Jefferson comes up big late, leads Roughriders
REGINA — Willie Jefferson’s interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter gave the Saskatchewan Roughriders a thrilling 19-12 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos on Monday.
The win improved the Riders’ record to 10-5 and pushed the team closer to a home playoff game. Saskatchewan sits alone in second place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division, four points ahead of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who they will face on Saturday in a key divisional matchup.
The Riders have won seven of their past eight games.
Edmonton (7-8) lost its fifth consecutive road game and dropped into fifth place in the West.
Jefferson’s 49-yard pick-six was the game’s only major score. Brett Lauther kicked four field goals for Saskatchewan.
Sean Whyte kicked four field goals for the Eskimos.
The Riders’ offence had scored at least 30 points in each of the past two games in wins over Toronto and Montreal. Their production dried up on Monday, however. Quarterback Zach Collaros, despite throwing for more than 250 yards, did not reach the end zone and was intercepted once.
Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly was picked off three times, including twice inside Saskatchewan’s 20-yard line.
Reilly had his favourite target, Duke Williams, back in the lineup on Monday. The CFL’s leading receiver left last week’s game with a shoulder injury and it was anticipated he would miss significant time.
Williams led the Eskimos on Monday with six catches for 78 yards.
With a win over Montreal on Monday, the Calgary Stampeders sit atop the West Division at 12-2. Winnipeg is alone in third place at 8-7, and riding a three-game winning streak.
The B.C. Lions are 7-7, followed by Edmonton.