Roughriders' Game 11 v. Toronto (9/17/11):

After sweeping the home-and-home series with Winnipeg, the 3-7 Riders returned home to another packed house at Mosaic for a Saturday afternoon date with the last-place Argos. Toronto won the toss and the Argos took over at the 40. On second and long, Stephen Jyles was sacked by Tearrius George. The Argos faked a punt and picked up a long gain on a pass by Prefontaine to pick up the first down. An unnecessary roughness call against the Argos sent the ball back 15 yards and Jyles rushed up the middle for a short gain. After Prefontaine’s punt, the Riders started out at their 22, but a “no yards” penalty on the Argos moved the ball ahead 15 yards. On first down, Durant hit Andy Fantuz in the right slot for a first down. Dressler then picked up another first down on a swing pass to the left. Durant was then intercepted by McCollough at midfield. Jyles then rushed right for 9. From the 52, Cory Boyd rushed up the middle for a first down. On first down, Brandon Rideau made a great leaping catch on the right sideline at the 11. Tristan Jackson then smartly broke up a pass intended for Copeland in the end zone, so the Argos settled for a chip shot by Prefontaine to take an early 3-0 lead. On the Riders next drive, a roughing the passer call against the Argos moved the ball out to midfield. After two incompletions, Milo punted out and the Argos took over at the 22. Late in the quarter, the Argos picked up a first down inside the Riders’ 30. Jyles was then sacked by Jerrell Freeman and Jackson and Prefontaine kicked a 41-yard field goal to put Toronto up by 6. The Riders started out again at the 35, but Dressler was caught for a 5-yard loss on a swing pass. Durant was then sacked by Kevin Huntley and the Riders had to punt out. A “no yards” call on the Riders pushed the ball out to the 45.

The Riders went two n’ out on their opening drive of the second quarter and punted away. After an illegal block penalty, the Argos started out at the 15. Jyles scrambled to the left for a first down. On second and 5, Jyles hit Chad Owens over the middle and Owens made a nice run out to the 53. The drive stalled there and Prefontaine punted out with the Riders taking over at their 10. On second down, Durant hit Getzlaf for a first down at the 24. After two incompletions, Milo punted away and Owens returned the ball for 19 down to the 47. Andre Durie picked up a first down on a swing pass. On second and 4, Boyd was stacked up for a short gain and the Argos kicked a field goal to make it 9-0. The Riders finally scored on their next drive as Durant hit Getzlaf on a long touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone. On the drive, Andy Fantuz suffered an ankle injury after his leg was rolled up at the line of scrimmage. The drive was set up by two catches by Getzlaf and a rush up the middle by Cates. The Argos started out their next drive at the 29. Jyles hit Bradwell over the middle for a first down. At the three-minute warning, the Argos had the ball at the 51. Jyles rolled left and took a heavy hit from Nick Graham and rushed just short of the first down. Chad Owens then picked up a first down inside the Riders’ 30. The Riders’ Keith Sholigan suffered an ankle injury during the drive. The Riders’ D-Line pressured Jyles and the Argos had to settle for another field goal by Prefontaine to give Argos a 12-7 lead late in the half. On the Riders’ next drive, Durant scrambled for a first down up to the 50, but time was running short. Durant was then sacked with two seconds remaining on third down. Jyles then took a knee and that was the end of the first half.
The Argos kicked off to open the second half and Brandon West returned the ball to midfield on a superb run. From the 54, Durant hit Dressler for a short gain. Durant then ran right but was two yards short of the first down and Milo punted away. On second and 8, Jyles escaped a rush and ran to the left but was brought down from behind short of the first down. After Prefontaine’s punt, Tristan Jackson was brought down at the 33. On first down, Durant scrambled left to midfield but a holding call on the offense set the ball back to the 40. Durant then connected with Getzlaf on a 65-yard catch and run all the way down to the Argos’ 5. Dressler then took a swing pass to the right and he carried untouched into the end zone, giving the Green a 14-12 lead. On second and 5, Boyd ripped up the middle for a first down to midfield. The drive stalled there and the Riders started out again at the 20. On first down, Durant hit Jason Clermont in the right slot for 9 and then West carried up the middle for the first down. Durant then hit Getzlaf up near midfield, but took a heavy hit on the play. The drive stalled at midfield and Milo punted out with the Argos starting out at their 18. On first down, Jyles hit Bradwell on a long gainer down the right sideline at the Riders’ 33. On second and 6, Jyles hit Andre Durie in the left corner of the end zone and the Argos regained the lead at 19-14. It was the Argos’ first offensive TD in over 186 minutes of play. West returned the kickoff back to the 35. After the drive went two n’ out, the Argos took over at the 45 following a good return by Owens. On second down, Boyd was stacked up at the line of scrimmage and Prefontaine punted out. A “no yards” call against the Argos moved the ball up to the 40. Cates rushed up the middle for 9 and again carried for the first down.

Moving into the fourth quarter, Durant hit Dallas Baker in the left slot for 8. Cates then carried down to the Argos’ 45. Durant then threw a deep pass intended for Baker and the Argos’ Shawn Smalls was called for pass interference. Durant then hit Cates down to the 4 and the Riders had to settle for a chip shot field goal to make it 19-17. Owens returned the kickoff to the 35. On second down, James Patrick intercepted Jyles’ pass and returned the ball to the Riders’ 40. Durant then hit Cates out of the backfield and Cates carried down to the Argos’ 30. The drive stalled there and the Riders settled for a short field goal by Milo to go ahead 20-19. Owens returned the kickoff back to the 31. On second-and-6, Jyles scrambled up the middle for a first down. Jyles then hit Durie out of the backfield for 9 more, Boyd ripped up the middle for another first down. From the 54, Jyles’ pass to Boyd picked up only three yards and the Argos had to punt away. Prefontaine’s punt went into the end zone and the Riders conceded the single to tie the score at 20 with 5:39 remaining. From the 35, Cates carried off right tackle for 5. Durant then connected with Getzlaf over the middle for 16. Clermont then picked up another first down on a pass in the right slot. Durant followed that up with a completion to Baker on the right sideline at the 32. Durant then connected with Baker for 9 at the three minute warning. The Riders faced a critical third-and-1 at the 21. Milo kicked a 28-yard field goal to putthe Riders ahead 23-20. Milo’s kickoff was very short and the Argos took over at midfield. Jyles was sacked by Tearrius George and fumbled. Dario Romero recovered the ball at the Argos’ 45. Cates carried down to the 35 for a first down with less than two minutes remaining. The drive stalled there and the Riders elected to punt away. Milo’s punt pinned the Argos deep in their end ay the 15. Bradwell picked up 9 on a pass in the right slot. On second down, Jyles’ pass into the right flat was picked by Chris McKenzie and he took it to the house. With the point after, the Riders went on top 30-20 with 39 seconds left on the clock. The Argos moved the kickoff out to the 45. A personal foul call on the Riders moved the ball out to the 40.

So, the Riders came away with their third straight win under their new/old coach and the hope to make playoffs (which seemed like a longshot only a month ago) are very much alive.