Key one-handed grab in third quarter and punt-coverage tackle for a rouge in final minutes proved crucial in 34-32 win over Winnipeg Blue Bombers<\/p>\n
REGINA — Saskatchewan Roughriders’ receiver Joe Robustelli didn\u2019t hit the stat sheet all that often during the Labour Day Classic against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but when he did, he made sure to make his presence known.<\/p>\n
First up was a spectacular reach-back, one-handed catch for a key first down that eventually led to Mario Anderson\u2019s third-quarter touchdown. The second ended up as one of the most important plays of the game — a tackle for a rouge in the contest\u2019s final minutes that led to Saskatchewan taking what would turn out to be a crucial eight-point lead.<\/p>\n
Important plays at important times, and they both figured heavily into Saskatchewan\u2019s 34-30 victory at a\u00a0raucous Mosaic Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m going to be honest with you, I would estimate I\u00a0watched each one of those probably 200 times over the weekend,\u201d Robustelli told voice of the Roughriders Dave Thomas when asked which of the two plays was his favourite.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything with my story — not playing for 12 years<\/a>\u00a0— when I make plays like that, going back and sitting in my room and being able to watch them when I was two, three years ago training and visualizing myself making plays like that, it’s really cool to see.\u00a0I definitely go over and watch them, maybe a little bit too much, but I enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n The catch came with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter and saw Robustelli reach back for a pass behind him, tip it up to himself and haul it in despite coverage for a 16-yard gain. Two plays later, Anderson ran\u00a0in from 26 yards out for a 23-17 lead.<\/p>\n It was a special effort that left Thomas marvelling on the Rider Broadcast Network\u00a0and here\u2019s how it looked:<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n \u201cI ran the route of my depth and [quarterback] Trevor [Harris] trusts us to make plays so\u00a0he threw it out there,\u201d Robustelli said in explaining the play. \u201cThey played the [run pass option] well, dropped back and tipped it up in the air, which slowed it down a little bit and honestly probably made it a little easier for me to catch. I\u00a0stuck my arm out, tried to tip it up to myself and it ended up working out.\u201d<\/p>\n Then came an even bigger play as the game wound down. With the Riders facing third down at the Winnipeg 44, Harris got off a pooch kick that rolled to the Winnipeg goal line and was picked up by Deatrick Nichols. Robustelli was one of the players on the surprise cover team, he used his speed to get down the field and hammer Nichols in the end zone.<\/p>\n One point\u00a0and a 32-24 lead that would prove exceptionally important when Winnipeg was forced to go for two after a late touchdown, resulting in Tevaughn Campbell’s game-clinching, pick-two interception.<\/p>\n \u201cI really enjoy those types of plays,\u201d Robustelli said. \u201cIt allows me to show off my speed and the coaches know that they have somebody that runs pretty well. So they’re like: ‘Listen, we’re going to put it down there and you have an opportunity to either recover it, go get it, or you can go make a play close to the end zone.\u2019\u00a0I’ll go do that, so whenever that opportunity presents itself, I want to make sure I can go make a play.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a play you\u2019ll only see in the Canadian Football League and left Robustelli a little awestruck at the bravado it took for offensive coordinator Marc Mueller to make such a call at that time of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m not as smart as coach Mueller, I never thought that we would run that play in that situation,\u201d Robustelli said. \u201cSo I was kind of confused, I was wondering why we were out on the field and then I heard the play call and was like:\u00a0\u2018You know what, this is actually a great call.\u2019\u00a0Then we had to go out there and execute it.\u201d<\/p>\n And execute they did, with Harris catching pretty much everyone in the building off guard, getting the ball down to the line and giving Robustelli his chance.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a pretty decent kick\u2026 it was a perfect call, the perfect play,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how it looked:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n TREVOR HARRIS WITH THE PUNT!<\/p>\n It leads to a rouge for Saskatchewan in a WILD sequence! @oktire<\/a> #LDWeekend<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: Blue Bombers vs. @sskroughriders<\/a> LIVE NOW
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