Futility near the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' goal line cost the Saskatchewan Roughriders dearly in Sunday's West Division final.
It was a classic contest with assorted twists and turns — even a Swerve.
In quintessential CFL fashion, Sunday’s West final was not decided until the final play, although the frenetic fourth quarter was replete with potential turning points.
As time expired, Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo looked toward Mosaic Stadium’s north end zone and — DOINK! — his pass hit the crossbar.
After engineering so many improbable, inspiring comebacks during a breakout season, a disconsolate Fajardo could only walk off the field as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers revelled in a 20-13 victory.
Saskatchewan Roughriders’ quarterback Cody Fajardo reacts after the last play of Sunday’s West final.
The Roughriders’ 2019 season is also something to celebrate. With a charismatic franchise quarterback at the controls, Saskatchewan posted a 13-5 record and finished first in the West for only the second time in a span of 43 seasons.
But that is small solace indeed in the sombre aftermath of a game that was an emotional rollercoaster for denizens of the Rider Nation.
It looked like Fajardo was going to engineer one of his patented fourth-quarter miracles. So many times, he has been unerring with the game on the line, so how would he be denied in the biggest start of his career?
Twenty seconds remained when, on third-and-10, Fajardo looked toward Kyran Moore — a.k.a. Swerve — near the left sideline.
Winnipeg’s Marcus Sayles stepped in front of the pass, seemingly thwarting the play, but he could not secure the ball. In fact, he tipped the pigskin to Moore, who made the grab on the five-yard line.
Fajardo was then sacked on first down, leaving the Roughriders on the eight-yard line. Back-to-back incompletions ensued.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Cody Fajardo, from left, Dan Clark and Dakoda Shepley walk off the field after Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division final.
The final pass evoked memories of the first CFL playoff clash between Saskatchewan and Winnipeg — the 1965 Western Conference semi-final, played at Winnipeg Stadium.
In the waning minutes, the Roughriders advanced to the Blue Bombers’ 10-yard line, trailing by six points. Ron Lancaster then looked to the end zone toward tight end Jim Worden, but the ball hit an upright. Winnipeg won 15-9.
“I guess I should have aimed it at the upright,” The Little General said. “Then I would have missed it.”
Missed opportunities were the Roughriders’ undoing on Sunday.
They were at or inside the Bombers’ five-yard line on five occasions and emerged with only three field goals.
The fourth-quarter foibles were especially costly.
On second-and-goal from 1 1/2 yards away, short-yardage quarterback Bryan Bennett — lined up in the shotgun — collided with tailback William Powell and a loss of four resulted.
Head coach Craig Dickenson attributed the chaotic execution, or lack thereof, to “a little bit of miscommunication.”
With fewer than three minutes remaining, the Roughriders advanced to the one-yard line before Fajardo — playing with two torn oblique muscles — was stuffed.
Along with the squandered opportunities and questionable play-calling, poor clock management late in the first half — a recurring issue this season — worked to the Roughriders’ detriment.
Yet, this resilient team demonstrated its mettle once again, extending the Blue Bombers to the limit before falling eight yards shy of a berth in the 107th Grey Cup.
Roughriders fans showed up with giant images of Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros, who got the last laugh in Sunday’s CFL West Division final.
The Blue Bombers, who are to face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Nov. 24 championship game, may have found that elusive magic formula.
When Winnipeg last won the Grey Cup, back in 1990, Tom Burgess was the victorious quarterback.
And now, with Zach Collaros behind centre, Blue Bombers fans are left to hope than an ex-Roughriders quarterback can deliver once again.
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November 18, 2019 at 08:24AM
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