The Labour Day Classic sure lived up to its billing yet again.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders pulled out a game they probably deserved to win and easily could have lost as they beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-26 in overtime.
The home-field win Sunday was crucial on several fronts.
It allowed the Riders (8-4) to keep pace with the Edmonton Elks (8-3) for top spot in the West Division ahead of Monday’s Battle of Alberta in Calgary. It gained them a four-point edge on the Bombers and B.C. Lions, both 6-6. It also secured them at least a split (and a six-point advantage) in the season series against Winnipeg with the Banjo Bowl rematch scheduled for Saturday.
How they persevered is the focus of Riders Morning After.
Why they won
The Roughriders would have had reasonable excuses had they lost this game.
Alex Hale’s two missed field goals cost them five points. A roughing-the-passer penalty in the dying seconds was questionable. Not only that, but it moved the Bombers into the red zone and helped set up the tying touchdown.
The Riders could let adversity overcome them. Instead, they dug down and found a way to win.
Tommy Stevens scored his third touchdown of the game in overtime, while the Riders defence halted the Bombers on three plays with Jameer Thurman’s tackle on Tim White ending the contest.
Kicking issues aside, this was a complete team victory.
Game ball
It could go to Trevor Harris. He threw for 362 yards and moved ahead of the great Doug Flutie for 10th on the CFL’s all-time passing list.
It could go to Stevens. He had his third three-touchdown game of the season and scored the winning major in overtime. He’s been to the end zone 15 times in 12 games this season.
It should go to Dhel Duncan-Busby. He caught 10 of the 11 throws that came his way for 148 yards, a career best.
The Canadian receiver has stepped up of late amid injuries to Kian Schaffer-Baker and Sam Emilus. Duncan-Busby pulled in four catches for 85 yards against B.C. two weeks ago and snagged four passes for 82 yards against Toronto last Saturday.
He was on another level in the biggest game of the season, though.
“Unfortunately, with all the injuries people have had to step up,” Duncan-Busby told reporters in Regina postgame. “I’m just glad that today was my time.”
Duncan-Busby seems to get better each week, which could be a good omen for the Riders as the campaign hits its final third.
“This offseason, I talked about Dhel,” Harris said. “I just think it was a matter of opportunity for him.”
Couldn’t have done it without
The defence as a collective was outstanding. The Riders held the Bombers to just one trip to the end zone before that penalty-aided last Winnipeg drive that resulted in touchdown.
Almost every player on defence had an impact.
Damarcus Fields had eight tackles. Thurman had six, including the game-ender. Derick Roberson made six tackles as well, plus a sack that resulted in safety. Seyi Oladipo matched Roberson’s six-tackle, one-sack performance.
The list goes on and on.
Aubrey Miller Jr. deserves a shout-out, too.
Miller made his first CFL start in place of the injured Josh Woods at weakside linebacker and had two tackles, another on special teams, a sack, and he knocked down a pass. The Riders barely missed a beat without Woods.
“You wait so long for this opportunity, when you get it, you’ve got to be ready,” Miller said. “You can’t blow the opportunity.”
One last entry in this category: the fans in attendance.
On one Winnipeg drive in the fourth quarter, the crowd noise forced the Bombers to take a timeout and then caused an offside on successive tries from scrimmage. Then, Zach Collaros’ intended pass to White in the end zone was then broken up by defensive back Jonathan Edouard.
The Bombers had to settle for a field goal, pulling them within a point instead of potentially taking the lead.
The defending volume also forced a time-count violation in overtime, which helped stall the Bombers’ lone possession.
Give a big assist to the green-wearing, watermelon-loving group for the result of this one.
“Can we do that for the rest of our home games this year?” Harris said. “That’s a real home-field advantage.”
Play of the game
This play didn’t end in a touchdown, but because it was big gain that helped reach a significant milestone earns it the honours.
Of course, it’s Daniel Wiebe’s dash down the sidelines for 72 yards, which allowed Harris to jump by Flutie and reach the top 10 for passing yards in CFL history.
https://x.com/CFL/status/2096748470950621405
Harris is now up to 41,590 yards in his illustrious career. He’s 235 yards clear of Flutie. The next quarterback for Harris to track down is Matt Dunigan, who threw for 43,857 yards.
The stat that matters
Hale’s success rate on field goals of 40 yards or longer this season is now 50 percent. He dropped to 6-for-12 with his two misses of 46 and 47 yards on Sunday.
The second wide boot, which occurred early in the third quarter, earned him a loud booing from the Riders faithful, so his 1-for-3 night can’t go unmentioned. He’s missed one out of every four field goals thanks to his 75 percent clip (24 of 32).
It also must be noted that the Riders opted to go for two points to try and secure a two-score advantage after Stevens’ second touchdown with 3:15 left in regulation. A single would have put them ahead by eight and forced the Bombers to go for two to tie the game after Dorian Singer’s last play touchdown.
Hale has been under the microscope all season and his poorer performances have been heavily scrutinized. It feels like the Riders might need to turn to Dawson Hodge to replace Hale soon enough.
