VANCOUVER , B.C. — The Saskatchewan Roughriders put the “D” in “Domination” against the B.C. Lions.
The Green and White set the defensive tone early en route to registering a decisive 45-18 CFL victory before an announced crowd of 20,095 at BC Place on Saturday.
The Riders blitzed quarterback Mike Reilly twice on B.C.’s opening possession. Safety Mike Edem pressured Reilly into hurrying the first pass attempt, which was incomplete. Former Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian then sacked Reilly for a nine-yard loss, backing up B.C. to its 22-yard line.
Six plays after the Roughriders began their first possession at B.C.’s 54, Gabe Ferraro opened the scoring with a 48-yard field goal at 4:28 of the first quarter. The Riders never relinquished the lead while improving their record to 3-3.
“It was so awesome to see (the defensive effort),” Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo said. “Our defence gave us a great opportunity to win this game. It put our special teams in good situations and gave us good field position.
“Anytime you have a defence rolling like that, it makes it easier for us offensively.”
Saskatchewan’s defence didn’t let up. B.C.’s opening three possessions ended with either a punt (on two occasions) or a safety touch. Seun Idowu sacked Reilly before punter Josh Bartel conceded a safety to give the Riders a 5-0 lead.
Loucheiz Purifoy returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. Ferraro’s convert gave the Riders a 12-0 lead at 10:12 of the first quarter.
“We knew they would come out fighting and we were going to take the fight to them, or at least try,” Riders head coach Craig Dickenson said. “That’s why we elected to defer. Well, we didn’t even have to (defer) because they took the ball, but we would have deferred.
“We wanted to be on defence first and really try to set in motion the game plan, which is to be physical.”
Saskatchewan registered four sacks, courtesy of Elimimian, Idowu, Zack Evans and Makana Henry.
Reilly has now been sacked a league-high 25 times. Charleston Hughes, who leads the CFL with eight sacks, was held off the stats sheet Saturday after getting three sacks in the Riders’ 38-25 win over the visiting Lions on July 20.
“(Hughes) was still getting there,” Evans said. “It doesn’t matter who shines, it’s just that one or two of us who needs to shine every game. As a defensive line, we set the tone for every game. If we’re on it, then the whole team is on it.”
The trickle-down effect was noted by members of the offence.
“It’s amazing what that means,” right offensive tackle Thaddeus Coleman said after the Roughriders did not allow a sack for the second consecutive game. “That gives the offensive line confidence when you see our defensive line getting after their offensive line. It inspires us to make sure that their defensive line doesn’t get going the whole game.”
Saskatchewan’s defence kept Reilly from doing much. The highest-paid player in the CFL, at $725,000 a season, completed eight of 19 passes for 66 yards and no touchdowns. That performance came after he threw for 346 yards on July 20, when he passed for one TD and ran for another major.
“The defensive line did a great job of making him move off the spot,” Edem said. “The back end did a good job of holding their receivers and making plays on the football.”
The loss was the third straight for the Lions, who carry a 1-6 record into a bye week.
“We were just a little bit off for different reasons on pretty much every play,” Reilly told reporters. “Sometimes we show up and play pretty well together. Other days, we can’t get on the same page to save our lives.”
Saturday’s score flattered the Lions, who registered both of their touchdowns on special teams.
Former Rider Ryan Lankford scored on a missed field goal return (118 yards) and a kickoff return (89).
“We just got lackadaisical,” said Dickenson, who doubles as the Riders’ special-teams co-ordinator. “I talked to the guys about that and they know it too.
“We’re doing a great job and we have our foot on the pedal and it’s go, go, go. We get a little bit of a lead and then we relax.
“It’s a good lesson for our guys. In pro football, don’t ever get too happy because that will happen.”
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
