The Saskatchewan Roughriders endured 59 minutes of frustration and despair Oct. 17 and one minute of joy, even magic. A win conjured when all looked lost is a sports memory to be remembered and savoured for years.
With the Montreal Alouettes resting its star quarterback, its two best receivers and its starting running back, the odds looked good for the Riders going into the game. Yet they found all sorts of ways to falter upon the field until that final minute.
In particular, the offence struggled mightily. Between being unable to get any consistent running attack, errant throws and dropped passes drive after drive failed.
Still as the offence took to the field with 1:29 remaining in the game they had the opportunity to win. Logan Ferland acknowledged the Riders were well aware that the season hung in balance. As they went out it was on his mind “that we have to go get this”. He said, “every time we’re in a scramble to get points and we’re in hurry up offence we always seem to drive the field and go score.”
There were a series of crucial plays on that drive.
Riders head coach Corey Mace had a major decision. The Riders were third and 10 from the Alouette 52. Having taken the wind for the fourth quarter they could have attempted a 60 yard field goal. Mace said in pre-game Brett Lauther had been successful twice from 60 yards. Lauther said the pre-game kicks were over 60 yards.
There was great risk going from 60. Beyond the distance the risk increased because of the strong wind. It was not straight down the field. Lauther said it was more from the southwest than the usual south. During the game he had made a 53-yard field goal and missed a 48 yard field goal. He said the wind had an impact on the miss. The wind pushed his miss and the miss by Montreal’s Jose Maltos-Diaz late in the game outside the uprights. How much to adjust for the cross wind from 60 would have been hard.
Mace did add that it went through his mind that Paul McCallum was in the house as one of the newest Rider Legends and it would be pretty sweet to kick a 60 yarder but he did what was best for the team and opted to keep the offence on the field. (McCallum holds the team record with a 63 yard field goal.)
The third down play called for Keesean Johnson, lined up as inside receiver, to curl on the right side. Johnson said as soon as he saw the Alouette defence he knew the ball was coming to him.
Harris said they thought the 12 yard stop route would be there because they run so many benders and outs and double moves and corners. He said the Alouettes were doing a good job dropping to take away benders.
Harris said he took his shoulder inside to make the Alouette halfback buy it and the defender stayed inside and opened up the lane and Harris was able to throw to the open Johnson.
With the Riders in second down from the Montreal 39 the Alouettes came with a blitz weighted to the right side. They had been spreading out on earlier plays. Harris said he was ready and, when the Alouette defenders dispersed enough, he stepped up and started running. The middle was open. He took off upfield. He deftly used Johnson sealing a defender to cut outside and then go up the right side of the field. As he was running he said he became conscious of the need to hold the ball tight like a running back in case someone tried to knock it out from behind. The 22 yard run electrified Mosaic Stadium and left Harris gasping for a breath.
As he saw Harris running, Ferland thought he had to get down there and try to protect him.
Swiftly regrouping Harris was excited when Marc Mueller called for a corner squat pass. Johnson, lined up on the outside and went straight down the field. Harris said it was one of his patented passes he loves throwing.
Johnson was not sure the pass was going to him before the play started. As he went upfield he was not going full speed. He agreed that he played or lulled Alouette corner, Don Callis, into thinking he was not the primary. Callis kept looking at Harris.
Harris said he calculated the inside defensive back could not get outside in time to stop a throw and he lofted the pass to Johnson. Harris said it felt like a 3 point shot you know is going in by the way it felt leaving your hand. He knew the pass was going to land in Johnson’s hands.
The ball precisely arced through the sky and gently dropped down to Johnson who had glided by Callis. The defender turned as he saw the pass being released but was too late and never saw the pass until Johnson caught it.
The play was perfection in route and throw and sent the Riders into the playoffs.
On the second play of the second last drive the Riders were second and 10. Trevor Harris threw to Sam Emilus running an out pattern. The pass was incomplete but there was some contact by the defensive back, Neil Campbell.
Corey Mace threw his challenge flag. He said that first he saw the defender go through the back of Emilus and, on a replay, saw the defender had grabbed Emilus around the waist and was pulling. He said he made sure to tell Andre Proulx as he made the challenge of the wrapping of the waist. He was glad the challenge succeeded not only because it kept the drive going. He said it was nice to win a challenge after a generally unsuccessful challenge season.
