Riders bounce back with 30-16 win over Argos
After back-to-back losses to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan’s only defeats of the season, the Riders improved to 4-2 with a 30-16 win over the visiting Toronto Argonauts on Friday.
In their two losses against Winnipeg, Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo had a 60 percent completion rate and threw four interceptions. In the first three outings of the season, the quarterback was passing at a rate of 78 percent and had thrown four touchdowns.
“It was a long two weeks for me. I went to every single person in that locker room and I just thanked them because this was really big for me,” Fajardo, who completed 21 of 31 passes, threw two touchdowns and rushed for one, said. “It was a big win to get my confidence back most importantly.”
Last Saturday in Winnipeg, Fajardo left the game midway through for concussion protocol. During Friday’s game versus Toronto at Mosaic Stadium, the quarterback was sacked twice.
“I got beat up pretty good in this game, but I usually get beat up pretty much in every game. I got some scratches and bruises. That one in the end zone I got hit in the McNuggets, that was probably the worst hit of them all,” Fajardo said.
Canadian Kian Schaffer-Baker had 99 receiving yards and scored his first CFL touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter to give Saskatchewan a 24-9 lead over Toronto.
“The kids a stud, he belongs in this league,” Fajardo said. “He’s a rookie. I told him there’s no need to think you’re a rookie, you’re a veteran as the weeks go on.”
The receiver was selected in the fourth round of the CFL draft in 2020 by the Riders and has been impressive in his rookie season. Schaffer-Baker has caught 21 of 25 balls targeted at him in four games, collecting 256 yards in the process.
“When you throw him a two-yard route and he takes it for a 20-yard touchdown, breaking 30 tackles, it feels pretty good as a quarterback,” Fajardo said. “You want to get him the ball more. I just wish I knew he had 99 yards I would have found a way to get him one more yard.”
Saskatchewan’s defence stopped the Argos offence at a pivotal moment.
At the end of the second quarter, Toronto quarterback Nick Arbuckle had three chances within five yards of the goal line to lead the visitors into the end zone. With second and goal, Riders linebacker Micah Teitz stopped Arbuckle who was attempting a quarterback sneak.
Toronto then called a three-minute timeout. Then with third down and goal, Teitz once again stopped the rush, tackling John White.
“It was a huge stop on the field,” defensive lineman Micah Johnson said. “It’s all about will when it comes to those kinds of plays. It was in our favour, guys had a lot of heart out there tonight and did everything they could to keep them out of the end zone in that play.”
The Riders were without regular defensive starters defensive backs Ed Gainey (toe) and Mike Edem (wrist), as well as defensive lineman Garrett Marino (knee).
Johnson said in the week leading up to the game, the defence stayed unified.
“Super proud. Guys never gave in, kept on fighting. We knew we were going to have adversity coming into the game when you’re down the amount of players you’re down: that’s adversity in itself. All week we were preaching just stay together. Guys did that,” Johnson said.
The Riders had a front-heavy home schedule, playing five of their six first games at Mosaic Stadium. However, only two of their final eight regular-season games will be on the road.
Johnson says capitalizing on home-field advantage wasn’t top of mind for the Riders, but it was a factor.
“It’s more so about protecting your house,” Johnson said. “Any time you have a home game you want to come out and win it. Especially with the fan base we have.”
The Riders will face the B.C Lions, who they beat 33-29 in the season opener, on Sep. 24th in Vancouver, BC.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.