Saskatchewan stays perfect at home in win over Winnipeg

CFL.ca Staff

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders defence dominated in a Division battle that kept the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a single-digit score Friday night.

In his third-straight start, Riders quarterback Shea Patterson led the team to a 19-9 victory at Mosaic Stadium. The pivot completed 17 of 25 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown.

Winnipeg starter Zach Collaros completed 20 of 31 passes for 266 yards and one interception. All of Bombers points came off the leg of veteran kicker Sergio Castillo, who added two more 50-plus field goals on the season.

With the win, the Roughriders stay perfect at home and improve to 5-1 on the season while the Bombers drop to 2-5.

Friday marked the first meeting of the West Division rivals in the 2024 campaign with both defences dueling to tie the game 6-6 at the half.

Through the first two quarters, fourth-year Rider defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. had three pass knockdowns, while Jameer Thurman led with five defensive tackles for the Green and White. Winnipeg Blue Bomber Kyrie Wilson led his team with four defensive tackles through 30 minutes.

Former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Malik Carney earned his first sack as a Rider, which was the lone sack of the first half.

Winnipeg kicked off scoring on the opening drive with a 35-yard field goal from Sergio Castillo. Ten minutes later, Saskatchewan kicker Brett Lauther responded with a 28-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3.

It was déjà vu in the second quarter with Castillo regaining the lead on a 56-yard boot. Lauther returned the favour again, tying the game with a 41-yard field goal.

Winnipeg’s confidence in Castillo led to a 61-yard attempt, which fell short, with just over a minute left in the second quarter.

Coming into the third quarter, the Riders were without Patterson’s favourite first-half target: Kian Schaffer-Baker. The fourth-year Canadian receiver made four of eight receptions for 60 yards before leaving the game due to an injury.

Saskatchewan rookie Ajou Ajou filled in for Schaffer-Baker, making two receptions — both for first yards — in the game’s first touchdown drive. Patterson connected with rookie fullback Clint Ratkovich on a 15-yard pass for his first CFL major.

Ajou finished the night with a stand-out second half performance making four of five receptions for 110 yards, his longest being a 46-yard gain. He had a game-leading 70 yards after the catch, three more than Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira.

Rolling with momentum, former Ottawa REDBLACKS linebacker Adam Auclair caught the only interception of the night and his first as a Rider.

On the next drive, Winnipeg defensive end Willie Jefferson got the Bombers’ lone sack for a loss of 16 yards that ultimately kept the Riders to a field goal to start the fourth quarter.

The Riders defence put on the pressure to close out the final frame, with Marcus Sayles adding a forced fumble to his three defensive tackles on the night. Thurman led the team in tackles with six, while Winnipeg cornerback Evan Holm tallied a game-leading eight.

Lauther capped the night with another 30-plus yard field goal for a 19-9 final.

While the Bombers had a slight edge on passing yards, 266 to 261, the Riders defence held Winnipeg to 65 yards rushing while Saskatchewan’s offence generated 135 yards on the ground.

Oliveira had nine carries for 49 yards, averaging 4.5 with a 16-yard rush as his longest. Saskatchewan’s AJ Ouellette put together 17 carries for 88 yards, while Patterson averaged 8.8 yards on four carries for 35 yards.

Up next, the Saskatchewan Roughriders open Week 8 action in the CFL with a trip to face the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, July 25. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.

Winnipeg will get an extra day of rest with a Saturday matchup at BMO Field to take on the Toronto Argonauts. That game gets underway 7:00 p.m. ET on July 27.

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