Game 4 vs. Edmonton Eskimos (7/25/09):

On an unusually hot Saturday afternoon in Regina, the Riders welcomed back the 1989 Grey Cup Champions but the home team lost their second straight, this time giving up a 22-0 lead only to fall 38-33. On Edmonton’s second possession, Tristan Jackson fumbled and Saskatchewan recovered at Edmonton’s 31. Four plays later, Durant hit Wes Cates with a touchdown pass and the Riders were up 7-0. The Riders picked up a single on Boreham’s kickoff that wasn’t returned. On Edmonton’s next possession, Lance Frazier picked a Ricky Ray pass and took it 65 yards to the house and Saskatchewan was up 15-0.

Moving into the second quarter, Darian Durant capped off a 102-yard drive by running it in from the 22 on a quarterback draw and the Riders had what appeared to be a commanding 22-0 lead. Then…slowly things started to slip away. The Esks got on the board with a a 16-yard Noel Prefontaine field goal. Edmonton then closed the gap on Calvin McCarty’s 37-yard touchdown run up the middle of the field. The teams traded field goals right before the half and the Riders went into the locker room ahead 25-13.

The Eskimos came out on fire to open the second half. Prefontaine hit on a 33-yard field goal, then Tristan Jackson returned a punt 75 yards, and Edmonton was suddenly made it a football game, now down 25-23. Linebacker Carlos Armour then went out with a broken leg, and his loss was a major blow to the defense. Late in the quarter, Edmonton finally went on top on McCarty’s 3-yard touchdown run. After three it was 30-25 Edmonton.

Moving into the fourth quarter, the Riders had possession deep in Edmonton territory. Steven Jyles came in for the short-yardage package and handed off to Chris Szarka, who took it in from the 1. The Riders successfully converted a two-point try and went up 33-30. After a change of possession, the Riders were deep in their territory and facing a 3-and-1 punt. Jamie Boreham conceded a safety that narrowed the gap to one point at 33-32. On Edmonton’s next possession, Arkee Whitlock took it in from the 18 and the Eskimos went ahead for good 38-33. A two-point conversion attempt failed. The Riders had one last chance late in the quarter as Jamaica Rector fumbled at midfield. The Riders brought the ball to Edmonton’s 20, facing a crucial 3rd and 1. Jyles came on and attempted a keeper up the middle and was stuffed short by Edmonton’s D. They had one last gasp that fizzled at midfield, and that was the ballgame.

Two straight home losses are tough to swallow, and now the team has to right the ship next week in Calgary and the following week in Vancouver. As Rob Vanstone reported in Monday’s Leader-Post, “It is early, but this season could easily spin out of control if the Riders cannot quickly upgrade themselves in all three phases of the game.

On offence, the Roughriders have the worst line since, "Hey, baby. What's your sign?'' Don't just take my word for it. Listen to Ken Miller. After Saturday's game, I asked the Roughriders' head coach why his team rarely throws deep.

"If you're not able to run the ball, then that would also indicate that maybe you have trouble pass-protecting for a long period of time,'' Miller said. "So those two things are related in some way, in my opinion. If you're going to throw the ball deep, you have to have some time to protect the quarterback to have him make those throws.''

An injury-riddled offensive line is simply incapable of doing the job. The convenient target is Durant, but Doug Flutie would be running for his life behind that line.

And take the defence ... please. Opposing teams have clearly figured out Gary Etcheverry's defence. Early on, the Roughriders' combination of shock and awe confused the opposition, but elite quarterbacks such as Montreal's Anthony Calvillo and Edmonton's Ricky Ray have been unruffled over the past two weeks. Saskatchewan had 11 sacks over its first two games, but has toppled the quarterback only once in the past two contests. But why even bother to throw the ball when you can run the ball against Saskatchewan? Montreal's Avon Cobourne scooted for 145 yards in a 43-10 evisceration of Saskatchewan on July 18. Most recently, Edmonton running backs Calvin McCarty and Arkee Whitlock combined for 139 yards on 22 carries. McCarty and Whitlock left Riders defenders flailing on their touchdown runs.”