Rod Pedersen
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-3) were home to the Ottawa Redblacks (1-9) Sunday afternoon in Week 13 CFL action. The Riders were looking to get back into the win column after falling 28-3 one week before in Hamilton which snapped their seven game winning streak. Saskatchewan was also looking to sweep the two game season series against Ottawa. Here’s the game log from the broadcast booth:
– It was sunny and 20 degrees Celsius at the 2:07 pm kickoff with a west wind at 17 km/h.
– The Riders wore their Reebok Signature Series uniforms with two-tone green jerseys, grey pants and green helmets. The Redblacks were in their all-white road uniforms with white jerseys, pants and helmets.
– The scratches for the Riders from their 46-man roster were REC Chaz Schilens and OT Xavier Fulton.
– The Riders won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Ottawa took the football to open the game, defending the north endzone.
– Ottawa’s opening drive, with Henry Burris at quarterback, began at their 25-yard line after a Jallil Smith return. Burris was pinpoint passing for a pair of first downs before tailback D.J. Harper ripped off a 25-yard run to the Rider 30. They lost their mojo at the end of the drive when John Chick sacked Burris for a nine-yard loss and they had to punt from the Rider 43.
– Saskatchewan’s first drive, with Tino Sunseri at QB, began at their nine. The punt bounced off Rider returner Tristan Jackson’s chest pads and out of bounds. The Riders were 2-and-out after a pair of Anthony Allen runs.
– Ottawa’s second series began at the Rider 39 after a no-yards call on the punt cover team.
– It was a two-play drive before Burris ran 8-yards to the endzone for a 7-0 lead with 8:08 to go in the first. The first play of the series was a 34-yard pass to Ottawa tightend, and former Rider, Alex Krausnick.
– The Riders’ second series began at their 23. They got their first first down of the game on a Weston Dressler reception. They got all the way down to the Ottawa 35 on a series which included a 15-yard Sunseri run. They ended the drive with 40-yard Chris Milo field goal making it 7-3 Ottawa with 2:53 to go in the opening period.
– Ottawa’s third series began at their 31. 2-and-out after two incomplete passes from Henry Burris.
– The Riders’ third series commenced at their 28. 2-and-out after two Anthony Allen touches.
– Ottawa got it for a fourth time at their 50. The series carried over to the second frame.
AFTER ONE: REDBLACKS 7 RIDERS 3
– They ended the series with a 60-yard punt single by Brett Maher making it 8-3 Redblacks on the first play of the quarter.
– The Riders took it at their 35. 2-and-out after Will Ford and Tino Sunseri runs.
– Ottawa ball at their 20 after a 46-yard Milo punt. Tearrius George sacked Burris on the first down for a 5-yard loss. Then a roughing-the-passer penalty gave Ottawa a first down at their 30. They moved it all the way downfield and lined up for a field goal, then ran a fake and back-up QB Danny O’Brien rushed for a 1st down to the 17. They ended the series with a 12-yard TD toss from Burris to Wallace Miles. 15-3 Ottawa with 6:06 to go in the half. It was a 13-play, 90-yard drive.
– Riders next series began at their 52 after a 39-yard Tristan Jackson kick return. 2-and-out after two incomplete passes.
– Ottawa got it at their 27. 2-and-out.
– With 3:02 left Weston Dressler returned the punt 77-yards to the endzone to cut Ottawa’s lead to 15-10.
– Ottawa ball at their 30 with 2:41 remaining in the half. They managed one first down before punting from their 49.
– With 1:44 to go the Riders took over from their 18. 2-and-out for a fifth time in their six possessions.
– On the punt, Ottawa returner Jallil Smith threw a lateral to Khalil Paden and raced to the Rider 21. It was a 55-yard advancement.
– So with :40 left the Redblacks were in business at the Rider 21. Two plays later Wallace Miles caught an 8-yard TD pass from Burris making it 22-10 Ottawa with 0:20 remaining in the half.
– With 0:15 seconds left the Riders started from their 41. A deep pass to Chris Getzlaf clanked off his hands and then a short Anthony Allen run brought up third down. Sunseri knelt down to kill the clock.
AT THE BREAK: REDBLACKS 22 RIDERS 10
– The Riders got the ball to open the second half beginning at their 36. 2-and-out for a seventh time.
– Ottawa started from their 37. On first down Burris was sacked by Tearrius George for his second of the game. It was a nine-yard loss. On second down Ottawa receiver Carlton Mitchell fumbled and the Riders’ Trevor Guyton recovered at the Redblacks’ 38. TURNOVERS: REDBLACKS 1 RIDERS 0
– Two plays into the series Tino Sunseri threw an 18-yard touchdown toss to Will Ford to cut Ottawa’s lead to 22-17 at the 3:16 mark.
– Ottawa’s second series started at their 44. They slickly moved it downfield and Burris finished the drive with a 15-yard TD toss to tailback Jeremiah Johnson for a 29-17 lead. It was a 66-yard drive and Burris was 4/4.
– With 7:22 left the Riders started from their 39 but were 2-and-out again.
– The Chris Milo punt traveled 65 yards and pinned the Redblacks at their 1-yard line with 6:10 remaining in the third period.
– Redblacks got to their 30 before punting.
– Riders started their next series at the Ottawa 50 after a no yards penalty. They got to the 36 before attempting a 43-yard Milo field goal. The snap was botched, the Riders turned it over, and Milo was hurt on the play. TURNOVERS: RIDERS 1 REDBLACKS 1
– Ottawa ball at their 26. They were 2-and-out and Tearrius sacked Burris for a third time. 2-and-out.
AFTER THREE: REDBLACKS 29 RIDERS 17
– Riders started their next series from their 49-yard line, defending the south endzone in the fourth quarter. On second down Weston Dressler scored a 60-yard touchdown that had 50 YAC yards after the reception from Sunseri. 29-24 Ottawa with 13:47 to go.
– Ottawa took over at their 34. They got one first down before punting from their 47.
– With 11:24 to go, the Riders started from their 13. They got to the Ottawa 53 before punting with 7:36 remaining.
– Ottawa got it at their 23. 2-and-out.
– Rider ball at their 18 with 6:12 to go. They got one first down before punting.
– With 4:07 to go Ottawa started from their 53. They moved it into position for a 34-yard Brett Maher field goal attempt. It was good and Ottawa went up 32-24 with 1:53 to go.
– The Riders took it at their 35. They got to the Ottawa 32 and then a P-I call in the endzone got them to the Ottawa-1. Anthony Allen scored on a one-yard run from there and the Riders had to go for a two point conversion, trailing 32-30 with 0:49 to go. Sunseri converted, tossing it to Weston Dressler in the back of the endzone. 32-32.
– With 0:43 left the Redblacks started from their 38. First play was an incomplete pass. Second play was a two-yard run. Punt.
– Weston Dressler fielded the 61-yard punt and returned it to the Rider 18 with 0:05 remaining. Riders knelt down to grind out the clock and take it to overtime.
AFTER REGULATION TIME: RIDERS 32 REDBLACKS 32
– The Riders won the overtime coin toss and elected to start on defense.
– So Ottawa scrimmaged from the south 35-yard line. On the first play Henry Burris was drilled by Tearrius George as he delivered a pass which was picked off by Rider DB Marshay Green!
– Riders needed only one point to win it as they scrimmaged from the south 35. They moved it as far as the 30 to set up a 37-yard Chris Milo field goal to win the game. It was wide to the left and it was kicked out of the endzone.
– On we went to the second overtime and the Riders started on offense, scrimmaging from the north 35. They had to settle for a 22-yard Milo field goal giving the Riders a 35-32 lead.
– Ottawa needed a touchdown to win it as they took it at the 35. On first down Burris was sacked by Tearrius for a 13-yard loss. An 18-yard reception by Marcus Henry on second down got them to the plus-30 to set up a 37-yard field goal attempt. It was blocked, and the Riders won!
FINAL SCORE: RIDERS 35 REDBLACKS 32
POSTGAME COMMENTS FROM RIDER COACH COREY CHAMBLIN
– That’s a crazy one. The craziest thing is we thought the guy stepped on the line at the end but they reviewed it and I guess he didn’t. But we regrouped and showed a lot of heart to win it.
– I got after them pretty good at halftime. I told them this is our house and no one comes in and does the things Ottawa did. We bucked up and did it. We get paid to perform and if we want to be champs, we showed it this week. Fighting back is what it takes to win a championship.
– The thing I’m pride the most about is the pride and heart they showed. That’s a true sign of a winner.
– That’s one of those that galvinizes a team. We won’t always be up 30 points so you have to buckle up and play football. I told the guys it would be playoff football from here on in and this was one of those games.
– I think each quarter Tino is getting stronger. I never saw doubt in his eyes and the way he played. That was pretty awesome and he moved the ball and helped us win it.
– I never considered making a change at QB. It wasn’t just changing Tino. I would’ve had to change our whole team. We weren’t at our best and they were. They had a week off and were prepared. We weathered their storm and fought back and won it.
– I think Darian did a great job guiding Tino all week but I’ll give Tino all the credit. I think the game slowed down for him and he had more nerves last week. He was more comfortable this week and as time goes on he’ll be even more comfortable.
– You don’t think about the OT rules as much because you don’t prepare to go to overtime. The crazy things at the end, like the kick-out, you don’t prepare for those situations but you do need to spend a little time on it.
– You can’t look who’s behind you or ahead of you in the standings. You have to worry about exactly where you are and that’s what we focused on.
• The Riders visit the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 14 on Friday evening on TSN and the CKRM Rider Radio Network.
