Roughriders’ Game 13 at Calgary (10/1/11):

The 4-8 Riders traveled to McMahon Stadium in Calgary for a Saturday afternoon date with the 7-5 Stampeders. Both teams are coming off of trouncings last week as the Stamps gave up 55 points in the Atlantic Canada showdown against Hamilton. The Calgary fans were blowing their vuvzelas, making it sound like a World Cup match. The Riders won the toss and Brandon West returned the ball out to the 40. On the first play, Durant rushed for 9. Cates then carried right for a first down. The drive stalled at midfield and Chris Milo punted away with the ball rolling out of bounds at the 7. On first down, Henry Burris hit Larry Taylor for a short gain. On second down, Ken-Yon Rambo caught a pass at the right sideline for a first down. Jon Cornish then rushed for 32 up the right edge. Cornish then ripped left all the way to the Riders’ 36. LaMarcus Coker then rushed for 11. On second down, Craig Butler busted up a pass, so Rene Parades attempted a field goal that went wide right and the Riders conceded the single. On second and 10, Durant was sacked by Charleston Hughes. On second down, Burris hit Romby Bryant for a first down at midfield and then Cornish rushed right for 11. Cornish then ripped up the middle to the 19. Where is the tackling? Burris then avoided a rush and hit Nik Lewis at the 11. Taylor then picked up another first down at the 5 on a pass from Burris. On the play, Dario Romero went down with an ankle injury. From the 3, Cornish banged in off right tackle and the Stamps took an 8-0 lead. West plowed his way up to the 40 on the kickoff return. Durant was hurried by Hughes on second down and threw away the ball. Arjei Franklin had a great punt return but a “blocking in the back” call wiped out the return. Cornish picked up a first down on an option left to end the first quarter.

The Riders had 9 net yards in the first quarter to Calgary’s 189. The Riders played flat on both sides of the ball. The Riders started out their next drive at the 19. Cary Koch picked up a first down at the 35. Neal Hughes then gained 8 on a pass out of the backfield. On second down, Durant hit Getzlaf over the middle at the 53. On third-and-inches, Durant snuck ahead for the first down. James Robinson then picked up 9 on a pass in the slot and then Hughes pushed ahead for the first down at the 40. On third down, Milo kicked a 43-yard field goal to put the Riders on the board. Milo’s kickoff then went out of bounds and the Stamps took over at the 45. On first down, Cornish carried around right end for 5 before getting hauled down by Jerrell Freeman. Kye Stewart then broke up a pass intended for Lewis. Burke Dales then punted into the end zone but a “no yards” penalty was called against the Stamps. The Riders declined the no yards and conceded the single. On first down, Getzlaf gained 35 on a pass and run over the middle. Cates then banged ahead for 5. Durant then took a big hit from Brandon Smith while rolling right and rushing toward the sideline. Durant then took a shot into the end zone but his pass intended for Getzlaf was broken up. Charleston Hughes then sacked Durant, causing a fumble and Stone recovered for the Stamps. Lewis then picked up a first down on a pass in the left slot. After the three-minute warning, Jabari Arthur gained 9 on a quick hitter from Burris. Cornish then carried off right tackle for 16. Burris then rolled right and hit Arthur down at the 2. Drew Tate then entered with the short-yardage package and rushed into the end zone. With the point after, the Stamps took a 16-3 lead. West returned the ensuing kick to the 45. Cates picked up a first down at the 55. Getzlaf picked up another first down at the 28, and then Koch made a leaping catch at the 23 and took a heavy hit from Raymond. Charleston Hughes then picked up a botched snap and raced uncontested into the end zone to give the Stamps a 23-3 lead just before the half.

Freeman was injured during the first half while making a tackle and required stitches. His return was questionable. Stewart made a big tackle on Burris on first down. Lewis then gained 8 to pick up a first down at the 43. RJ Franklin then gained 6 on flanker reverse. Lewis then picked up a first down at midfield. Coker gained 10 on a rush up the middle as the Riders’ D-Line was powerless to stop the rush. Coker carried right down to the 18. After a 9-yard gain, Burris rushed up the middle but was just short of the first down. Tate then pushed across for the first down. On second-and-goal from the 5, Burris hit a wide open Romby Bryant in the end zone. With the point after, the Stamps went up 30-3. The drive chewed 7:47 off the clock. The Riders started out their next drive at the 20. Durant hit Robinson for a short gain but the drive stalled and the Riders punted out. Milo’s kick was short and Franklin returned the ball to the Riders’ 46. Cornish then rushed 35 yards for the touchdown and the competitive phase of the game was over. Now down 37-3, the Riders were forced to go for it on 3rd-and-10. Durant scampered around left end and picked up the first down at the 20. An off-sides call moved the ball down to the 15. Cates carried off right tackle to the 7. On second down, Durant was hauled down by Phillips at the line of scrimmage. On third down, Durant’s pass intended for Efrem Hill in the left corner of the end zone fell incomplete.

Through three quarters, the Riders were out-gained 377 to 185. With Tate now in at quarterback for Calgary, Nik Lewis picked up 8 on a pass out of the backfield. An off-sides call on the Riders gave the Stamps another first down. Tate then connected with Lewis for a first down and then Jon Cornish rushed for another. The drive stalled and Paredes kicked another field goal to make it 40-3. The Riders started out again at the 36, trying to get at least one touchdown. Ryan Dinwiddie came in at quarterback in relief of Durant. On second down, The Riders were called for a face mask call and Calgary’s Torrie Davis was taunting the Riders’ O-Line. Dinwiddie then hit Robinson for a first down. Dressler picked up a decent gain at midfield on a pass from Dinwiddie, who then picked up a first down at midfield on a rush up the middle. The Riders’ drive stalled there and Milo punted away with the Stamps taking over at the 10. The Stamps brought in their third-stringer, Canadian Brad Sinopoli, to run the offense in garbage time. Calgary went two n’ out on the drive, with the Riders taking back over at the 52. On third down, Dinwidie’s rush up the middle fell short of the first down and Calgary regained possession. The Stamps stuck to the ground and punted away with 1:30 left. After the Riders tried two desperation passes, they punted away and all Sinopoli needed to do was take a knee and the Stamps came away with an emphatic 40-3 victory.

With the victory, Calgary took sole possession of first place in the West, a game ahead of Edmonton and BC. The Riders cemented themselves in last place. The Riders’ defense was putrid today. The offense wasn’t much better, either, with the turnovers and sloppy play. The Stamps’ O-Line pushed around the Riders’ front seven with impunity. They had no answer for Cornish and the pass rush put practically no heat on Burris. The Riders are now forced to run the table (a dubious challenge) if they hope to make the playoffs. Right now they simply stink.