RIDERS LOOK DOWNFIELD
Hope for home playoff game
TORONTO Following a money kick by Brett Lauther, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are in position to cash in on the possibility of a home playoff game.
Lauther’s 56-yard field goal with 1:14 remaining in Saturday ’s game proved to be the difference as the Riders edged the Toronto Argonauts 30-29 at BMO Field.
The Argonauts’ late rally fell short when Zach Medeiros was wide on a 51-yard field-goal attempt with two seconds left.
The 56-yard field goal matched Lauther’s longest of the season. He also had a 56-yarder in a 34-22 loss to the Calgary Stampeders on July 28.
“It’s money time,” Riders defensive end Willie Jefferson said when asked about having Lauther line up for a long field goal.
“We practise those long kicks every day during the week and from my experience he has been money. When he steps out there and it’s beyond the 40, we know that our boy is going to get it right.”
The result left the Riders with an 8-5 record and in sole possession of second place in the CFL’S West Division, behind the Calgary Stampeders (10-2).
The Riders moved two points ahead of the Edmonton Eskimos (7-6), who lost 25-18 to the host Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.
Saskatchewan and Edmonton meet Oct. 8 at Mosaic Stadium in a game that could play a key role in determining second place and who plays host to the West semifinal.
The Riders haven’t staged a home playoff game since their Grey Cup championship year of 2013, but control their destiny with regard to bringing post-season football to new Mosaic Stadium.
“That’s a blessing,” said tailback Marcus Thigpen, who scored on an 82-yard run. “It’s good for us and I just want us to keep taking steps.”
The Riders and Eskimos met Aug. 2, when Edmonton won 2619. Because of that result — the teams only play twice this year — the Riders would have to beat Edmonton by more than seven points to clinch the season series. Points for and against is the second tiebreaker, after the head-to-head record, if the teams finish tied.
A home playoff game seemed unlikely after the Riders’ loss to the Eskimos. The Riders were 3-4 and had lost back-to-back games against divisional opponents.
The Riders then began to turn their season around by beating the Stampeders, the B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (twice). Ottawa snapped the Riders’ fourgame winning streak by winning 30-25 at Mosaic Stadium on Sept. 15.
The Riders struggled offensively and defensively against the visiting Redblacks. Saskatchewan’s special teams kept the game close by returning a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns.
The offence bounced back Saturday against the lowly Argonauts (3-9).
Riders quarterback Zach Collaros completed 14 of 25 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, both to Jordan Williams-lambert. Collaros was also intercepted twice by Trumaine Washington, who returned the second pick 62 yards for a touchdown that enabled Toronto to tie the game at 27-27.
Collaros made another mistake that ultimately led to Lauther facing a long field goal. The veteran quarterback was penalized for intentional grounding, resulting in a loss of 11, on the play before Lauther’s 56-yarder.
“(I thought) ‘How could you be so stupid? We’ve gone over the scenario a million times since high school,’” Collaros said of the penalty. “It was a good call. I didn’t get the ball back to the line of scrimmage and it was just stupidity by me. Brett bailed me out.”
Lauther responded by kicking his third field goal of the game, and his 12th in a row.
“Zach is my guy so I told him to take a penalty so I would have to kick a longer one,” Lauther quipped.
“I just keep it the same. It doesn’t matter if it’s from 60 yards or 10. I just try to pick my target, pick my line, swing easy, and try to get through the ball.”
The Riders hope to build on the victory in Toronto by defeating the host Montreal Alouettes (3-10) on Sunday.
“I know we have another East game coming up,” Jefferson said, “but we’re trying to get these wins so we can get out in front and ride this wave until the end of the season.”
I know we have another East game coming up, but we’re trying to get these wins so we can get out in front and ride this wave until the end of the season.