Saskatchewan Roughriders' Cameron Marshall, right, celebrates a touchdown with teammate Spencer Moore during second half CFL football action against the Calgary Stampeders in Calgary, Friday, Oct. 20, 2017.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY — The Saskatchewan Roughriders are headed back to the CFL playoffs.
Saskatchewan qualified for the post-season for the first time since 2014 with a resounding 30-7 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Friday at McMahon Stadium — a win that snapped the Roughriders’ 10-game losing skid against the Stampeders.
Saskatchewan (9-7-0) clinched at least a crossover berth into the East Division playoffs. The Roughriders also remain in the hunt for third place in the West; the Edmonton Eskimos take a 9-6-0 record into Saturday’s contest against the B.C. Lions (6-9-0).
“It’s huge for us,” guard Brendon LaBatte said after the Roughriders eliminated the Lions from playoff contention. “It’s huge for the guys in the room and the guys who have been working away at it, but I think it’s big for our fans and the province.
“I know it has been gloomy around there and to finally punch our ticket and know that we’re at least a .500 team is just a good turnaround for the province.”
Saskatchewan missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, posting a 3-15-0 record in 2015 and a 5-13-0 mark last season.
The Roughriders play host to the Montreal Alouettes on Friday before entertaining the Eskimos on Nov. 4 to complete the 2017 regular season.
Despite clinching a playoff spot Friday, the Roughriders don’t plan to relax down the stretch.
“We need to play some good football the next two weeks and go into the playoffs playing well,” Saskatchewan head coach-GM Chris Jones said. “We don’t need to just take the next two weeks off and act like (Friday’s game) was the Grey Cup.
“We’ve got to play great football the last two weeks, win the football games and go in like we want to go in.”
The victory — which was highlighted by converted receiver Duron Carter’s 43-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter — snapped a number of Calgary streaks.
The Stampeders (13-2-1) had won 17 straight regular-season games at home, including their first seven games this season. They also had been victorious in 16 consecutive games against West Division opponents.
As well, Calgary had gone 10-0-1 in its previous 11 regular-season home games against Saskatchewan. The last time the Roughriders won a regular-season game at McMahon was Aug. 1, 2009, when they beat the Stampeders 24-23.
“We’re finally finding ourselves and we’re finally buying into each other and the coaches and coming together,” said defensive back Ed Gainey. “It’s a big time for Rider Nation.”
Rob Maver’s 44-yard punt single at 12:28 was the lone point of the first quarter.
Saskatchewan starting quarterback Kevin Glenn was pulled after just two possessions and replaced by Brandon Bridge. Glenn completed one of three pass attempts for 19 yards and was sacked twice.
The Roughriders got on the board just 30 seconds into the second quarter, when Christion Jones returned a Maver punt 61 yards for a touchdown. Crapigna added the convert and Saskatchewan led 7-1.
It was the second punt-return TD for Jones in a four-game span. He took one 97 yards to spark Saskatchewan in its 18-17 victory over the host Ottawa Redblacks on Sept. 29.
It also was the first time the Roughriders had led Calgary in a game since Aug. 4, 2016. That day, Saskatchewan had a lead for five minutes 39 seconds in the first quarter before losing 35-15.
Bridge guided the Roughriders 57 yards in seven plays on his next drive, which ended with Crapigna’s 26-yard field goal at 5:57 of the second quarter.
The Stampeders cut the lead to 10-4 at 13:33 of the second quarter when Rene Paredes connected on a 26-yard field goal.
That was the score at the end of the first half thanks to Gainey, who intercepted a Bo Levi Mitchell pass at the Saskatchewan eight-yard line late in the second quarter.
The Roughriders scored on their first possession of the second half, with Crapigna kicking a 14-yard field goal — his 18th successful attempt in a row.
The Roughriders were back for more just seconds later.
After Mitchell found Kamar Jorden across the middle, Henoc Muamba stripped Jorden of the ball. Jovon Johnson recovered the fumble and returned it to the Calgary three-yard line.
Three plays later, Vernon Adams Jr., plunged in for a one-yard touchdown. After Adams ran in for the two-point convert, Saskatchewan led 21-4.
Gainey had an interception return for a touchdown wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty against Makana Henry, whose hit knocked Mitchell out of the game for a series. Mitchell was replaced by Andrew Buckley, meaning both teams were being quarterbacked by Canadians.
Three plays later, Paredes hit from 48 yards out to complete the third-quarter scoring.
The next points were scored by Carter, who intercepted a high Mitchell pass, started to his right, reversed his field and picked his way into the end zone at 2:59 of the fourth. Crapigna added the convert to stretch the lead to 28-7.
Carter was expected to play both ways in the contest, but he lined up only on defence. That was fine by him — especially after his pick-six.
“It was cool,” Carter said of playing exclusively on defence. “The offence was moving the ball. There was no need to change anything. On defence, we were stopping them. We were in a groove. There was no need to switch anything up. It felt really good.”
Maver conceded a safety at 10:31 to complete the scoring.
Bridge was 10-for-19 passing for 133 yards and rushed four times for 40 yards. Despite Bridge’s showing, Jones said Glenn remains the Roughriders’ starter.
Chad Owens, playing his first game of the season for Saskatchewan, caught five passes for 78 yards. Bakari Grant added four catches for 53 yards.
Mitchell was 14-for-27 for 136 yards with two interceptions. Jerome Messam, who had gained more than 100 yards in both of the teams’ previous meetings, managed just 43 yards on 11 carries.
