Rod Pedersen
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-2) visited the B.C. Lions (5-3) Sunday afternoon to close out Week 9 in the CFL. The Riders were looking for a fifth-straight win while the Lions were looking to move out of the West Division basement and win the two-game season series. Here’s the game log from the broadcast booth:
– It was sunny and 20 degrees Celsius in Vancouver at the 4:00 pm PT kickoff. The roof at B.C. Place was open.
– The Riders wore their “all-white” road uniforms in this game, with white jerseys, pants and helmets. The Lions wore their “gun metal” third jerseys, from the Reebok Signature series, with coal-coloured jerseys, pants and helmets.
– The scratches for the Riders from their 46-man roster were RB Jerome Messam and OT Levy Adcock.
– It was “Guaranteed Win Night” for the Lions, as proclaimed by team President Dennis Skulsky earlier in the week. Should the Lions fail to deliver on the guarantee, fans in attendance will receive a free ticket to a future Lions home game.
– The Lions won the coin toss and elected to take the football to open the game.
– BC’s opening series, with Kevin Glenn at QB, began at the Rider 50-yard line after a 50-yard return by Tim Brown. They promptly got to the Rider 31-yard line before attempting a 38-yard Paul McCallum field goal. It was good, and the Lions led 3-0 just 2:27 into the game.
– The Riders’ first series began at their 33 with Darian Durant at QB. They were 2-and-out and Durant was sacked on second down by LB Adam Bighill.
– The Josh Bartel punt was returned 75-yards for the touchdown by Tim Brown to give B.C. an early 10-0 lead at the 4:15 mark.
– The Riders’ second series began at their 37. First downs on Anthony Allen and Darian Durant runs. They got to the BC 45 before punting.
– BC’s second series commenced at their 18 with 6:35 left in the first quarter. They got to the Rider 43 but a sack by Rider DT Derek Walker took them out of field goal range.
– The Riders’ third series began at their 22. They got to the BC 35 when the clock hit 0:00.
AFTER 1: LIONS 10 RIDERS 0
– The first play of the second quarter was a 42-yard field goal attempt by Chris Milo. It was good and the Lions’ lead was cut to 10-3 at the 0:14 mark.
– BC’s next series began at their 31. 2-and-out.
– The Riders took over at their 44 with 13:14 to go in the half. They got a first down via penalty, but ended up punting from the BC 47.
– BC ball at their 12 with 11:05 remaining in the half. Kevin Glenn efficiently moved them down to the Rider nine-yard before Paul McCallum connected on a 16-yard field goal. 13-3 Lions with 5:35 to go in the half. Rider S Tyron Brackenridge recorded his second sack of the season in the series.
– Riders took the ball at their 35. Durant marched them all the way down to the BC 5 thanks to a Will Ford 37-yard run and 13-yard Chris Getzlaf reception. They capped the drive with a 12-yard Milo field goal with 2:31 to go in the half. 13-6 BC.
– BC ball at their 45 after a 35-yard kick return by Tim Brown. 2-and-out.
– Riders took over at their 13 with 1:42 to go. They moved it as far as the BC 39 and with no time left on the clock, Milo attempted a 46-yard field goal. It clanked off the right upright and dropped through for three!
AT THE BREAK: LIONS 13 RIDERS 9
– Riders got the ball to open the second half at their 24. A holding penalty on the Riders negated a 44-yard line drive start thanks to a Ryan Smith 34-yard return. Tino Sunseri was at QB. He launched a 60-yard bomb to Rob Bagg but it was dropped. His second down hitch pass to Anthony Allen was dropped. 2-and-out. Durant was out of the game with a right hand injury.
– BC opened up at the Rider 17 after a 49-yard punt return by Stefan Logan. They could only cash in with a 20-yard McCallum field goal. 16-9 BC with 12:16 remaining in the third.
– Riders took it at their 35. Sunseri moved them to the BC 41 before a 48-yard Milo attempt. It was good! 4/4 on the day. 16-12 BC with 9:16 to go in the third.
– BC took it at their 35 for their second possession. 2-and-out.
– Rider ball at their 36. On first down Sunseri was sacked by BC LB Solomon Elimimian. 2-and-out.
– BC ball at their 34. 2-and-out.
– The attendance: 33,196.
– Rider ball at their 20 after a holding penalty on the Riders’ Dylan Ainsworth on the return unit. 4:50 left in the third. Tino impressively moved it downfield and capped the series with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tightend Dan Clark! 19-16 Riders on the final play of the quarter. 90-play dri
AFTER THREE: RIDERS 19 LIONS 16
– BC opened the fourth quarter starting their next series at their 39. They got to midfield before punting.
– Rider ball at their 48 with 13:02 remaining. 2-and-out.
– BC took over at their 16 with 11:20 to go. 2-and-out!
– Rider ball at their 47 with 9:49 to go. 2-and-out after two incomplete passes.
– BC ball at their 31 with 8:43 to go. 2-and-out and Kevin Glenn was sacked by Ricky Foley to force a punt from their 30.
– Riders took over at their 30 with 7:27 left. 2-and-out and they had to punt from their 21 after a taunting penalty on RB Anthony Allen.
– BC ball at the Rider 49 with 6:02. Rider FB Scott McHenry went down hard on the preceeding punt and needed attention. Kevin Glenn got knocked out of the series and was replaced by Travis Lulay. 2-and-out.
– Rider ball at their 17 with 4:40 remaining. It was just about all Anthony Allen out of the double tightend formation as they moved it to the BC 45 before the final timeout at 2:38. They ended up punting from the 45.
– It went for a 64-yard punt single making it 20-16 Riders with 2:00 remaining.
– BC got it at their 35. 2-and-out on Lulay’s watch.
– With 1:42 remaining the Riders got it at their 27. More Anthony Allen from the jumbo set. He got a clutch first down to the Rider 50 with 0:44 to go before being replaced by Will Ford. With 0:40 remaining, they had to punt from their 50.
– With 0:29 to go, the Lions started from their 32. Dylan Ainsworth ankle tackled the returner Tim Brown or he was gone. It came down to 3rd-and-5 from their 48 with 0:11 to go.
– They got a first down to the Rider 53 with 0:03 remaining. Lulay threw a Hail Mary on the last play of the game and it went as an incomplete pass.
GAME OVER: RIDERS 20 LIONS 16
POSTGAME COMMENTS
COACH COREY CHAMBLIN
– This team, I’ll you what, we’re building our meddle and character. We’re learning how to win in tough environments. We talked about we had to fight through all adversity early. We knew they’d have some new things for us. It’s like a boxing match; we felt each other out and we got it figured out.
– We always look for a spark. Dan Clark turned it into a flame and a fire. You got to want it more than the guy on the other side of the ball and he did that.
– We talked a lot about the guarantee. I’m sure thought in the first half it was guaranteed but you have to guarantee for four quarters.
– Tino’s a very strong-minded individual and knows how to play football. He’s been around it his whole life. The guys have just as much confidence in him as they do for Darian.
TINO SUNSERI
– We actually didn’t know I was going in till we went out for the second half. Darian couldn’t grip the ball. Coach Cortez told me I was going in. We put a lot of time in in quarterbacks and offensive meetings. We were prepared. It was a total team win.
– Rob Bagg is a mismatch against most DBs. I let it rip on first down and he didn’t come up with it but he made up for it in the end when it mattered.
– We have to credit the coaching staff. We do a lot of work with the receivers during the week and make sure everyone gets a chance. It’s all timing and rhythm and the offensive line kept us on our feet.
– You’ve been around me enough to know I’m a very confident individual. We put the work in throughout the week and we grind. We’re confident and we know we can make plays and put us in position to win a game.
– Day in, day out, our offensive line is one of the tightest in the league. They do everything together. They open lanes and give us lots of time. The defense played well. It was a team win but the O-line should get an extra snack or gift this week for the way they played.
The Riders host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic next Sunday at 2:00 pm on TSN and the CKRM Rider Radio Network.
