Roughriders Game 10 at Winnipeg (9/11/11):

“The Banjo Bowl”

The 2-7 Riders traveled to Canad Inns Stadium in “Swaggerville”/Winnipeg for the second leg of their annual Banjo Bowl series with the 7-2 Blue Bombers. Andy Fantuz returned to the Riders lineup after having been released by the Chicago Bears. A stirring pre-game ceremony featured the American National Anthem with Wes Cates carrying the Flag at midfield in honor of the 9/11 victims. Way to go, CFL.

The Riders won the toss and Hugh Charles returned the ball to the 20. On the first play, Durant went long for Fantuz but over threw him. On second down, Durant rushed for 9 and Chris Milo punted away. Buck Pierce hit Terence Edwards on a long gain on first down to the Riders’ 30. From the 24, Pierce hit Fred Reid out of the backfield at the 21. Pierce then rushed up the middle for a first down. The Bombers moved the ball down to the 10 on a flea-flicker play before Justin Palardy knocked in a chip shot field goal to give the Bombers an early 3-0 lead. The Riders started out their next drive at the 30 and went two n’ out. Midway through the quarter, the Riders got the ball back and were at their 50 when Durant was sacked for no gain and they ended up punting out again. From the 10, Pierce escaped a rush in the pocket and hit Reid for 12 yards. Late in the quarter, Pierce hit Reid on a swing pass to the left and Reid rolled into the end zone to give the Bombers a 10-0 lead. The Bombers’ Brown had a great punt return deep into Riders’ territory but an illegal block in the back set the ball back to the 35.

Moving into the second quarter, the Riders only had 26 net yards so far. Pierce was sacked by Tearrius George for a big loss and the Bombers punted out. Tristan Jackson then had a great punt return, carrying the ball back to midfield. From the 45, Durant hit Weston Dressler for 8 and the Cates carried up the middle for a first down. Durant then hit Chris Getzlaf over the middle at the goal line and Getzlaf carried in for the touchdown to make it 10-7. Pierce brought out the Bombers’ offense at the 27 but they went two n’ out. Jackson had another terrific return, taking the ball inside Bomvers’ territory at the 52. Cates ripped up the middle for 8 before getting stuffed for no gain. On third-and-2, Milo punted out with the Bombers taking over at the 10. Pierce escaped a rush and srambled left before getting leveled by Jackson, who returned the ensuing punt down to the 47. On first down, Durant found Dressler on a 42-yard gain at the 5. Durant took two shots into the end zone that went incomplete before Milo kicked a chip shot to tie the score at 10. The Bombers started out their next drive at the 23. Pierce was intercepted by Craig Butler, who returned the ball back to the 14. On second down, Durant found Getzlaf wide open in the back of the end zone and the Riders went ahead 17-10. On the Bombers’ next drive, Pierce hit Cory Watson over the middle at the Riders’ 53. Pierce then found Clarence Denmark in the slot for another first down. After the three-minute warning, Pierce took two shots at the end zone but his passes missed the mark. Palardy then kicked a field goal to make it 17-13. Durant was then sacked by Rodney Fritz on the Riders’ next drive and Milo punted away. On second down, James Patrick intercepted a pass that bounced out of the hands of Kito Poblah and Patrick returned the ball to midfield. The Riders then faked a field goal attempt and Dressler flipped the ball to Cates for a first down at the 25. On the next play, Durant hit Dressler in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown to put the Riders ahead, 24-13 right before the half ended.

The Bombers kicked a field goal on their opening drive of the third quarter. The Riders then moved the ball out to midfield but the drive stalled there and Milo punted away. Brown nearly fumbled the punt but was taken down at the 22. On first dwon, Pierce hit Watson on the right sideline out to the 45, and again to Watson at the Riders’ 50. Watson fumbled the ball but it appeared as if his knee hit the turf prior to losing the ball. Jerrell Freeman slapped the ball out of Watson’s hands. Coach Miller challenged the ruling on the field and a review of the play determined that Watson fumbled the ball and the Riders recovered. On second down, Cates carried up the middle on a draw for 11. Cates then ripped up the middle again down to the 32. From there, Milo’s field goal attempt went wide right and Javon Johnson foolishly elected to return the kick and was dragged down at the 2. Pierce was nearly sacked in the end zone before throwing the ball away. Pierce then hit Denmark over the middle at the 15. Pierce’s next pass was picked by Butler, who returned the ball back to the 23. Durant was then intercepted in the end zone into heavy coverage and Johnson grabbed the ball. Pierce then tried to connect with Poblah on the left sideline but the pass went out of bounds. After another incompletion, Mike Reynaud punted away. Andy Fantuz grabbed a pass in the left slot and ran down to the 28. Durant theb rolled right and picked up a first down. Durant then hit Dressler over the middle and he was tackled at the 5. Durant then found Neal Hughes in the left corner of the end zone for the touchdown to make it 31-16 late in the quarter.

The Bombers opened the fourth quarter with the ball at midfield. On second down, Pierce hit Edwards for a first down and then connected with Watson at the 32. Pierce was then sacked by Shomari Williams back at the 40 and Reynaud punted away. From the 15, Durant rolled right and hit Fantuz at the sideline for a first down at the 45. The Bombers’ DE Willis bitterly complained that he was being held on the play. After the Riders punted out, Reid rushed up the middle to the 33 and then Pierce hit Edwards for a first down. Pierce’s next pass was intercepted by Freeman. A pass interference call against the Bombers put the ball at the 2. Cates was stacked up at the goal line on first down, but banged off right tackle on his second try and the Riders went up 38-16. Brown then fumbled the ensuing kickoff but was down by contact. Pierce’s next pass was intercepted by Chris McKenzie, who took it to the house, giving the Riders at 45-16 lead. After the three minute warning, Alex Brink replaced Pierce, and Brink was able to move the ball inside the 50. After completing two passes, Brink rushed down to the 20. A pass interference call against the Riders’ Nick Graham put the ball at the 10. From there, Brink hit Edwards in the left corner for the touchdown with less than a minute remaining to account for the 45-23 final score.

The Riders won their second game under Ken Miller and the Banjo Bowl (yes, such a trophy exists) will rightfully return to Regina. In trouncing the Bombers in back to back games, the Riders took a lot of the swag out of Swaggerville. These victories have to be the high point of what has been a challenging season so far. There are eight games remaining on the schedule so it’ll be interesting to watch how it all plays out.