes the quarterback more comfortable.
– Let’s be honest – Getz is one of the best receivers in the league. He slows down the game for you. He makes it easier for everyone by just being on the field. When we get all five guys together and going, we’re going to be deadly.
– My position isn’t a primary target very often. I just try to get the guys lined up where they need to be but these guys are true pro’s. They know the playbook.
– Hats off to Ottawa. They’ve done a great job with the stadium and it’s great for the CFL.
KR/CB TRISTAN JACKSON
– I got a little winded late in the game but I’m okay.
– I’m just out having fun. Coach gives me the opportunity to play football and I thank him by giving him everything I got.
– We got a lotta work to do. We got a buncha penalties and I fumbled. I can’t do that in a big time game. If it’s close, I can’t put it on the ground. It was a great team win but we got a lot of work to do.
– That’s a great team over there. They’re an expansion team but they got a great quarterback and great offense. But we’re a good team too. We’re getting better every game. All we want to do is go 1-0 each week and this week we did.
* The Roughriders’ next game is Thursday in Winnipeg in a 6:30 pm kickoff on TSN and CKRM Rider Radio Network.
