Rod Pedersen
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-2) hosted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-3) in Labour Day Classic XLVIII Sunday afternoon. Just prior to the game the Riders announced the game was a sellout at 33,427. Here’s the game log from the broadcast booth:
– It was 19 degrees Celsius and sunny at the 2:07 pm kickoff. The wind was out of the northwest at 11 km/h.
– The Riders wore their green “retro” home jerseys with white pants and green helmets. The Bombers wore their regular road gold jerseys with blue pants and gold helmets.
– The scratches for the Riders from their 46-man roster were OT Levy Adcock and REC/KR Ryan Smith.
– The Riders won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Bombers took the football to open the game and got the north endzone.
– Drew Willy quarterbacked the Bombers’ opening drive starting at their 40 after a 20-yard Troy Stoudermire kick return. They got to the Rider 32 before Drew Willy was intercepted in the endzone by Rider DB Mark Legree who caught a tipped ball from teammate Woodny Turenne. TURNOVERS: BOMBERS 1 RIDERS 0
– So the Riders took over at their 7-yard line with Darian Durant calling signals. 2-and-out.
– The second Bomber drive started at the Rider 31. Just three plays in, Nic Grigsby scored on a 6-yard run for an early 7-0 Winnipeg lead at the 7:14 mark.
– The Riders’ second series began at their 25. They got to their 43 before punting. One first down on a 16-yard Rob Bagg reception.
– Bombers got it for a third time at their 30 but were 2-and-out after two deep incompletions from Drew Willy.
– The Riders’ third drive began at their 18. The series carried over into the second quarter but Rob Bagg (2) and Jerome Messam were both responsible for first downs to the Winnipeg 45.
AFTER ONE: BOMBERS 7 RIDERS 0
– The first play of the second quarter had the Riders 2nd-and-11 at the Winnipeg 46 as they were facing the north endzone. They’d have the wind at their back in the second frame. They ended the series with a 48-yard Chris Milo field goal attempt but he hit the left upright for no points. 7-0 Winnipeg 1:02 into the second quarter.
– Winnipeg got the ball at their 25 for their fourth possession. They were forced to punt on 2nd-and-18 from their 17-yard line after Ricky Foley recorded his 6th sack of the year, taking down Willy. Punter Lirim Hajrullahu was forced to take a safety when the snap was at his ankles. 7-2 Winnipeg with 11:41 to go in the half.
– After the ensuing kickoff the Riders started their fourth series at their 34. They managed one first down on a Weston Dressler 11-yard pick-up – in which he motioned ‘first down’ for possibly the first time in his career! However they had to punt from their 50.
– Winnipeg started their next series from their own 3 yard line. After a 2-and-out Hajrullahu conceded a safety again making it 7-4 Winnipeg with 7:48 to go in the half.
– The Riders’ Tristan Jackson brought the kickoff back 59 yards to the Winnipeg 28. The next play was a 23-yard Durant pass to Jerome Messam to the Bomber 5. One play later Will Ford trotted into the endzone for his 6th TD of the year and Saskatchewan went up 11-7 with 6:31 to go in the half.
– Bomber ball at their 18. They got to their 32 before punting.
– A 7-yard Weston Dressler punt return to the Winnipeg 53 set the Riders up with 2:10 to go. They had to settle for an 18-yard Milo field goal with 1:02 to go. 14-7 Riders.
– Bombers took it at their 35. Rider DT Tearrius George wrung up his 6th sack of the year on Willy in the series. Hajrullahu knelt down on the final play of the half inside their 40.
AT THE BREAK: RIDERS 14 BOMBERS 7
– The Bombers got the ball and the wind to start the second half, beginning at their 34. Ricky Foley registered his second sack of the game when Winnipeg was 2nd-and-11 at their 49 forcing a punt. Willy went down with an apparent ankle injury and was down for a long period of time. And after a review, it was deemed that Drew Willy fumbled and the Riders recovered at the Winnipeg 43. TURNOVERS: BOMBERS 2 RIDERS 0.
– The Riders plowed it down inside the Bomber 5 and on 2nd-and-goal from the three, Anthony Allen found the endzone for a 21-7 lead at the 6:25 mark. It was a 7-play, 43-yard drive taking 5:00 off the clock.
– The Bombers started at their 51 and capped the series with an 11-yard Drew Willy touchdown run. 21-14 Riders with 4:30 left in the third.
– The Riders’ second series began at their 18 as they defended the south endzone. 2-and-out after two incomplete passes intended for Taj Smith.
– Troy Stoudermire returned the Josh Bartel punt 55 yards for the score to tie the game at 21-21 with 2:58 to go in the third period.
– Riders got it at their 35 after another Tristan Jackson kick return. 2-and-out as Durant was sacked by Bryant Turner on 2nd down.
AFTER THREE: RIDERS 21 BOMBERS 21
– The first play of the fourth quarter was a 3rd-and-1 conversion to the Bomber 52 by back-up Bomber QB Robert Marve. They moved the ball to the Rider 26 before Hajrullahu attempted a 32-yard field goal. It was good and Winnipeg went up 24-21 with 11:26 remaining. The drive started at their 41 late in the third quarter.
– The Riders took it at their 35. They got it to the Winnipeg 46 before punting. Durant tried a post-corner to the wide open Dressler on 2nd-and-5 but it was over his head at the Bomber 10 forcing the punt.
– The Bartel punt was blocked at Winnipeg got it at the Rider 44 with 8:56 remaining. TURNOVERS: BOMBERS 2 RIDERS 1
– They could only muster a 45-yard field goal attempt by Hajrullahu. It was good, and the Bombers went up 27-21 with 7:48 remaining.
– Riders got it at their 40 and took the lead with a 59-yard Durant-to-Taj Smith touchdown toss with 5:33 remaining. 28-27 Saskatchewan. It was a 4-play, 70-yard drive.
– Bombers took over at their 27 with 5:14 remaining. 30-yard run by Grigbsy and then a P-I call got them to the Rider 43. With 3:14 remaining Hajrullahu kicked a 41-yard field goal to give the Bombers a 30-28 lead.
– Saskatchewan was down two as they started from their 35 with 2:58 remaining. Messam and Durant killed the Bombers with their legs and Tino Sunseri converted on another 3rd-and-1 as they moved it efficiently downfield. Rob Bagg and Anthony Allen had solid gains as well. They capped the series with a 15-yard Anthony Allen touchdown run with 0:28 remaining to give the Riders a 35-30 lead. It was a 9-play, 75-yard drive including five first downs.
– With 0:20 left the Bombers started from their 31 down five points. 19-yards Willy-to-Nick Moore for a 1st down to the Bomber 50 with 0:15 remaining. Then a nine-yard toss to Rory Kohlert to the Rider 51 with 0:05 remaining.
– The last play was a Hail Mary by Drew Willy which fell incomplete.
GAME OVER!: ROUGHRIDERS 35 RIDERS 30
POSTGAME COMMENTS FROM RIDER HEAD COACH COREY CHAMBLIN
– It was a classic. I never really thought about that until now but it was a classic. We did it on defense in the end when we had to and we thought we’d just put it on Milo’s leg in the end but as it turned out we didn’t have to.
– Dressler was good. It would’ve been good to hit him on that deep one late because that would’ve set this place on fire. But we hit him on some screens and things and he seemed to fit right in.
– A win is always a win but especially against a good team. Winnipeg’s a good team.
– Anthony Allen’s learned from his fumbles and he’s moved forward. We’ve moved forward too.
– They started hot and we weathered their storm. We stayed together and played to the end.
– We rotate those backs in there but we’re a run-first team. On 2nd down we’ll throw the ball like everyone else.
– I never thought of starting Tino. It never even crossed my mind.
– Giving up the returns is another thing to keep us humble. We’re 7-2 but our coverage teams have to be better and we’ll go from there. We worked on tackling this week. I don’t know if it’s kicking away from those returners or whatever but we can’t allow points on returns.
– I’m not worried about the penalties. I told them before the game. Let’s just play to the end and we did that.
– I didn’t think we’d be 7-2 at the midway point. That’s a phenomenal job of this team coming together. We were just trying to find our way and this team has done a great job of coming together and moving forward.
– George and I talked, we said let’s win it off Milo’s leg. We talked about that but they just broke through on a running play. Our plan was to just run the clock out and win the game on a field goal.
– It won’t be the same gameplan next week. A lot of things will change, including personnel.
– I knew it would be a good game. I figured someone would score 30 points and I just hoped it would be us. I didn’t think both teams would score 30.
– Dressler did okay from what I saw. There’s a couple of balls you wish he’d have back but he did good on his touches, especially on a short week.
– A couple guys struggled but redeemed themselves. I wanted Taj to catch that long one and he did.
– I’m enjoying this season and watching these guys grow, come together, and take the next step in their careers.
• The Riders’ next game is Sunday, September 7 in Winnipeg in a 2:00 pm kickoff on TSN and the CKRM Rider Radio Network.
