Pressure makes perfect for Brett Lauther.
Since joining the Saskatchewan Roughriders on a full-time basis in 2018, he has delivered all 11 times that a go-ahead field goal or 32-yard convert has been required in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime.
Most recently, Lauther came through with a 54-yard field goal to give the Roughriders a 26-24 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. Lauther split the uprights with 26 seconds left.
“I didn’t even know I was (11-for-11),” Lauther said after Sunday’s nailbiter. “I see how hard these guys work, so I owe it to them just to put the ball through the uprights.”
The 11 games break down as follows …
Sept. 8, 2018: Roughriders 32 at Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27.
- Winnipeg led 27-26 before Lauther hit back-to-back field goals — from 15 yards (with three minutes left) and 45 yards (59 seconds).
Sept. 22, 2018: Roughriders 29 at Toronto Argonauts 28.
- Lauther’s 56-yard field goal at 13:40 of the fourth quarter gave Saskatchewan a 30-28 lead.
Sept. 1, 2019: Winnipeg 17 at Roughriders 19.
- Lauther’s 26-yard field goal, with 16 seconds remaining, was the difference. Memorably, Lauther and holder Jon Ryan sprinted the virtual length of the field and dove into Pil Country to celebrate the game-winner.
Sept. 14, 2019: Montreal Alouettes 25 at Roughriders 27.
- Lauther kicked a 39-yard game-winner with 25 seconds left.
Oct. 26, 2019: Roughriders 27 at Edmonton 24.
- Lauther’s 46-yarder on the final play snapped a 24-24 deadlock.
Nov. 2, 2019: Edmonton 13 at Roughriders 23.
- With 1:30 left, Lauther’s 11-yarder broke a 13-13 tie. The Roughriders subsequently scored an insurance touchdown on a 29-yard interception return by Cameron Judge. The victory gave Saskatchewan top spot in the West Division for the first time since 2009.
Sept. 24, 2021: Saskatchewan 31 at B.C. 24.
• Lauther snapped a 24-24 tie by kicking a convert with two seconds left in regulation time.
Nov. 28, 2021: Calgary Stampeders 30 at Roughriders 33 (OT).
- Lauther hit both attempts in OT, including a 34-yarder that snapped a 30-30 tie on the final play of the West semi-final.
Sept. 16, 2022: Edmonton 26 at Saskatchewan 24.
- With 1:08 left, Lauther coolly converted a seven-yard TD pass from Cody Fajardo to Brayden Lenius and gave Saskatchewan a 24-23 lead. Edmonton’s Sergio Castillo responded with a game-winning 47-yard kick that split the uprights with 24 seconds left.
June 24, 2023: Saskatchewan 29 at Calgary 26 (OT).
- Lauther’s 20-yarder to conclude the opening possession of the second overtime series provided the winning points. The ensuing possession ended when Nic Marshall intercepted Calgary quarterback Jake Maier in the end zone.
Aug. 6, 2023: Ottawa 24 at Saskatchewan 26.
- Lauther’s 54-yarder extended his streak of consecutive successful field-goal attempts to nine.
“He’s very good in money situations,” Roughriders Head Coach Craig Dickenson said after Sunday’s contest. “Sometimes you wish you’d give him money situations all the time, because he seems to dial his focus down a little bit more.
“He was very confident this whole game. He told me early on, ‘I’m good from 55. You don’t have to worry about it,’ so we knew he had the range and, if it came down to it, he’d probably put it through — which he did.”
Lauther is now 19-for-23 — an 82.6-per-cent accuracy rate — this season after overcoming a sluggish start and a hamstring injury that had limited his practice time.
“He had a little bit of an injury about a month ago and I think that slowed him down a little bit,” Dickenson said. “I think he’s getting past that.
“I think the game (on Sunday) is going to help build his confidence. He’s getting more reps with Adam Korsak, who is a new holder for him, and I think you’re seeing that confidence start to grow.
“We expect it from him, though. He’s a pro and he has been doing this for a while. He knows you’re going to have ups and downs, so you just keep plugging away.”
SHIVERS DELIVERS
The Roughriders’ defence — co-ordinated by Jason Shivers — did not surrender a touchdown on Sunday after giving up only two majors over the preceding two games.
Consider, too, that one of those TDs followed an interception that was returned to the Roughriders’ 26-yard line against the Argonauts in Halifax on July 29.
“Hard work pays off,” Lake Korte-Moore said after registering one of the Roughriders’ season-high six sacks on Sunday.
“Coach Shives is an amazing coach. All of our coaches, all of the assistants and positional coaches, do an amazing job. No matter what it is, we all believe in one another.”
A stout defence was especially crucial after Ottawa enjoyed favourable field position on several occasions, without capitalizing.
The REDBLACKS settled for a Lewis Ward field goal all four times they began a possession inside the Roughriders’ 30-yard line.
Example A: After Ottawa recovered a fumble on the 18-yard line, Dustin Crum threw an incompletion before being sacked for a loss of 10 by Anthony Lanier II.
Example B: Another lost fumble gave Ottawa the ball on the 23. Lanier II proceeded to sack Crum for a loss of six. After the REDBLACKS were assessed an illegal-procedure penalty, Crum threw a nine-yard pass to Devonte Williams on second-and-21.
Example C: After a 36-yard punt return by Tobias Harris gave Ottawa a first down on Saskatchewan’s 27-yard line, Williams rushed for seven yards before being stuffed for no gain by Derrick Moncrief on second-and-three.
Example D: Late in the fourth quarter, a failed third-and-one gamble by the Roughriders enabled the REDBLACKS to assume possession on the hosts’ 20-yard line. Three consecutive rushes by Jackson Bennett produced gains of 13, one and five. On the latter play, Bennett was crucially stopped by safety Jayden Dalke on the one-yard line. REDBLACKS head coach Bob Dyce then opted for an eight-yard, go-ahead field goal by Ward. Lauther countered with his game-winner 38 seconds later.
LANDMARK FOR LAKE
Lake Korte-Moore, whom the Roughriders selected third overall in the 2023 CFL Draft, celebrated his first CFL sack on Sunday.
“It was amazing,” the former UBC Thunderbirds standout said of the post-sack feeling. “I’ve been thinking about that for a while now. I’m happy that we got it (on Sunday) with the group that we had.
“I give big credit to (defensive tackle DeMarcus) Christmas. He opened that lane for me. It was just a beautiful pass rush (by Christmas).”
Korte-Moore also gave credit to Lanier II, who had three sacks for the second time in his CFL career.
“He’s a guy who I look up to and a guy who I play behind,” Korte-Moore said. “He has taught me everything and for him to get three sacks today was awesome.
“All around, to get that W at the end, it was just a great, great day.”
And a milestone to remember.
“I think it’s a pretty big one for a D-lineman,” Korte-Moore said. “It’s like getting your first touchdown, I guess, as a receiver or a running back.
“But the goal isn’t just one. I want to keep on going and try to get as many as possible.”
The six sacks were the most by Saskatchewan since July 2, 2022, when the Roughriders toppled then-Alouettes quarterback Trevor Harris six times.
Lanier II had three of those sacks in addition to registering a tackle for a loss and a forced fumble.
FINE DECISION
The play did not unfold quite as Mason Fine had anticipated before the Roughriders’ quarterback threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Bane Jr. early in the third quarter.
Fine was expecting two defensive backs to provide deep coverage, in which case he was going to look for Jake Wieneke down the seam.
However, the REDBLACKS opted for only one deep defender, so Fine looked to the right and found Bane Jr. one-on-one down the sideline.
“If the safeties go to a one-high and they stay out of a two-high and we have a great look, I’m going to work the boundary,” Fine explained. “Bane did a good job just keeping outside leverage. I gave him a chance to make a play and he did that.”
Bane Jr. has scored a touchdown in back-to-back games after being held out of the end zone during the Roughriders’ first six contests.
SHORT SNORTS
• Over the last three games, the Roughriders have a decided edge in first downs (57 to 38) and net offence (1,066 to 653). Saskatchewan’s times of possession over those three games: 32:25, 32:24 and 33:45.
• Saskatchewan did not allow a sack for the first time this season. Roughriders opponents were held sackless only twice last season — on June 11 (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and Sept. 30 (Winnipeg). Fine was protected on Sunday by Eric Lofton (left tackle), Evan Johnson (left guard), Peter Godber (centre), Logan Ferland (right guard) and Colin Kelly (right tackle).
• Quirky stat: Fine has thrown all three of his touchdown passes this season during the two games Lofton has started at left tackle.
