The Saskatchewan Roughriders pulled off a 26-24 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks, but as Darrell Davis writes, it shouldn’t have been that close.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders won a CFL game they absolutely, positively had to win.
What would have happened if they lost Sunday to the visiting Ottawa Redblacks? Disaster after disaster, apparently. Everything from coaches being fired to an increased carbon tax to a continuing quarterback controversy to missing the playoffs to another minority government to the near-impossible schedule ahead to Donald Trump getting re-elected.
Yay, Roughriders! Thanks for saving everyone from climate change.
How they won was miraculous in its own way, with Saskatchewan kicker Brett Lauther nailing a 54-yard field goal in the dying seconds of a 26-24 victory. Although Lauther is 10-for-10 in late game-winning or -tying situations throughout his career, it was the first time in four attempts this season he made a field goal from outside 50 yards.
So figuratively and literally, it was a long-shot.
By the halftime break, when a real-life Lambchop escaped its duties during the sheep-riding exhibit to run around the field and the announced crowd of 26,625 may have been pondering an early exit to visit the nearby Queen City Ex, it was evident the Roughriders were the better team. Anyone clamouring for a new coaching staff and/or starting quarterback had nothing to complain about as the Roughriders built a 23-11 lead in the third quarter.
It really shouldn’t have been close. Saskatchewan started second-string quarterback Mason Fine while Ottawa’s Dustin Crum was the fourth starter the Redblacks have deployed this season.
Saskatchewan’s defence, led by Anthony Lanier’s five tackles and three sacks, neutralized Crum while Fine, making his third start this season since Trevor Harris got injured, finally engineered two touchdown drives, won for the first time to snap his team’s three-game losing skid and showed the improvement his coaches claim has kept him as the starter ahead of strong-armed Jake Dolegala.
“Win, lose or draw, we felt like (Fine) was playing good enough to give us a chance to win,” Riders head coach Craig Dickenson told media following the game. “That’s why we stuck with him and it paid off tonight.”
Dolegala, who came off the bench last game to construct a fourth-quarter scoring drive, has inexplicably become Saskatchewan’s short-yardage quarterback. He’s not very good at the task; he fumbled one ill-advised attempt the Redblacks returned for a touchdown that pulled the visitors within 23-21.
At times it seemed like the opposing head coaches, Dickenson and Bob Dyce, were vying to see whose strategy could most jeopardize their own team.
More third-down failures ensued until the visitors went ahead 24-23. It was Ottawa’s first lead since the opening quarter and it could have held if the Redblacks hadn’t kicked to game-changing returner Mario Alford, whose 37-yard runback meant Fine needed only four plays to put Lauther in range for the game-winning field goal.
Fine missed numerous targets throughout the game and his passes often floated. He also hit slotback Shawn Bane Jr. in perfect stride with a deep strike for a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Fine completed 23 of 37 passes for 296 yards with one TD and no interceptions, which was important for a team that committed four other turnovers.
Fine also ran a couple times, something he hadn’t done in two previous starts, and it added an important dimension to his game. Especially because Roughriders tailback Jamal Morrow has been going nowhere recently, gaining only 47 yards, including a one-yard major, on 13 carries against 3-5 Ottawa.
So the Roughriders need to better protect leads, run the football effectively, revamp their short-yardage strategies and not change one thing on defence.
They’re 4-4, sitting third in the West, with only a day or two to prepare for Friday’s road game against the 4-3 Montreal Alouettes.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
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AP cricket:
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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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