CALGARY — In a battle between two win-starved teams, only one could eat on Friday night.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 37-29 win over the Calgary Stampeders ended their seven-game winless streak, providing some much-needed fuel to them in an incredibly tight West Division playoff race. The Stamps are now winless in their last six games.
Trevor Harris made 16-18 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown, as the Riders won their first game since July 19. It also marked their first post-Labour Day win in two years and a span covering 16 games.
Ryquell Armstead was over 100 rushing yards in the first half of play in his Saskatchewan debut, getting just a pair of practices in with his new team, after being released by the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Sept. 3. The first-year running back went for a season-best 206 yards on the night.
Jake Maier made 25-31 passes for 197 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception.
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The Stamps got an ideal start to the game, with backup QB Tommy Stevens taking advantage of a second-and-one situation to explode through an opening for a 69-yard touchdown run, just 88 seconds into play. The only break that the Riders caught on the play was that Stamps’ kicker Rene Paredes had his extra point attempt hit the upright, leaving the score at 6-0.
Harris and the Riders had a deft response in store, as they worked an eight-play, 63-yard drive to completion, with backup QB Shea Patterson pushing through from a yard out to even the score. Brett Lauther‘s convert went through at 6:25 to give the Riders a 7-6 lead.
The Riders added to their lead just under four minutes later when Lauther connected on a 33-yard field goal to make it a 10-6 game.
Paredes made up for his extra point miss with a 41-yard field goal at 14:25, bringing an eventful first quarter to a close with the Riders holding onto a 10-9 advantage.
The Stamps’ defence suffered a big loss late in the second quarter, after Demerio Houston left the game on a play that was flagged a blindside block against the Riders’ Samuel Emilus. After Houston was helped up and left the field on his own accord, the Riders’ offence struck again.
The Riders authoritatively put their feet down on an eight-play, 99-yard drive that added to their lead. The drive was highlighted by Armstead, whose 34-yard rumble up the gut of the Stamps’ defence got them to the one-yard line. Patterson came in for his second short yardage TD of the game, with Lauther’s extra point getting through the uprights at 12:58, pushing the score to 17-9.
The clock was running down on the half, but Harris and the Riders weren’t done yet. Harris was exquisite on a seven-play, 92-yard drive. He threaded the needle to find Kian Schaffer-Baker twice on that drive, then watched Armstead go over the 100-yard rushing mark as he got to the one-yard line. Harris took the ball himself on short yardage this time and forced his way over the plane with a second left on the clock, to the delight of an elated Riders’ sideline. Lauther’s third convert of the first half made it a 24-9 game.
Jake Maier led a determined Stampeders’ offensive effort in the second half on Friday night (Dave Chidley/CFL.ca)
After being contained through the first half, the Stampeders’ offence was able to chip into the Saskatchewan lead early in the third quarter. Maier led an eight-play, 74-yard drive that he capped by finding Clark Barnes for an eight-yard touchdown pass. Paredes’ convert made it an eight-point game, 24-16 at 4:31, bringing the crowd at McMahon Stadium to life.
Just like they did with the Stamps’ first touchdown, the Riders had a response to their second score. Harris marched his team 88 yards over eight plays, with Schaffer-Baker making a tough 25-yard catch to power his way into the end zone at 9:53. Lauther’s convert restored the 15-point advantage, at 31-16.
The Stamps took a risk and were rewarded for it late in the third quarter when they converted on a third-down gamble, with Reggie Begelton making a catch to get to the Saskatchewan eight-yard line. Just 1:01 into the fourth quarter, Maier connected with Jalen Philpot for the touchdown, getting a much-needed score to give them hope at a comeback. Paredes’ convert made it an eight-point game again, 31-23.
A 32-yard field goal from Lauther gave the Riders a nine-point edge at 3:40, but the Stamps continued to push the ball downfield, desperate to get back into the game. Philpot took a handoff from Maier and surprised the Riders’ defence for a 29-yard run to Saskatchewan’s 15-yard line. Maier took a turn getting crafty with his feet, slipping out of a collapsing pocket and ran for a first-down and got to the Riders’ three-yard line. On second-and-goal, Dedrick Mills took the handoff and scored his first touchdown of the season at 8:38. The Riders’ were able to get to Maier on the Stamps’ two-point convert, leaving the Stamps trailing 34-29.
A costly call agains the Stamps for contacting the kicker gave the Riders the ball back with under four minutes to play. The Riders didn’t get the dagger of a touchdown that they hoped for, but Lauther’s 40-yard field goal at 13:13 gave them a 37-29 lead.
With the clock ticking, Maier passed on a third-and-one, with former Stampeders’ linebacker Jameer Thurman waiting downfield, where he pulled in the game-sealing interception.
The Riders will host the Ottawa REDBLACKS next, as they kickoff a Saturday double header on Sept. 28, with the action from Mosaic Stadium available on CTV. The Stamps head into a bye week and will face the BC Lions on Fri. Oct. 4.