Moore marks sibling’s birthday in style
REGINA Kyran Moore kept and showed his promise on the same day.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ rookie receiver demonstrated his skills during a 34-29 CFL victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday — his brother Rodger’s 24th birthday. Kyran had promised his older sibling that he would mark the occasion in style.
Moore then led the Riders with career-high totals of nine receptions and 126 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown. It was the first CFL offensive touchdown for Moore, who previously scored twice on punt returns.
“I was just blessed to have a great game,” Moore, a 22-year-old native of Bessemer, Ala., said after Sunday’s win in Montreal. “I’ve played on my birthday before in high school and I’ve played on my brother’s birthday too.
“It’s just something that I wanted to do because he was so far away. I told him that I was going to give him the game ball.”
Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones awarded Sunday ’s game ball to Moore, who will now hand it off to Rodger.
“It was important because I couldn’t be there physically with him and to give him a birthday gift,” Moore said. “He calls me every other day, if not every day. He’s doing well.”
That also describes Moore, who was nicknamed “Swerve” during training camp in recognition of his speed and elusiveness.
He spent eight games on the practice roster before being activated for Saskatchewan’s 24-21 victory over the B.C. Lions on Aug. 25.
In six regular-season games, Moore has 19 receptions for 314 yards. On special teams, he has 16 punt returns for 295 yards and three kickoff returns for 66 yards.
“The kid is a gamer,” said Riders quarterback Zach Collaros. “He doesn’t shy away from big moments and he had a big game for us.”
Moore wasn’t the only receiver to benefit from Collaros completing 29 of 41 passes for 394 yards, all of which were season highs for the Riders’ quarterback.
Shaq Evans had six catches for 114 yards and Kenny Shaw caught five passes for 75 yards.
Evans felt he had something to prove after dropping two passes in a 30-25 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks on Sept. 15. He had one reception, a 46-yarder, while being targeted seven times in that game.
One week later, he had two receptions for 58 yards in the Riders’ 30-29 win over the Toronto Argonauts while being targeted five times. On Sunday, Evans caught all six passes that were thrown in his direction.
“I felt horrible (about the drops) because you never want to let the team down,” Evans said. “If you’re a guy who makes plays, then you want to make plays when they come to you.
“It was hard for me because I know people expect me to make plays and I didn’t. I just knew after that game I had to ball out for the rest of the season.”
Shaw was playing in his first regular-season game since Aug. 26, 2017, when he tore three ligaments in his right knee while playing for Ottawa in its 31-24 win over the host Lions.