Ottawa Redblacks lose to Saskatchewan Roughriders on last ...
Ottawa Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce regretted the placement of the kickoff after Ottawa had taken a one-point lead with a minute left
Published Aug 07, 2023 • 3 minute read
Moments after a 26-24 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a game decided in the final minute, Ottawa Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce put the loss on his own shoulders.
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“I let the guys down,” said Dyce, who said he regretted the placement of the kickoff after Ottawa had taken a one-point lead with a minute left. “We could have put it away to the other side. I’ll take 100 per cent of the blame (for that).
“I felt like I was a real part of this loss. That makes this one more frustrating. These guys fought so hard, they did everything they should.”
The kickoff went to Mario Alford, who returned it 37 yards to the Saskatchewan 50-yard line, giving the Roughriders great field position, setting up a game-winning 54-yard field goal by Brett Lauther.
Setting up the dramatics: Saskatchewan was stopped short on a third-and-one gamble from its 19-yard line.
A five-yard run by Jackson Bennett on second down got the Redblacks to the one-yard line. Rather than gamble and go for the touchdown, the Redblacks decided to kick the eight-yard field goal, Lewis Ward’s fifth three-pointer of the game, and take a one-point lead with a minute left.
Asked what he was thinking, Dyce said: “Kick the field goal. Get the points and go up. I had great confidence in the way our defence was playing.”
The Riders got the ball back with less than a minute left, getting the field goal.
Ottawa got the ball back with 26 seconds left. But a final-second deep throw by Redblacks QB Dustin Crum was incomplete. Crum completed 16 of 20 passes for 174 yards.
“(Crum) was efficient, he didn’t turn over the ball,” said Dyce. “And, he had a really good completion percentage.”
For much of Sunday’s game in Regina, the Redblacks tried to find their way offensively. And, for the most part, there wasn’t much there.
Ottawa opened the scoring. A 52-yard field goal attempt by Ward fell short, bouncing into the end zone for a single.
The Roughriders took a 7-1 lead midway through the first quarter when Jamal Morrow pushed into the end zone from five yards out.
A 51-yarder from Ward made it 7-4.
The Redblacks punt team made a huge play, with Gary Johnson forcing a fumble by Alford, with the ball bouncing out of bounds at the 18-yard line. But the best Ottawa could do was another Ward field goal, this one from 35 yards.
A 19-yard field goal by Lauther made it 10-7.
Richie Leone’s 74-yard punt bounced into the end zone for a Redblacks single. A 23-yard Lauther field goal with 12 seconds left in the first half gave the Riders a 13-8 lead.
Roughriders quarterback Mason Fine found Shawn Bane racing down the left sideline behind Cariel Brooks for a 42-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. The convert made it 20-8.
A handoff exchange between Fine and Morrow fell to the ground and it was picked up by Redblacks defensive lineman Bryce Carter. It resulted, again, in a field goal.
The Roughriders answered with a 17-yard field goal.
A 36-yard punt return by newcomer Tobias Harris gave Ottawa the ball on the Saskatchewan 27. The Redblacks got another field goal.
In the first minute of the fourth quarter, Jake Dolegala fumbled on a quarterback keeper and it was scooped up by Ottawa’s Douglas Coleman, who ran 48 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. It was 23-21 for the Riders.
On their next offensive drive, the Redblacks were stopped short on a third-and-one gamble, with Tyrrell Pigrome being pushed back as he left his feet and tried to push forward. The play before, on second-and-short, a pass into the end zone fell to the turf.
Asked about gambling there and not taking the field goal, Dyce said: “We felt we could get the first down and we wanted to score a touchdown.”
There was plenty of pressure on Crum, with the Riders getting six sacks.
“Anytime you get your quarterback pressured, you’re going to have to figure out what’s causing it,” said Dyce. “We have to determine whether it’s holding onto the ball too long, or whatever.”
Redblacks offensive lineman Zack Pelehos was a late scratch, replaced by Jacob Ruby at right tackle. Hunter Steward played right guard.
The Redblacks, with a 3-5 record, travel to Toronto for a game against the Argos next Sunday.
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