Kerry Joseph ran for one touchdown and threw for another in his return to
Regina, but it wasn’t enough as the Riders beat the visiting Toronto
Argonauts 28-22 on Sunday night at Mosaic Stadium.
Joseph, traded by Saskatchewan to the Argonauts in the off-season after
quarterbacking the Riders to their first Grey Cup since 1989, completed
21 of 42 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown.
On the other side of the field, Wes Cates regained his spot atop the
CFL rushing chart, racking up 130 yards on 24 attempts with two
touchdowns.
With the win, the Riders are off to their first 5-0 start since 1934.
The Argos dropped to 2-3 on the year but still remain in a share of the
CFL’s East Division lead with the Montreal Alouettes.
Toronto opened up an 11-0 lead on a Mike Vanderjagt single and field
goal, and Joseph’s 13-yard rushing TD, before Saskatchewan got on the
board with 9:47 remaining in the second quarter. Backup quarterback
Steven Jyles connected on a 31-yard pass to Andy Fantuz to cut
Toronto’s lead to 11-7.
Toronto answered back when Joseph found Arland Bruce in the end zone on
a 19-yard pass at the 12:48 mark to make it 18-7. But Saskatchewan
kicker Luca Congi kicked a 46-yard field goal before the half was out
to keep the Riders within striking distance.
The momentum in the third quarter was all Saskatchewan. Defensive back
James Patrick recovered a Jamie Boreham punt that was fumbled by Argos
returner and former Roughrider Dominique Dorsey, giving Saskatchewan
the ball on Toronto’s 26 yard line. Five plays later, Cates scored on a
one yard run to bring the Riders within one.
On Toronto’s next possession after Vanderjagt booted a 68-yard single,
Joseph was sacked by Kitwana Jones for an 11-yard loss. That led to a
punt and Saskatchewan possession that they worked down the field to set
up a 32-yard field goal to the Riders up 20-19 and give them their
first lead of the game.
A 41-yard field goal from Vanderjagt temporarily put Toronto back in
the lead. But Cates finished a 10-play drive with a one-yard rushing
touchdown at the 12:11 mark of the fourth quarter and Congi’s third
convert of the game made it 27-22 Saskatchewan.
Toronto’s cause briefly gained new life when Michael Palmer appeared to
fumble a caught pass at midfield but the officials ruled the play was
dead before the ball hit the ground. A single from Boreham gave the
Riders a 28-22 lead and the Argonauts possession on their own 35, but
they were unable to make it past the Riders’ 47-yard line in the final
minute of play.
Jyles came in to replace starting pivot Darian Durant at 7:55 of the
first quarter after Durant took a heavy hit on a failed passing play.
Durant would return briefly before Jyles took over at the start of the
second quarter. Durant was starting his third straight game in place of
injured starter Marcus Crandell.
Durant was 3-for-5 for 29 yards before leaving the game. Jyles
completed 14 of 18 passes for 201 yards with one touchdown and one
interception.
Joseph led the Argos’ running game with 39 yards and a touchdown on nine plays.
Saskatchewan avoided a near-disaster at the end of the third quarter
when a fumble recovery by Toronto in the Roughriders’ end zone was
negated by a no-yards call against the Argonauts.
Sunday’s game was also marked by a 40-minute rain delay at the end of
the first quarter, brought on by a severe thunderstorm that rolled
through the area.