Game 7 v. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8/16/09):

The 3-3 Riders returned home on a cool, rainy night at Mosaic to face the surprisingly competitive 4-2 Ti-Cats. The Riders were looking to rebound from last week’s disappointing loss in Vancouver. DE John Chick returned to the lineup for the Riders after having been out the last three weeks with shoulder injury. Hamilton won the toss and elected to receive. Rookie LB Tai Stewart suffered a knee injury on the opening kickoff for the Riders. It was diagnosed as a MCL sprain and he did not return. The T-Cats started their opening drive, as a steady rain began to fall. Quinton Porter started at quarterback for Hamilton, but they went two and out on their opening drive. After a 52-yard punt, the Riders took over at their 25. Durant hit Dressler for 11 on the first play. Chris Getzlaf had a twisted ankle and came off the field, and the Riders’ drive stalled at the 41. On the Riders’ next drive, they moved the ball deep into Hamilton territory. Durant threw what appeared to be an interception, but Jason Clarmont snatched the ball away at the 16. After a reverse took the ball to the 10, Durant scrambled to the 1. The short yardage quarterback, Steven Jyles, threw a one-yard toss to Keith Shologan on a tackle-eligible and the Riders went up 7-0, on a 9-play, 85 yard drive. Hamilton then started at their 36. Porter fumbled on second down and Chick recovered at the 31. After two plays that went nowhere, Luca Congi banged in a 38-yard field goal and the Riders were up 10-0. After a lousy squib kick by Boreham in the rain, Hamilton started at midfield, but went two and out.

Moving into the second quarter, the rain was coming down heavily and the Riders pinned the Ti-Cats deep in their end on a 58-yard punt by Boreham. Kevin Glenn took over for Porter at quarterback. Hamilton went nowhere and conceded a safety, making it 12-0 Riders. Boreham’s subsequent kickoff went deep into the end zone and the Ti-Cats conceded a single (13-0). On the Riders’ next series, Durant scrambled from midfield to the 38. On the next play, Durant connected with Clarmont to the 25. From there, they methodically moved the ball to the 4. Jyles took it in from the 2 on an option play right and the Riders were up 20-0. On Hamilton’s next possession, Chick sacked Glenn and the Ti-Cats had to punt out, but the Riders’ Heard fumbled and Hamilton recovered. With a 3rd –and-10 from the 39, Hamilton went for a first down and ended up losing two and turning over the ball on downs. Wes Cates ran it up to midfield on the first play of the drive. On 3rd and 2, Congi attempted a 51-yard field goal, but it went wide right. On their next possession, the Riders took over at midfield as the half neared a close. Durant scrambled for 10 then hit Clarmont all the way to the 5, but Durant couldn’t find a receiver on the next two plays so the Riders had to settle for a chip shot field goal as time expired with Saskatchewan ahead, 23-0. Net offense after one half: Saskatchewan 250 to Hamilton’s 12.

Hamilton moved the ball opening the second half, picking up their first first-down in the game that led to a 41-yard field goal from Nick Setta. On Hamilton’s next possession, Glenn connected with ex-Argo Arland Bruce on spectacular diving 49-yard touchdown pass as the T-Cats tightened the score to 23-10. The next time the Ti-Cats got the ball, Stevie Baggs went out with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. From midfield, Glenn connected with Rodriguez to the 42. Setta kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it 23-13, as the Ti-Cats took all of the Riders’ first half momentum away. Three straight two n’ outs by the Riders allowed Hamilton the opportunity to get back into the game and they took advantage. On their fourth possession, Hamilton moved it into the Riders’ red zone, but the drive stalled at the 25, and Setta knocked in a 33-yard field goal, to make it 23-16. The Riders finally had a measure of success as Durant found Dressler over the middle for the first-first down of the half. Wes Cates then rumbled up the middle for 15, but the drive fizzled and Hamilton took over at their 25.

Saskatchewan had the ball as the fourth quarter started, and Durant found Rob Bagg over the middle at midfield as Bagg took a big hit but held onto the ball. The drive stalled and Boreham’s punt was blocked by Knowlton. The Ti-Cats’ Beswick recovered and moved the ball 15 yards to the Riders’ 8. On the next play, Hamilton’s DeAndra Cobb took it up the middle for the game tying score. On the Riders’ next drive, the Riders picked up a couple of first downs to midfield, as Stu Foord had a couple of nice runs, but they needed to kick out. Boreham’s punt pinned the Ti-Cats deep in their territory. Hamilton went two and out and the Riders took over at midfield. Durant connected with Bagg, who took it to Hamilton’s 13. From there, Dressler took it in on a reverse to the right and the Riders were up 30-23 with 5:51 remaining. On the Ti-Cats next possession, Stevie Baggs sacked Glenn at the 13, and had to punt out giving the Riders very favorable field possession. Starting at Hamilton’s 28, Gates carried up the middle for 12. From there, Congi knocked in another chip shot, and the Riders were ahead 33-23 with 2:33 left on the clock. The Ti-Cats then went for it on third-and 5 from the Riders’ 39, but Glenn’s pass fell short and the Riders took over on downs. The now first place Riders took a knee, walked away with a 33-23 victory, and now move on to Montreal Thursday night for an East-West battle of division leaders.