Selnes: Weakened defence allows Calgary to defeat Roughriders

Calgary was the better team Saturday night.

On Aug. 23, the Stampeders beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 32-15. It was a game of runs for three quarters with Calgary dominating the first and third quarters. The Riders had a big second quarter but could not do anything productive in the fourth quarter.

I thought the second most important drive of the game was Calgary’s touchdown drive to start the third quarter. The Riders had momentum going into halftime with the lead.

Shane Ray’s 15-yard misconduct penalty after the second play of the possession appeared to deflate the Riders.

The Stampeders followed with a pair of running plays by Dedrick Mills to the right side. The Riders struggled against Calgary running plays bouncing outside or sweeping. Riders head coach Corey Mace said the defence was not up to their standard against the run. He added that they had trouble tackling.

On the touchdown throw to end the drive, defensive back Kerfalla Exumé was chasing Calgary wide receiver Erik Brooks.

Coach Mace said they had clawed and scratched their way back into the game in the second quarter. He said they were looking for a big stop to start the third quarter and were disappointed giving up the touchdown.

The drive illustrated the defence was weakened by having Marcus Sayles out for the game with illness and his replacement Nelson Lokombo out of the game due to injury.

The Riders cornerbacks for the game were a trio of Canadians – Lokombo, Tevaughn Campbell and Exumé. As well, Lokombo not being at safety meant Jaxon Ford played that position.

The defence, after a Rider two-and-out on offence on the next possession, forced an interception.

I consider the Rider offensive drive after the turnover the pivotal possession of the game.

In the first half the Rider comeback started with the Riders first and 20 at their 19. A well-placed throw to Dohnte Meyers on an in route for 16 yards and a Trevor Harris scramble for a first down ignited the offence. He said they got in rhythm and kept the Stampeders off the field.

In the third quarter the Riders had a nice run by A.J. Ouellette and a pass to Tommy Nield before Harris was picked off by Godfrey Onyeka as he was trying to hit Meyers on an out route. It was the second time Harris was intercepted trying to throw to Meyers on an out route.

On the first interception he said there was a Stampeder blitz and he tried to put the ball outside. On reflection he said he could have triggered the throw earlier or put more on it.

He described the second interception as unfortunate. It appeared it went through Meyers’ hands before Sheldon II Arnold grabbed the ball.

While the defence held the Stampeders to a field goal after the interception, the Rider offence sputtered with Harris sacked on a three-man rush when neither Jamarcus Hardrick nor Jacob Brammer blocked Shaun Peterson Jr.

Harris said he was fine after the game but he is not going to make it through the rest of the season if he takes a big hit every game as has happened in the last two Rider games.

I believe the Riders will win the Labour Day Classic if they do a better job of blocking the Blue Bombers, especially Willie Jefferson.

Bill Selnes, who’s based in Melfort, has written about the Saskatchewan Roughriders since the late 1970s. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Football Reporters of Canada wing on Nov. 24, 2013.