CFL: Trevor Harris shines as Saskatchewan Roughriders bounce back against Lions
Aiming to bounce back after a loss at home in Week 6, Trevor Harris and the Saskatchewan Roughriders took down the BC Lions on Saturday evening. Harris completed big play after big play in a lights out offensive performance, claiming a 33-27 win to stay perfect on the road.
Coming off a monster 425-yard performance in last week’s loss to the Calgary Stampeders, Harris put up big-time numbers yet again in an important road win for Saskatchewan. He finished just shy of another 400-yard outing, going 23-30 for 395 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
Dohnte Meyers was the standout Rider receiver on the day, grabbing all seven of his targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Saskatchewan was able to reestablish the ground game after a quiet outing against Calgary as running back A.J. Ouellette rushed for 72 yards on 15 attempts. He also caught a touchdown in the first quarter.
Nathan Rourke and the BC offence had their moments on Saturday but they were ultimately unable to play catch up as they trailed for the majority of the game. Rourke was 27-41 with 337 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Ayden Eberhardt caught two of those majors, finishing the contest with 105 yards on six receptions.
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After a BC two-and-out on the opening possession, Harris quickly got to work, setting the tone for what would be an impressive showing from Saskatchewan’s pivot at Save-on-Foods Field at BC Place. A 15-yard scamper by Ouellette got the chains moving on the first play and shortly after, Harris connected with Dohnte Meyers on a deep look good for 50 yards to put the Riders up early.
Melique Straker punched the ball out of the grasp of Seven McGee on the ensuing kickoff return, giving possession back to the Roughriders. Brett Lauther made his 45-yard field goal to give the away team a 10-0 lead.
After a Carl Meyer single got the Lions on the board, the Riders’ offence stayed hot out of the gates. Harris fired off another bomb, this time finding Joe Robustelli for a 29-yard gain. A couple of plays later, Harris threw to Ouellette who got in for another first-quarter Saskatchewan touchdown.
Some magic from Rourke helped BC get a much-needed score on the following drive. With Riders closing in on the quarterback and a sack looking imminent, Rourke somehow escaped the danger and threw a 40-yard touchdown strike to Eberhardt making it 17-8 after the first quarter.
Pressing to swing the momentum, the Lions’ defence came up with a turnover on the following drive. Harris threw into double coverage and Ronald Kent Jr. was there to snag his first interception of the season. The Lions were unable to score any points off the takeaway but were at least able to keep a simmering Harris off the field.
Back with the football, Harris didn’t let his interception get to him. He sent another bomb over the top to Samuel Emilus, picking up 66 yards on the play as Cristophe Beaulieu sprinted back to make a touchdown-saving tackle on the receiver. The visitors would have to settle for a field goal and Lauther’s 21-yard kick put the Riders up by a dozen late in the second quarter.
A superman leap by Butler on third-and-short extended BC’s final offensive series of the half and a couple of plays later, Sean Whyte nailed a 48-yard field goal to cut the Lions’ deficit to nine. The Riders would answer back before halftime however. A roughing the passer penalty against Sione Teuhema helped Saskatchewan into field goal territory and Lauther’s make from 41 yards out restored a 12-point lead for the Roughriders at halftime.
Starting with possession coming out of the break, Harris kept on humming, delivering Meyers his second touchdown of the evening. An effective pump fake threw off the covering Robert Carter Jr. and Meyers was able to get loose, finishing off a quick four-play scoring drive with a 30-yard catch.
An injury suffered by Ka’Deem Carey delayed proceedings during Saskatchewan’s next scoring drive. He was helped off the field after hurting his right leg on a five-yard rush. A knockdown in the end zone by Beaulieu limited the damage for BC, as Saskatchewan would settle for a Lauther chip shot to go up 33-11 late in the third.
Trying to close the gap before the fourth quarter, the Lions moved quickly on the ensuing drive, A 39-yard play from Rourke to Eberhardt set up the hosts in the red zone. Stanley Berryhill III then caught a much-needed Lions touchdown with a 14-yard score. The BC receiver made it back-to-back end-zone grabs when the Lions went for two, making it 33-19 through three quarters.
The Lions were able to quiet Harris and the Riders’ offence in the fourth quarter but by then it was too late. The visitors were forced into their only punts of their game in the final frame, but the BC offence was also largely shut down. Marcus Sayles picked off Rourke after the three-minute warning to seal the result for the Roughriders. The Lions would add eight points in the dying seconds but an unsuccessful onside kick would secure Saskatchewan a 33-27 victory at BC Place.
The Roughriders will return home in Week 8 for another West Division matchup versus the Edmonton Elks on Friday, July 25. Meanwhile, the Lions get another home game next weekend, going up against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday, July 27.
