Despite being statistically superior on Saturday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are digesting back-to-back losses for the first time this season after the Edmonton Elks won 27-25 at Commonwealth Stadium.<\/p>\n
The frantic finish to the finale of the CFL\u2019s Week 17 came down to the final play \u2014 a two-point conversion attempt that, if successful, would have created a tie and forced overtime.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sucks,\u201d Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris lamented after completing 33 of 46 passes for 351 yards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t sit here and lie to you and give you a bunch of great things, because it sucks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edmonton led 24-12 with just under four minutes left before an Elks field goal was sandwiched between two late Roughriders touchdowns that preceded a game-deciding incompletion on the two-point try.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe beauty of the CFL is that if it\u2019s a two-possession game and there\u2019s anything more than two minutes left and you still have the ball, it\u2019s still anybody\u2019s game and we saw that tonight,\u201d Harris said. \u201cWe were able to get a score and get the ball back and get another score.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just unfortunately didn\u2019t convert the two-point conversion to get it to overtime. And that sucks, because if we move it to overtime, I think we come away with a win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edmonton improved its record to 6-9. Saskatchewan (10-4) continues to own the CFL\u2019s best record and a four-point cushion on the Calgary Stampeders (8-6) for first place in the West Division.<\/p>\n
The statistical discrepancy, favouring the Roughriders, would ordinarily add up to a victory.<\/p>\n
Saskatchewan dominated in terms of first downs (29 to 19), net offence (476 yards to 366), time of possession (34:31-25:29) and second-down conversions (57 per cent to 44), but opportunistic plays by Edmonton and untimely miscues or near-misses by the visitors tipped the fragile balance in the Elks\u2019 favour.<\/p>\n
The Roughriders\u2019 first two possessions, for example, ended with an interception and a fumble. The latter turnover was committed on the Elks\u2019 22-yard line.<\/p>\n
That was the type of exasperating first half it was for the Roughriders, who controlled the football for 18:06 over the opening 30 minutes but did not hit the scoreboard until Brett Lauther kicked a 44-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what this group is,\u201d Head Coach Corey Mace said. \u201cI know what this group has as far as being able to play until the last whistle. I\u2019d love us to start playing at the first whistle, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Elks scored the only point of the first quarter on a 54-yard punt single by Jake Julien.<\/p>\n
Edmonton increased its lead to 4-0 on a 47-yard field goal by Vincent Blanchard, who split the uprights 1:51 into the second quarter.<\/p>\n
Edmonton went up 11-0 when Blanchard converted a one-yard TD run by short-yardage quarterback Cole Snyder. The major was set up by a 47-yard pass from Cody Fajardo to Kaion Julien-Grant.<\/p>\n
Lauther followed up with his field goal right before intermission.<\/p>\n
The Roughriders finally got rolling on offence with an 11-play, 108-yard drive that culminated in a five-yard TD run by A.J. Ouellette at 10:51 of the third quarter. A two-point convert attempt was unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
Ouellette had five carries for 57 yards, including a 31-yarder, during a length-of-the-field possession in which he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time as a CFLer.<\/p>\n
A Kosi Onyeka fumble recovery put the Roughriders in position for a 30-yard Lauther field goal that gave the visitors a 12:11 lead at 3:14 of the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n
Edmonton quickly countered by moving 70 yards in three plays, the last of which was a 37-yard TD run by Justin Rankin. Edmonton led 17-12 after a failed two-point convert attempt.<\/p>\n
Another TD run by Rankin \u2014 a five-yarder at 11:16 of the final frame \u2014 followed by a Blanchard convert fattened the Elks\u2019 lead to 24-12.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we needed it most, we just couldn\u2019t show up defensively,\u201d Mace said.<\/p>\n
Edmonton was limited to 21 rushing yards in the first half before Rankin got untracked in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to make stops when it\u2019s crucial, especially in the fourth quarter when we need a stop,\u201d defensive end Malik Carney said. \u201cWe just weren\u2019t able to get it done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just need to go back to the drawing board and make sure we make those corrections and we\u2019ll be better moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Roughriders responded to the Elks\u2019 offensive surge with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Tommy Nield, who scored with 2:13 remaining in the fourth quarter to complete an eight-play, 67-yard trek that consumed just 1:17. Lauther\u2019s convert pared Edmonton\u2019s lead to 24-19.<\/p>\n
On the second play of the next possession, Fajardo found Odieu Hilaire for a 44-yard completion on second-and-seven. The long gainer set up a 30-yard Blanchard field goal with 47 seconds left.<\/p>\n
After a kickoff return, the Roughriders\u2019 offence moved 81 yards in seven plays.<\/p>\n
Harris hit KeeSean Johnson for back-to-back completions of 46 and 15 to put the ball on Edmonton\u2019s one-yard line with enough time remaining for one play from scrimmage.<\/p>\n
Short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens followed up with his fifth touchdown of the season.<\/p>\n
The final pass by Harris, toward the back left corner of the end zone, fell incomplete after what he termed as \u201ca little miscommunication\u201d on the two-point attempt.<\/p>\n
The Roughriders are to return to action Friday against the host Ottawa REDBLACKS. The next home game is Oct. 10 against the Toronto Argonauts.<\/p>\n
EXTRA POINTS<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Roughriders\u2019 108-yard drive was tied for the fifth-longest in franchise history. There have been four 109-yarders (most recently in 1991) and three of 108 yards (the first two being in 1994 and 2007). The 108-yarder was the first since Oct. 14, 2007, when Kerry Joseph rushed for a 14-yard TD against the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats to complete a 13-play march.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Late in the second quarter, Johnson registered the 54th 1,000-yards-plus receiving season in franchise history. He is third in the league in catches (78) and receiving yards (1,088).<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ouellette has recorded the 27th 1,000-yard rushing season in Roughriders history. He finished Saturday\u2019s game with 19 carries for 115 yards. With 1,057 yards, Ouellette is just four behind the league leader \u2014 James Butler of the B.C. Lions.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Habakkuk Baldonado, Mike Rose and Caleb Sanders had sacks for Saskatchewan. Rose\u2019s sack took place in his 100th CFL game. Baldonado added a tackle for a loss.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Antoine Brooks Jr. had a team-high three special teams tackles. Jayden Dalke added two special teams stops.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Jesse Mirco, making his CFL debut, averaged 52.3 yards on four punts for Saskatchewan. His longest punt travelled 62 yards.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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