YOUR MORTGAGE NOW RECAP: RIDERS CLINCH FIRST
REGINA – Whether he’s healthy or not, Cody Fajardo says he’ll be ready for the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ next game.
Thanks to their 23-13 victory over the visiting Edmonton Eskimos, the Riders finished in first place in the CFL’s West Division and will now host the West Final Nov. 17 at home against either the Calgary Stampeders or Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“I’m feeling a lot better,” said Fajardo, who missed Saturday’s game because of an oblique injury he suffered at practice earlier in the week.
“I’m going to be ready to go. It doesn’t matter how bad the pain is, it’s playoffs and I’m going to play through it. It doesn’t matter if I get hurt even more. I’m going to be out there with my guys until I keel over on the field.”
Riders head coach Craig Dickenson said Fajardo was “not close” to playing against Edmonton, but added “I think he’ll be fine” when the playoffs start.
Fajardo’s close friend, rookie Isaac Harker, marched the Riders on a game-winning drive, which was capped by a 12-yard field goal from Brett Lauther with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. That score snapped a 13-13 tie. Lauther had missed his previous three attempts and was 2-for-6 in the game.
“Every time I go out there I’m confident I can make the kick,” Lauther said. “If I don’t, I just train myself to be on to the next one. I’m confident I can make every kick. Even in this game, after I missed three or four in a row, I felt like I was still going to make the next kick.”
A Cam Judge pick-six on the ensuing Edmonton possession provided insurance. He returned the interception 29 yards for a touchdown.
The win was the Riders’ 13th of the season, their highest total since 1970, and marks the first time the team has finished first in their division since the 2009 season. Playing at home in the playoffs, where the Riders have won seven consecutive games, is an advantage.
“It’s incredibly special and it’s the one thing I try to get through to some of the guys is just how important this moment is for the people of this province,” said offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte, a product of Weyburn, Sask., and graduate of the University of Regina Rams program.
The Eskimos (8-10) will, for the fourth time, be the crossover team and take on the Montreal Alouettes in the East semifinal. West teams are 4-7 in this contest.
“Our guys are excited about the journey we’re about to be on,” Eskimos head coach Jason Maas said.
Both the Riders and Eskimos were without their No. 1 quarterbacks.
Harker started for Fajardo and completed 23-of-28 pass attempts for 213 yards.
Edmonton’s Trevor Harris did not dress. Logan Kilgore started in his place.
“There’s a fine between resting and getting guys ready,” Maas said. “We just expected every guy in our locker room to go out and do their job. We were going to live with the consequences of that, and it just so happened to be a loss tonight.”
Kilgore managed just 88 yards passing on 12-of-22 attempts.
Marcus Thigpen’s touchdown run and Lauther’s 50-yard field goal in the first quarter gave the Riders an early 10-0 lead, one they took into the halftime break.
Edmonton scored on its first possession of the second half when Logan Kilgore found Tevaun Smith in the back corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown.
Later in the quarter, Kilgore hooked up with Kevin Elliott for a seven-yard touchdown that gave the Eskimos their first lead at 13-12.
A missed field goal from Lauther sailed through the end zone for a single and knotted the score at 13 with eight minutes remaining.
(Canadian Press, Craig Slater/Photo: Scott Blundell)
Mosaic game crowd was around 8,000. People watching on TSN.
Is Jon Ryan incapable of holding the football properly on field goals? That’s been a problem all season long squarely on his shoulders. Further note, Sask Roughriders a undisaplined team.
Thank you, congratulations Chris Jones along with your assembled Saskatchewan Roughriders organization staff 2019.
A couple of comments regarding the Riders win. Firstly the selfish un disciplined penalties are killing the riders. #48 at the end of the game should have been sent to the dressing room for that selfish penalty right near the end. That would have sent a bit of a message to the rest that this is unacceptable. Then there is the holding during punt returns……not very disciplined. How hard is it to know that you cannot hold. Just don’t do it. The after whistle penalties also has to stop. It shows they are not thinking, or the coaches are not… Read more »
We often feel we know more about the players and the game itself than the professionals that coach the team. I’ve been guilty of it myself. Then when I realize how arrogant I’m sounding. I try to pull myself back in and give way to the professionals. I can assure you Sticky Ickky Ickky (Meant as a term of endearment. Not cocky) that the Riders Stephan McAdoo watches his QBs very closely during practise. He knows where and when the QBs accuracy falls off. He knows if and when the receiver is going to be where I he is suppose… Read more »
Poor kicking and too many undisciplined penalties is correct!!!!
Wait, did the Rider finish in first place in the very competitive west division? I can’t tell by all the slap-dick comments.
I shouldn’t be surprised, it is the Saskatchewan attitude.
Great job. Go Riders!
Long time no post, hello Saskatchewan) _
Noted _ The Riders place kick holder the problem on the team field goal attempts, please attempt to replace Rider coaching staff. Plus tis heard _ Mosaic Stadium not kicker friendly down there on the field of play, too much circular swirling wind gusts as the ball lifts in height toward the goal post uprights.
Digby & Dockby Granger
Spearfish, South Dakota, USA