'I haven't ever seen that happen': Riders defeat Elks 12-11 after rouge in final minutes

It was a tight matchup Thursday night between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Elks where the Riders walked away with the 12-11 victory following CJ Sims taking a knee in the end zone with just over a minute to go.

“I’ve seen a lot of football games, coached a lot of games and I don’t think I’ve seen a game end like that ever,” Riders head coach Craig Dickenson said.

“I haven’t ever seen that happen so we got a guy with a big leg back there in [Brett] Lauther so he was able to pound it back there and we were able to get the single,” Riders receiver Mitch Picton added.

“Countless hours of film study I put in each week to know they have a rookie back there and to put it over his head. You’re not thinking they’re going to let it go for a single,” Lauther who made the kick off said. “I was pumped up, screaming at the guys to make sure to cover it. I was thinking we might have to go to overtime so to not have to do that.”

Picton also helped lead the team to victory after he took the place of Jake Wieneke this week who was put on the six game injured list.

“Yeah one day, ‘hey Picton you’re starting at Y this week ok?’ He goes out and has a touchdown and 80 yards and you know Picton’s a good one. I’m glad he’s wearing the green and white,” Dickenson said, when asked about being able to place the veteran receiver at any position.

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“I feel like he’s a starting receiver in this league and unfortunately for him he’s so darn good at every position that they feel like he can backup everywhere so he’s become valuable in that way. He only got one day of practice this week at that spot. So the fact that he does that shows what type of professional he is,” Riders quarterback Trevor Harris said.

Picton led the Riders to tying the game late in the fourth quarter when he scored a four yard touchdown with just over a minute to go cutting the lead down to 11-9 for the Elks. The Riders were forced to go for two in order to tie the game. Harris would then successfully find Kendall Watson to force the needed tie in the dying minute.

“I always want to come in and do whatever I can to come in and help us win so for that opportunity to come in and make the most of it means the world to me,” Watson said. “I didn’t know before the play [it was coming to me]. They called the play and I was like [thinking] just do my job and the ball came to me.”

When the Elks did eventually get the ball back even after having given up the single point they looked to be marching down the field enough to potentially put them in field goal range for the win. However, Riders defensive back, Nic Marshall would end the drive and game with an interception. Something he has now done two games in a row to help seal the deal for a Riders win.

“It was great it just shows our team’s ability to drive down the field during crunch time. [Then] I just saw him coming out there [when the defence took to the field] and saw it coming out there physically with his glove and with film study I just knew what to do [to get the interception],” Marshall explained following the game.

The Riders improve to 3-1 on the season and will look to find the back of the end zone more than once in a game when they take on the Calgary Stampeders July 15 at Mosaic Stadium.