Marshall came through in the Nic of time.
At a stage of the game when the best-case scenario for the Saskatchewan Roughriders appeared to be a tie with the Calgary Stampeders, Nic Marshall delivered a walk-off interception to secure a 29-26, double-overtime victory for the visiting side at McMahon Stadium on Saturday night.
On second-and-seven, Jake Maier had looked to Tre Odoms-Dukes in the end zone for what the Stampeders hoped would be a game-winning touchdown.
An incompletion would have put Calgary in position for a chip-shot, game-tying 25-yard field goal by Rene Paredes on the final play of OT.
So, as Calgary broke the huddle for what turned out to be the Canadian Football League game’s last play from scrimmage, it stood to reason that only an interception or a lost fumble could have prevented the Stampeders from emerging with at least a point and the Roughriders from lamenting a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead that got away.
And there were plays that got away from Marshall on Saturday. He was credited with two pass knockdowns on plays that could have been, or perhaps should have been, interceptions.
But when the Roughriders really needed a play, Marshall won the day.
“And I’m glad for him,” middle linebacker Larry Dean said, “because he was a little down on himself because he dropped one early.”
Only to come through late.
“It’s elation, honestly,” Head Coach Craig Dickenson said after his team’s record improved to 2-1. “It’s like we snatched victory away from the jaws of defeat, so to speak.
“It was a nice play by Nic and I felt like a real comeback game for Nic, because he had some moments where he struggled.
“But he’s got ball skills, and if you just throw it up around him, he will go up and get it.”
Trevor Harris does not have to be reminded.
As one who did not become a Roughrider until Feb. 14, the 11th-year CFL quarterback is most accustomed to dealing with Marshall as an opponent.
It was Harris, in fact, who threw a pass that Marshall picked off and returned for a touchdown when the Montreal Alouettes visited Mosaic Stadium on July 2 of last year.
The moment Marshall crossed the goal line for a 90-yard score, he became the Roughriders’ all-time leader in interception-return touchdowns (five).
On Saturday, by contrast, Marshall was already in the end zone when he registered his 16th interception since joining the Roughriders in 2018.
The game-clinching play evoked memories of Oct. 24, 2009, when the Roughriders edged the visiting B.C. Lions 33-30 in OT.
Luca Congi’s 29-yard field goal on the first series of OT had given the Roughriders a three-point advantage — much like Brett Lauther’s 20-yarder had enabled Saskatchewan to assume a 29-26 lead on Saturday.
In that 2009 game, Lions quarterback Casey Printers looked to Geroy Simon in the end zone, only to have James Patrick intervene and intercept the pass. Game over.
Just one week earlier, the Roughriders had settled for a 44-44 overtime tie … at McMahon Stadium!
Saturday’s showdown between the long-time West Division rivals was comparably suspenseful.
“It was a full team win,” Harris said after completing 20 of 30 passes for 275 yards, 44 of which were compiled on a touchdown toss to Tevin Jones.
“We ended up putting together a lot of good drives in the second half and our defence ended up coming up with a stop when we needed it.”
And not for the first time.
With the Roughriders leading 17-13 early in the fourth quarter, Calgary marched to the visitors’ 12-yard line before Dean intercepted Maier one yard deep in the end zone and returned the football to Saskatchewan’s 27.
Cue a four-play, 83-yard touchdown drive, the highlight being a 60-yard sprint by Shawn Bane Jr. after he hauled in a short toss from Harris. The punctuation mark was a one-yard TD run by short-yardage quarterback Shea Patterson.
Patterson had scored an earlier one-yarder on the first play after a 56-yard interception return by Rolan Milligan Jr., who quickly counteracted a pick by Calgary’s Cameron Judge.
“The defence came up with some key turnovers — and obviously the key turnover in the second overtime,” Harris said after the game.
“It shouldn’t be that close for us. We need to capitalize with touchdowns in that overtime period.
“Offensively, I liked what we did in the second half. We were able to move the ball a lot better.
“But, yeah, it was a total team win today, and I’m just grateful that we were on the right side of the outcome.”
