The Riders Are Back!

Game 1 at Edmonton (6/29/13): On June 29th the Roughriders kicked off the 2013 season with a date against the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium. The Riders loaded up on talent during the offseason in anticipation of the 101st Grey Cup to be held at Mosaic Stadium in Regina in November. 

Mike Reilly started at quarterback for Edmonton against Darian Durant, in his eighth year quarterbacking the Riders. Jock Sanders returned the opening kickoff out to the 35. On first down, Durant connected with Greg Carr at the left sideline for 10, but it was later ruled incomplete. Kory Sheets then picked up 12 on a screen pass out of the backfield. Sheets then rushed left for 7.  Durant then escaped a heavy rush and connected with Chris Getzlaf who raced down to the Eskimos’ 22. Sheets then banged ahead down to the 15. Sheets then carried down to the 9, setting up a 1st and goal. On a slot back option, Durant tossed to Weston Dressler, who found Durant in the end zone but Durant dropped the ball. A pass interference call against the Riders pushed the ball back to the 19, but Sheets took the handoff and scampered into the end zone. With Chris Milo’s extra point, the Riders went off to a 7-0 lead. On Edmonton’s opening drive, Reilly was able to move the ball out to the 50 but the drive fizzled there and they punted out. The Riders started out at their 16. From there, Getzlaf made another big catch for 31 yards. Edmonton was then hit with a face-mask penalty that pushed the ball ahead another 15 yards to the 45. An off-sides call brought the ball down to the 40. Sheets then gain 3 to the left. Sheets then carried up the middle for the first down. Sheets carried up the middle for 10 more. From the 13, Durant fumbled but was able to recover. Durant them connected with Taj Smith in the left slot and Smith then raced into the end zone to make it 14-0. Edmonton started out again from their 15 as the first quarter came to an end.

Edmonton punted to open the second quarter and Sanders returned the ball back tto the 53. The Riders went two n’ out on their next drive. Edmonton then started out at their 6. Reilly then ran left out to the 20. Reilly then attempted to hook up with Isaiah Sweeney, but overthrew the receiver. Reilly’s next pass was complete but well short of the first down. The Riders then started out at their 45. Sheets raced up the middle for 12, and then Smith gained 6 on a hitch pass to the left. Durant’s next pass intended for Dressler missed the mark. Schmitt then punted into the end zone for the single to make it 15-0. On first down, Reilly delivered a strike to Fred Stamps over the middle for a 46-yard gain. Reilly then scampered ahead for 12. Grant Shaw then attempted a field goal but his kick went wide left for the single (15-1).  Durant’s shovel pass to Sheetss gained 3. Durant’s next pass intended for Getzlaf was incomplete. Edmonton then took over at
their 24. John White ran off left tackle for a first down. Coehoorn then took a hook pass for another first down. White ran for 9 and picked up the first down on the next play. From there, they went two n’ out. Sanders returned Shaw’s punt back to the 12 but te Riders went two n’ out again. Reilly connected with Sweeney for 12. Reilly was then sacked by Keith Shologan for a three-yard loss. Reilly’s next pass was nearly intercepted and Shaw punt punted out. Sanders returned the ball to the 45. Rob Bagg picked up a first down on a pass in the left slot but the offense stalled at midfield. Edmonton gotthe bal back deep in their territory with time winding down and on the final play, Ray Williams scooped up the pass over the middle and scooted into the end zone for the Rifer touchdown, 22-1 at the half. 
The Eskimos opened the second half at the 20. A unnecessary roughness call on Edmonton pushed the ball back to the 10. After Stamps gained seven, the drive stalled and Shaw punted out. On the Riders’ next drive, Durant connected with Dressler for a 38-yard pickup down to the Eskimos’ 9. Durant then hit Scott McHenry for 7. On the next play, Getzlaf took a pass over the middle and fell into the end zone. With the point after, the Riders had a commanding 29-1 lead. White fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Sam Hurl picked up the loose ball for the Riders at the 30. Sheets streaked down the left sideline to the 5. From there, Durant found McHenry all alone in the right flat for the touchdown, 36-1, Riders.  Macho Harris then intercepted Reilly’s next pass but was ruled out of bounds. Reilly then connected with Stamps down the right sideline for a 41-yard gain. Shaw then kicked a long field goal to make it 36-4.  On the Riders’ next drive they went two n’ out. Hugh Charles scooted around right end for 12. Then Dwight Anderson appears to have snapped and the Riders were hit with two consecutive unsportsmanlike conduct calls. From the 41, Reilly was sacked again by Ricky Foley for a 4-yard loss. Reilly next pass was incomplete and Shaw punted out deep into Riders’ territory at the 6. The Riders then went two n’ out. Schmitt raced out of the back of the end zone for the safety to make it 36-6, Riders. The Eskimos opened up their next drive at the 48. Diamond Ferri then intercepted a pass took a heavy hit from Pat O’Donnell. It was like running full tilt into a brick wall. Ferri went down hard. Sheets carried off left tackle on consecutive plays for a first down. Dressler then took a pass and scampered down to the 30.
Opening the fourth quarter, Drew Will stepped in at quarterback and then Chris Milo booted in a field goal to make it 39-6. Shologan sacked Reilly again to open Edmonton’s next drive. Coehoorn then grabbed a hitch pass for 5 and Shaw punted out. Willy connected with Smith over the middle out to the 45.  Willy was then sacked by J.T. Sherritt. Burnett returned Schmitt’s punt back to the 44. Reilly connected with Gary Koch down to the 35. Stamps then gained 7 more. Reilly then found Stamps over the middle and Stamps leapt and came down with the ball in the end zone. Edmonton went for two and Reilly’s pass was intercepted in the end zone to make the score 39-12. The Eskimos went for the on sides kick and recovered. From the 17, Reilly elected to go for it
on third down  but his pass intended for Chambers was overthrown. The Riders went two n’ out but the punt team did a great job in coverage. Jonathan Crompton relieved Reilly on Edmonton’s next series. Edmonton elected to go for it on third down but  Chambers dropped the ball. A late hit by Foley gave the Eskimos another life. Shaw kicked a 37-yard field goal to make the score 39-15. After the Riders went two n’ out, the Eskimos got the ball back inside the final minute. Stamps took a pass inside the 5 with seven seconds left, but a penalty brought the ball back. Edmonton kicked a field goal in the closing seconds to account for the 39-18 final score.

Riders Game 2 v. Calgary Stampeders (7/5/13):

The Riders’ home opener took place on Friday the 5^th against Calgary Stampeders. It was a rocked out house at Mosaic. Darian Durant started at quarterback for the Riders.

The Riders kicked off and Drew Tate brought out the Stamps’ offense at the 17. After picking up a quick first down, Jon Cornish banged off right tackle for 4. Tate then connected with Joe West for a 64-yard catch and run down to the 15. After an 8-yard gain, McDaniel rushed 8 yards around left end for the touchdown. Jock Sanders returned Rene Paredes’ kick back to the 35. Kory Sheets banged off left tackle for six and then Weston Dressler gained 12 on a pass out of the backfield. On second  and 6, Durant connected with Dressler for a first down in Calgary territory. Sheets then carried down to the 40. Dressler then gained 10 more on a pass from the left slot. A pass interference call against Calgary’s Heffney placed the ball at the 12. On second-and-7, Durant overthrew Chris Getzlaf in the end zone and the Riders had to settle for a short field goal by Chris Milo to make it 7-3. From the 35, Nik Lewis gained 9 on a pass from Tate. After Mitchell rushed ahead for the first down, Tate’s first pass was incomplete. Rob Maver punted out and Sanders returned the punt out to the 20. The Riders went two n’ out on their next drive, with the Stamps taking over at the Riders’ 48. Maurice Price gained 7 on a quick hitter but the Stamps were hit with an unnecessary roughness call. Nik Lewis then gained 28 over the middle. Cornish then ripped up the middle for a first down deep in Riders’ territory as the first quarter came to a close.

On the opening play of the second quarter, Tate pump faked and connected with a wide open Rob Cote for the touchdown and the Stamps took a 14-3 lead. Sanders returned the ensuing kick back to the 40. Durant then connected with Getzlaf for a first down out at midfield. On second-and-9, Durant’s pass to Rob Bagg gained 7 and Schmitt punted out. Taylor picked up the punt inside the 5. After the Stamps went two n’ out, Sanders had a great punt return down to the Calgary 28. From there, Durant hit Dressler over the middle for the touchdown. Durant then hit Sheets in the left flat for the two-point convert to make it 14-11, Calgary. Larry Taylor returned the ensuing kickoff back to the 20, where he was greeted by a green wall. Price gained eight and then Lewis picked up eight more out to the 35. Cornish then rushed for two. Tate was then sacked by Davis and Maver punted out. Sanders returned the punt out to the 40. Sheets then rushed ahead twice for 19 yards. On 3^rd –and-1, the Riders went for it and Drew Willy came in with the short yardage package and pushed ahead for the first down at the 40. Durant then hit Getzlaf over the middle for a big gain down to the Calgary 36. Getzlaf then caught a pass in a crowd for a nine yard gain and then Sheets pushed ahead for the first down at the 24. On second-and-10, Taj Smith made a brilliant catch in the end zone but the play was wiped out by an offsides call against the Riders. Milo then banged in a long field goal to tie the score at 14 with 1:45 remaining in the half. On second and 10, Tate connected with Larry Parker for a first down. West then gained 8 more up to the Riders 50. Cornish pushed ahead for the first down. McDaniel gained 7 on a pass out of the backfield to the 35 and then Cornish banged off left tackle for a first down at the 26. Tate tried to hook up with Lewis in the end zone but overthrew the pass. With 21 seconds remaining, the Stamps had the ball at the Riders’ 15. Tate found Joe West in the middle of the end zone for the touchdown and Calgary took a 21-14 lead with 14 seconds remaining. Sanders then returned the kickoff to midfield but there were only five seconds left.

Sanders returned the opening kick of the second half out to the 42.  Sheets gained 8 on a pass out of the backfield on the first play of the third quarter. From the 53, Sheets gained 20 but the drive stalled and Milo kicked a 38-yarder to make it 21-17. From the 35, Ricky Foley ripped down Tate from behind for no gain and then Macho Harris broke up a long pass and Maver punted out. Sanders returned the punt out to the 39. Taj Smith gained 4 on a quick hitter. Dressler then picked up a first down on curl route. Scott McHenry then picked up another first down on a pass in the right flat. Durant scrambled up the middle for 9 more and then Sheets pushed up the middle for a first down to the 21. On second-and-10, Durant escaped a rush but his pass was incomplete. A holding call on the Riders was declined and Milo banged in a 29-yarder to make it 21-20. The Stamps quickly picked up a first down to the 45. Cornish gained three more on first down but Tate’s next pass intended for McDaniel fell incomplete. Maver punted out and Sanders returned the punt back to the 26. Durant connected with Taj Smith for a 4-yard gain. Getzlaf then made a nice catch out to the 41. On second-and-7, Durant hit Dressler over the middle for a first down at the 52.

Moving into the fourth quarter, Durant nimbly escaped a heavy rush and rolled to the right for a first down. Sheets then ripped up the middle for 6. Durant then took a shot into the end zone with Dressler. The pass was incomplete but a pass interference call against Heffney put the ball at the 2. Sheets then broke a couple of tackles and bounced into the end zone. After review, The Riders went for two and Durant hit Dressler for the convert and the Riders took a 28-21 lead. The Stamps started out their next drive at the 35. Cornish was hauled down after a six-yard gain. Tate’s pass intended for Price was broken up by Miller and Maver punted out. Sanders then had a 19-yard return after it appeared he would be stopped for no gain.    The Riders started out at the 45. Durant hit Getzlaf for a 4-yard gain, and went back to Getzlaf again for 9 more. Sheets was hauled down for a four-yard loss. After a short gain by Dressler, Schmitt punted out. Taylor returned the punt to the 25. But a “too many men on the field” penalty against Calgary gave the Riders an automatic first down at the 39. Sheets went off left tackle for 6. Sheets then plowed ahead up the middle for a first down at the 29. Durant was then sacked by Lemon for a 9-yard loss. After a short gain, the Stamps’ Simpson was hit with an unnecessary roughness call that placed the ball at the 15. From there, Durant hit Getzlaf in the left flat and Getzlaf escaped one tackle and tumbled into the end zone for the touchdown to make it 35-21, Riders. Taylor returned the ensuing kickoff back to the 35. Kevin Glenn entered in relief of the injured Tate (elbow) and was sacked on second down. From the 27, Sheets picked up 5. Calgary called timeout just before the three-minute warning. Sheets then pushed ahead for a first down. Sheets then to a hitch left and rushed for 12 more. After a short gain, the Stamps took their second timeout with 2:10 left on the clock. Sheets then gained 8 more for another first down. Sheets was up to 134 yards rushing, his personal best. Schmitt then boomed a punt into the end zone for a single to account for the 36-21 final score. Glenn’s final pass into the end zone was intercepted and that was the ball game.       

Riders Game 3 at Toronto (7/11/13):  The Riders made their first foray into the CFL East with a Thursday Night date with the (1-1) Argos at f/k/a SkyDome. The roof was wide open and it was a beautiful night in Toronto.
Argos won the toss and Chad Owens returned Ricky Schmitt’s kickoff to the 25. Dontrelle Inman picked up a first down on a quick hitter over the middle from Ricky Ray. Andre Durie then rolled off right tackle and gained 22 to midfield. Owens then took another quick hitter from Ray and gained 7 and then Owens took a pass out of the backfield and picked up another first down. Chad Kackert then ran up the middle for 5. Ray then connected with Kackert for a 2-yard gain and Noel Prefontaine banged in a 44-yard field goal to give Argos an early 3-0 lead. Jock Sanders returned the ensuing kick back to the 25. Kory Sheets went up the middle and was stuffed by the Argos’ D-Line. Darian Durant then scampered around left end up to the 49. But the drive stalled and Schmitt punted out the 25. On second-and-5, Inman took a hard hit over the middle and caught the ball for a 21-yard gain. He was leveled on the play by Tyvon Brackenridge and needed help getting off the field. Durie then caught a pass out of the backfield and banged his way down to the 40. Ray was then sacked by Ray Williams for a big loss. Prefontaine punted the ball into the end zone.  But the Riders were caught with 13 men on the field, giving Prefontaine a field goal attempt that went wide right for the single. From the 39, Durant hit Rob Bagg for an  11-yard gain to the right flat. Sheets was then stuffed again, On second-and -9, Bagg picked up another first down on a catch in the left flat. Sheets ran for 4 and fumbled but it was ruled Riders’ ball. Dressler took a pass from Durant and broke up a couple of tackles down to the 39. Toronto’s Mitchell was hit with a roughing the passer call, moving the ball down to the 15. Dressler took a pass for three and then Durant rolled right and connected with Bagg, who broke a couple of tackles and into the end zone. With Chris Milo’s point after, the Riders went on top 7-4. Owens returned Schmitt’s kick out to the 30. From there, Owens took a pass over the middle for a first down but took a heavy shot and went down in a lot of pain. From the 42, Durie took a swing pass, juked to the left and raced down for a 31-yard gain. Durie took another pass but took an illegal collar tackle from the Riders’ Weldon Brown and that moved the ball down to the 19. From the 10, Durie took another swing pass to the left, broke a couple of tackles and bulled his way into the end zone. The Argos went back on top 11-7 as the first quarter came to a close.
Sanders returned the kickoff back to the 45.  But the Riders went two n’ out and Schmitt punted away. Owens returned the punt and was hauled down by Sam Hurl at the 32. Kackert ran left and gained five, but was cut down by Craig Butler short the first down. Sanders returned the punt back to the 42. Durant scrambled up the middle on the draw and fumbled but Sheets covered the ball. Sheets then picked up 20 on a run off left tackle. Jamie Robinson then picked Durant’s next pass and raced into the end zone for a touchdown but a pass interference call on Robinson nullified the score and placed the ball at the Argos’ 14. Durant then took a heavy hit and connected with Sanders at the 2.
From there, Sheets capped the drive by pounding it in. With the point after, the Riders went ahead 14-11. Owens returned Schmitt’s kick back to the 22. Ray’s pass on first down was nearly picked by Ray Williams. On second-and-10, Durie caught a pass out of the backfield but was hauled down by John Chick short of the first down. From the 42, Sheets gained three. Sheets then took a pass over the middle and gained 17. After Sanders gained 4, Durant found Bagg over the middle but the play was wiped out by a holding call on guard Chris Best. From the 51, Durant’s screen pass to Sheets was snuffed out by Brandon Isaac. Owens returned Schmitt’s punt to the 20. A holding call on the Argos’ Shane Horton pushed the ball back inside the 10. It looked as if the Argos were going two n’ out but a roughing the passer call against Chick gave then a first down at the 20. The drive stalled there and Prefontaine punted out, with the Riders taking over at the 40. Durant took a long shot intended for Taj Smith but the pass was broken up. After another incomplete pass, Schmitt punted out. Ray was sacked on second down by Ray Williams with 1:11 left to go in the half. Sanders returned Prefontaine’s punt back to the 50. On first down, Durant found a wide-open Taj Smith at the right sideline and Smith streaked down the sideline 61 yards and dove into the end zone for the touchdown. With the point after, the Riders went up by 10. After a penalty against the Riders on the kickoff, the Argos started out at the 30. They moved the  ball downfield and finally Prefontaine kicked a 44-yarder as time expired in the half. 
Riders started out their opening drive of the third quarter at the 28. Sheets gained 7 and then another 14. Sanders then rushed up the middle for 10. Dressler then made a leaping grab down to the 44. Thhe drive stalled there and Schmitt punted out and the ball landed in the end zone for the single (22-14).  Ray connected with Inman for 9. Trevor Harris came in with the short yardage package and banged ahead for the first down. Kackert was then stuffed after a 2-yard gain. Inman then made a circus catch at the right sideline but the ball fell out of his hands. Sanders returned Prefontaine’s kick back to the 40. On first down, Durant connected with Taj Smith to the left and Smith took it to the house for a 70-yard touchdown. With the point after, the Riders went up 29-14.  Owens returned the kick back to the 32. Owens caught a pass over the middle for a first down. Kackert then rushed up the middle for 3 up the middle and then up the middle again for the first down. Ray then went deep for Inman but Brackenridge leaped and broke up the pass and the Argos punted out. Starting out at the 25, Sheets banged up the middle for 4. Durant found Dressler in the right flat for the first down. Taj Smith then grabbed a pass at the right sideline for a first down. Chris Getzlaf then made his first catch of the game, good for 16 yards. A penalty against the Argos’ Jackson moved the ball down the 45. Sheets then ran two more times for a first down. On the final play of the quarter, Sheets ran right for 6 more.
Moving into the fourth quarter, Sheets broke off left tackle for 15, setting up a first and goal at the 9. From the 5, Durant was sacked by Jonathan Williams and Durant was slow getting off the field. Chris Milo then popped in a chip shot to make it 32-14, Riders. From the 35, Ray connected with Kackert over the middle for 11. Drew Willy began warming up on the sideline as Durant was getting worked on by the training staff on the sidelines, Meanwhile, Ray connected with Watt over the middle for 5. Kackert then got behind Butler and Ray found him all alone and Kackert raced into the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown to make it 32-21. Sanders returned Prefontaine’s kick back to the 35. Willy entered the game in relief of Durant, who sat on the bench with a towel over his head and hid right ankle heavily wrapped in ice. The Riders went two n’ out on this drive as momentum began to shift the Argos’ way. Toronto’s next drive fizzled and Prefontaine punted out. Sanders returned the punt up to the 46. Willy connected Scott McHenry in the right flat for 9. Sheets bulled his way up the middle for a first down. On the play, McHenry suffered a right leg injury. Sheets went up the middle for 4, but was stuffed on his next attempt by Jonathan Williams, forcing a punt. Schmitt’s punt caught Owens at the 1, where he was tackled by a swarm of Riders. Ray found Inman racing up the left sideline but a penalty called back a 33-yard gain. Owens made a nice grab over the middle up to the 37. Watt made a grab but took a heavy hit from Diamond Ferri. The Argos went for it on 3^rd down and Ray’s pass intended for Owens was incomplete. At the three-minute warning, the Riders had the ball down to the Argos’ 37 after another short gain by Sheets. From there, Sheets bounced off right tackle and raced into the end zone. With the point after, the Riders went up 39-21. That was 151 rushing yards for Sheets on the night. Ray connected with Owens up to the 24 for a first down. Ray was then sacked by Craig Newman for a big loss. Zach Collaros replaced Ray and he connected with Iglesias over the middle. Hard to believe but Ray passed for 335 yards. Collaros then ran up the middle for 16 yards to the 23, After a short gain by Iglesias, Durie took a pass in the right flat for 14 yards. Durie took a big hit from Butler and Durie was shaken up on the play with 35 seconds left. From the 4, Collaros rushed into the end zone to make it 39-28 in garbage time. The Argos went for the on sides kick and recovered the ball in a scrum. The ball bounced of Getzlaf’s chest and was recovered by Robinson. Collaros was then sacked by Ricky Foley for a seven-yard loss. On the final play of the Collaros’ pass was incomplete. The only down note of the game was the ankle injury suffered by Durant. The Riders moved to 3-0 on the young season and now have the best record in the CFL.