Roughriders Game 7 v. Calgary Stampeders (8/12/11):

The 1-5 Riders looked to rebound from last week’s dismal outing in B.C. in a home date with the 4-2 Stamps. Henry Burris leads the Stamps high-flying offense against a Rider defense that had trouble staying off the field last week. It was another sellout crowd at Mosaic and the 13th Man made their presence known.

The Stamps won the toss and elected to defer until the second half. Hugh Charles returned the ball to the 30. On first down, Durant fumbled the snap in the shotgun and lost 16. Charles then picked up 14 on a swing pass. Eddie Johnson was out of this game so Christopher Milo did the kicking. The Stamps started out at the Riders’ 44 and quickly picked up a first down as Burris hit Nik Lewis. Jabari Arthur then caught a pass for 9. From the 23, Burris connected with Arthur in the right corner of the end zone to give the Stamps a quick 7-0 lead. On the Riders’ next drive, Durant hit Efrem Hill on a 26-yard gain to the right. A penalty against Calgary’s Hughes moved the ball to midfield. From there, Charles rushed to the Stamps’ 52. On second down and 10, Durant hit Dressler down to the 8 but a holding call on the Riders pushed the ball back and they ended up punting away. Starting at the 21, Burris hit Arthur in the right slot for 11. Joffrey Reynolds then ripped off right tackle for 15 and another first down. Romby Bryant then picked up 7 and then caught another pass over the middle down to the 9. From there, Burris hit Lewis in the left slot and Lewis raced into the end zone, 14-0 Stamps. Burris simply picked apart the Riders’ secondary on that series; it was embarrassing. The Mosaic crowd lustily booed the defense off the field. On the Riders’ next drive, Durant connected with Hill at the 49. On the following play, Durant hit Dressler on the right down to the 11, From there, Durant connected with Charles on a screen pass and Charles broke a couple of tackles and into the end zone, doing a back flip after scoring. With one second remaining in the quarter, Burris led out the offense at the 35. Burris hit Ken-Yon Rambo for 7 as the quarter came to a close.

Larry Taylor ran for 2 and the Stamps went for it on 3rd and inches. Jon Cornish then ripped one up the middle for a first down to the Riders’ 49. On the following play, Burris hit Arthur down to the 30. Arthur then picked up 9 more on a swing pass. Burris then took a shot at the end zone and the Riders’ Nick Graham put the ball on the 1. Drew Tate came in with the short yardage page and easily ran the ball in, 21-7 Stamps. Brandon West had a great return of the kickoff, moving the ball into Calgary’s side of the field. A face mask call against the Stamps moved the ball to the 45. From there, Charles carried for a first down to the 27. On second down from the 22, an “unintentional” pass interference call against Isaac put the ball on the 12. It was a bad call as Robinson couldn’t get to the pass. The officials had no idea where to place the football. From there, Charles broke to the left and into the end zone to make it 21-14 Stamps. It was a four play, 44-yard drive. From the 49, Burris hit Johnny Forzani for a first down. Tristan Jackson missed a tackle on the play. From the 45, Burris hit Arthur down to the 26. Where is the tackling? The drive stalled at the 20 and Rene Paredes banged in a 27-yarder to put Calgary ahead 24-14. The Riders started out their next drive at the 35. Hill picked up 7 on a swing pass. Charles then banged ahead for a first down. Durant then connected with Hill on a 23-yard pickup down to the 41. After the three minute warning, Durant found Dressler in the left slot for 8. Charles then rushed up the middle for a first down at the 30. On the next play, Durant went back to pass but his hand was hit by the rusher and he fumbled the ball. Calgary recovered and Coach Marshall challenged the ruling on the field. The call was upheld on review. The Stamps went two n’ out and Rob Maver punted away. A holding call against the Riders set the ball back to the 37. The drive went nowhere and Milo punted away. Burris hit Forzani on a long gainer down to the Riders’ 20. From there, Burris hit Rambo for the touchdown. Chris McKenzie was a pylon out there on that play. A great kick return was wiped out by a holding penalty. Durant’s final pass of the half was intercepted by Robert McCune, and he nearly took it back to the house. The score at halftime: Calgary 31, Riders 14. What a dreadful half of football by the Riders.

Taylor returned the opening kick of the second half back to the 42, The Stamps went two n’ out on their drive and the Riders started out at the 26. Getzlaf picked up 8 and then Charles picked up the first down. Durant was then sacked and the Riders ended up punting away. Starting at the 25, Reynolds gained 9 on a pitch. Shomari Williams then sacked Burris and the Stamps punted away. From the 51, Charles ripped up the middle for 9 and then pushed ahead for the first down at the 48. Charles then picked up another first down on a hitch pass at the 37. A pass interference call against Calgary moved the ball to the 10. Another call against Isaac put the ball at the 5. From there, Durant’s pass was intercepted in the end zone by Keon Raymond and he took it back at least 118 yards for the touchdown, what a fantastic return. It was now 38-14 Stamps and the rout was on. Raymond’s touchdown return was the fourth longest in CFL history.

On the Riders’ next drive, Durant hit Hill at the 25. On the following play, Hill picked up 10 more. From the 15, Durant rolled right and hit Charles in the end zone and it was 38-21. The Stamps went two n’ out on their next drive and punted out with the Riders taking over at the 7. Durant escaped the rush and passed to Nunn for 8. Charles then went off right tackle and broke loose to the 51. On second and 5 from midfield, Dressler picked up a first down on a hitch pass down to the 35. From the 30, Durant’s pass went incomplete but a pass interference call on Raymond put the ball on 3. The Riders rushed twice into the line for no yards, On third-and-goal, Hughes went off right guard and into the end zone. A scrum broke out afterwards. The Riders tried an on-sides kick that failed and the Stamps took over at midfield. Burris hit Arthur in the right flat for 4. Burris was able to rush up the middle for a first down and then hit Rambo over the middle at the 35. From the 24, Reynolds rushed to the right for another first down as time was drawing short, Bryant picked up another first down at the 12 at the three minute warning. Reynolds then carried off right tackle to the 2. From there, Reynolds bowled his way into the end zone and the Stamps took a 45-28 lead. With the game out of reach, Ryan Dinwiddie took over at quarterback for the Riders. Nunn picked up a first down after catching a pass in the left slot. Robinson then picked up 37 on a long pass over the middle. West then grabbed a pass and scooted down to the 9. A roughing the passer call put the ball inside the 5. From there, Dinwiddie connected with Dressler in the left corner for the touchdown to make it 45-35 with one minute remaining, The Riders attempted another on-sides kick and it appeared as if Jason Clermont was the last player to touch the ball but the referees ruled otherwise. The Riders took over with 17 seconds left and Dinwiddie connected with Nunn for 15. As time expired, Dinwiddie hit Charles on the right for a short gain. That was that. The Riders are now 1-6 and barring some sort of miraculous finish, they’re now playing out the string.