WINNIPEG (CP) — Charles Roberts rushed for a trio of one-yard touchdowns as the Blue Bombers halted the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ winning streak at five games with a 34-15 rout on Sunday.
The victory in front of a fifth straight sellout crowd at Canad Inns Stadium – added seats boosted the crowd to 29,783 – kept Winnipeg in top spot in the CFL East Division with a 6-3-1 record.
The ‘Riders go to 7-3 but still remain in first place in the West Division after Montreal (6-4-0) defeated B.C. (6-3-1) earlier in the day. Roberts ended up with 98 yards on 22 carries. Saskatchewan’s defence still hasn’t given up more than 100 yards rushing in a game this season.
The victory was revenge for Winnipeg’s defence, which allowed the ‘Riders to score the winning TD with six seconds left in last weekend’s 31-26 Labour Day Classic.
Milt Stegall caught his 141st career TD and Troy Westwood booted a pair of 12-yard field goals to round out Winnipeg’s Banjo Bowl scoring.
Saskatchewan’s points came off a two-yard TD run by Wes Cates and a 60-yard punt single from Jamie Boreham in the second quarter and an 11-yard TD reception by D.J. Flick late in the fourth.
Bomber quarterback Kevin Glenn completed 21 of 31 pass attempts for 279 yards and one interception before he was relieved late in the fourth quarter by Ryan Dinwiddie.
Kerry Joseph was 11-of-17 for 103 yards for Saskatchewan and was replaced in the fourth quarter by Marcus Crandell, who threw the TD pass to Flick. He was 9-of-15 for 146 yards.
For the first time this season, the Bombers scored more than eight points in the first quarter.
Winnipeg’s first two drives ended in a Westwood field goal and Roberts’ first TD for a 10-0 lead that held through the end of the quarter.
Saskatchewan finished a 10-play, 85-yard drive eight seconds into the second quarter with Cates’ TD plunge.
Winnipeg’s third possession of the game also ended with points when a `Rider pass interference penalty helped the Bombers march down the field for Roberts’ second TD run.
Glenn threw his first interception in seven games, a pick by Jermaine Chatman that eventually led to Boreham’s punt single and a 17-8 score at 12:38.
A fake field goal by Winnipeg – a direct snap to holder Jamie Stoddard and his nine-yard scamper – gave the Bombers a second chance that led to Stegall’s eight-yard TD catch.
The Bombers were ahead 24-8 at halftime, scoring on four of their five first-half possessions. Winnipeg had 22 first downs in the first half compared to four for Saskatchewan.
Roberts’ third TD – his 12th of the season – at 3:47 was the only scoring of the third quarter.
Westwood kicked his second field goal 1:19 into the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to 34-8.
Crandell connected with Flick for Saskatchewan’s only TD of the game at 12:58.
Notes: Bomber quarterback Kevin Glenn moved past Don Jonas into fifth place on the Bomber all-time passing yardage list with 12,376 yards.
