The Saskatchewan Roughriders got the revenge they were looking for on Saturday night.
After the Edmonton Elks beat the Green and White 36-34 last Thursday in Regina, the Roughriders returned the favour on Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium with a 28-26 victory in Week 9 of the CFL season.
With the win, the Riders improved to 5-2 to close the gap on first place in the West Division on the Elks, who fell to 6-2.
Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris completed 19-of-24 passes for 239 yards with a game-winning touchdown pass and two-point convert to KeeSean Johnson while short-yardage specialist Tommy Stevens scored three touchdowns along the ground.
“It was a hard team-fought battle,” Johnson, who was limited to three catches for 14 yards including the four-yard touchdown, told TSN after the game. “That’s what we preached all week was to come out here and do our assignments.
“We had some ups, we had some downs but at the end of the day, we came out with the victory as a team.”
With running back A.J. Ouellette sidelined, rookie Quali Conley gained 61 yards on 14 carries along the ground and along 36 through the air while Dhel Duncan-Busby led all Roughriders receivers with four catches for 66 yards. Samuel Emilus was a late scratch after previously being listed as a game-time decision while Kian Schaffer-Baker, who had three catches for 48 yards, was forced to leave the game in the second half with an injury of his own.
Defensively, the Roughriders were without halfback Rolan Milligan Jr., who was placed on the six-game injured list after going down in practice this week, while cornerback Tevaughn Campbell didn’t play in the second half on Saturday.
Still, after giving up 510 passing yards and four touchdowns last week, Saskatchewan’s defence held Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo to 298 yards and one touchdown this week, while also holding running back Justin Rankin to 28 yards along the ground.
“Cleaning up the mistakes and the explosion plays,” Roughriders head coach Corey Mace told CKRM after the contest. “We didn’t get took off the top too much defensively.
“Obviously some stuff to clean up but for us to be able to stick together (was important). We came into the game with important pieces (out). Samuel Emilus didn’t play today, Rolan Milligan, A.J. Ouellette. We had guys that had to step up and make plays.
“And shoot, we go through the game and it was just bodies dropping everywhere. Just so proud of these guys.”
While the Roughriders took seven penalties for 80 yards, their second highest total of the season, the Elks took 10 penalties for 92 yards in the game, including a pair of 15-yard infractions on the final drive of the game which allowed Saskatchewan to run out the clock.
“Too many penalties versus a very good team,” Fajardo told reporters after the game. “Just sloppy football at the end.
“We made some plays offensively late, but it was almost too little, too late. We’ve got to clean up the red zone. Too many field goals versus the defending Grey Cup champs.”
Just like their Week 8 battle, Saturday’s game was a back-and-forth affair as the Elks opened the scoring on their first series for the second straight game as Rankin powered into the end zone from three yards out following a seven-play, 47-yard drive led by Fajardo.
On the ensuing kickoff, Roughriders rookie receiver Johnny Johnson III returned the ball 87 yards down to Edmonton’s nine-yard line. Three plays later, Stevens plunged into the end zone for Saskatchewan to tie the game 7-7.
After the Elks added a 24-yard field goal to go up 10-7 early in the second quarter, the Roughriders took the lead on an eight-play, 70-yard drive led Harris, before Stevens recorded his second touchdown of the night and seventh of the year to make it 14-10.
Before the first half was up, Edmonton tacked on another field goal as Vincent Blanchard, who kicked a 57-yard game winner last week, connected from 44 yards to make it 14-13.
After a delay of more than an hour during halftime due to a thunderstorm in the area, the Roughriders got the ball to start the second half, however Harris was intercepted by Edmonton’s Tyrell Ford on the second play of the series. Saskatchewan’s defence was able to force a two-and-out as the Elks punted it away.
On Saskatchewan’s next series, the Roughriders drove into Elks’ territory, however rookie kicker Alex Hale missed a 42-yard field goal wide left through the back of the end zone.
After Edmonton responded with a 13-yard field goal on the next drive to put the Elks up 16-14, the Roughriders were able to retake the lead as Stevens punched in his third touchdown of the night from one yard after a nine-play, 68-yard drive, which included Harris hitting Conley for a 29-yard gain through the air.
A two-point convert attempt was unsuccessful as Saskatchewan took a 20-16 lead into the fourth quarter in the back-and-forth contest.
On Edmonton’s next series, the Elks drove to Saskatchewan’s 15-yard line, but the Roughriders defence was able to hold them to a field goal as Blanchard hit from 22 yards to cut the lead to 20-19.
The Roughriders extended their lead on the next series as Harris found Johnny Johnson III for a pair of 20-plus yard gains before connecting with KeeSean Johnson on a four-yard touchdown pass. Harris then hit KeeSean for a two-point convert to put Saskatchewan up 28-19 with 6:17 left.
However, Edmonton cut into the lead on the next drive as Fajardo found Rankin for a 51-yard gain through the air before finding TJ Luther on a four-yard touchdown strike to make it 28-26 with the convert.
Following a two-and-out by the Riders, Saskatchewan’s defence was able to force a two-and-out of their own, highlighted by linebacker Josh Woods sacking Fajardo on second down.
With Edmonton punting the ball back to the Roughriders, Saskatchewan was able to run out the clock to secure the win after a 10-yard run by Stevens, an 11-yard run by Conley and a pair of major fouls by the Elks.
These two teams will meet again in the final week of the regular season on Oct. 24 in Regina.
Next week, Saskatchewan hosts the winless Ottawa Redblacks on Friday at Mosaic Stadium. The Redblacks (0-7), who fired defensive coordinator Will Fields on Saturday, are coming off a 34-13 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Friday.