Roughriders Update:

Game 10 at Winnipeg (9/13/09) “The Banjo Bowl”

In the second half of a prairie home-and-home series against the Blue Bombers, the Riders completely blew Winnipeg off their own turf winning 55-10. The Riders scored on their second possession when Wes Cates capped off a five play, 51 yard drive when he carried it in from the 10. Late in the first quarter, Winnipeg tied the score when Fred Reid carried for 35 to the end zone.

The Riders picked up a single to open up the second quarter on Boreham’s punt that went into the end zone. After Sean Lucas intercepted Bishop’s pass and Congi kicked a 40-yard field goal to make it 11-7. The Bombers turned the ball over on their 38 on a fumble on their next possession and Durant carried it in from the 10 to make it 18-7. Boreham’s kickoff wasn’t returned and the Riders picked up another point (19-7). Winnipeg fumbled again on their next possession at the 34, and the Riders scored two plays later when Cates took it in from the 4 on an option play.

Moving into the third quarter, Luca Congi capped off the Riders’ first possession with a 33-yard field goal to make it 29-7. Congi kicked a 40-yarder on the Riders’ next possession and the rout was on at 32-7. The Riders scored on their next possession when Jason Armstead hit Andy Fantuz on a flea-flicker play from the 34 and the Bombers were powerless to stop the Riders’ onslaught. Michael Bishop was benched in favor of Bryan Randall, who was promptly intercepted by Kornegay and the Riders took over at Winnipeg’s 42. Congi capped off the drive with another field goal to make it 42-7.

Durant was intercepted on the Riders first drive of the fourth quarter and the Bombers converted the turnover into a 49-yard field goal from Serna. The Riders came right back on their next drive and Congi kicked yet another field goal to make it 45-10, then Omarr Morgan picked off Randall again and returned the ball to the Bombers’ 1. From there, Cates took it in and the Riders were up 52-10. Bishop reentered the game and was intercepted (again!) by Lance Frazier, and Congi capped off the scoring with a 29-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining. The Bombers incredibly turned over the ball for the eighth time on their final possession on a fumble and the Riders killed the clock from there to come away with their sixth win of the season.

Game 11 vs. Edmonton (9/20/09):

The Riders returned to Mosaic on Sunday looking to continue their roll in the CFL West against Edmonton, but ended up losing 31-27 on a touchdown in the closing moments of the game. Edmonton scored their opening drive on Arkee Whitlock’s goal line rush to go ahead 7-0. The Riders came back to tie the score on their next possession as they took the ball to the goal line and Wes Cates carried it in from there. On the Esks’ next drive, Whitlock scored his second touchdown when he carried in from the three. As the half neared a close, Luca Congi kicked a 22-yard field goal to make it 14-10, but Edmonton scored their third touchdown when Ricky Ray hit Fred Stamps with a short pass to go up 21-10 at the half.

Edmonton opened the second half with the ball and moved it all the way to the Riders’ 5 before Whitlock fumbled. Omarr Morgan scooped up the loose ball and raced 108 yards for the touchdown (CFL record). Boreham then conceded a safety and then Edmonton picked up a single and were ahead 24-17 after three quarters. The Riders tied the game early in the fourth quarter when Durant hit Getzlaf with a 20-yard touchdown pass. On Edmonton’s next drive, Ray was sacked by Stevie Baggs and they had to punt away. The Riders got the ball back and, on third down, punter Jamie Boreham rushed for a first down. They were able to move the ball to Edmonton’s 14 before Congi knocked in a 21-yard field goal and the Riders went ahead 27-24. But the lead didn’t last long as Ray and the Edmonton offense were pinned deep in their end. Ray heaved a desperation pass and connected with Maurice Mann for a 68-yard touchdown pass with 1:09 left in the game. On the Riders final drive, they moved the ball to Edmonton’s 14 before a last crack at the end zone failed with an incomplete pass. Riders lost 31-27.