‘This season was a failure’: Roughriders season over after 29-26 loss to Argonauts

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The Saskatchewan Roughriders season abruptly got here to an finish on Saturday. 

With a 29-26 loss to the Toronto Argonauts in Week 20 of the CFL season, the Riders had been formally eradicated from playoff rivalry in entrance of 24,158 followers at Mosaic Stadium. 

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After the Calgary Stampeders improved to 6-11 on Friday night time with a 41-16 win over the B.C. Lions, Saturday’s contest grew to become a must-win sport for Saskatchewan.

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For the reason that Stampeders clinched the season sequence between the 2 groups, Calgary secures the third and closing playoff spot within the West Division standings, which suggests the Riders — who end the 2023 season with seven straight losses and a 6-12 report — are carried out. 

“I really feel unhealthy for the boys in that locker room as a result of they labored their tails off this yr,” Riders’ head coach Craig Dickenson instructed reporters after the sport. “They got here to work each day with perspective, desirous to be there, desirous to do extra. 

“I believe we had actually excessive expectations, excessive hopes this yr and I do know we labored actually arduous this low season to attempt to get the suitable guys, the suitable character and the suitable skillset and I believe we did that for essentially the most half. It simply felt like we had been that shut the entire season and simply couldn’t for some motive recover from the hump. 

“Right now I assumed was much like a number of video games the place we performed effectively for most likely 50 minutes of it however had spurts right here or there the place we let it get away.” 

The Riders put up stable offensive passing numbers on Saturday as quarterback Jake Dolegala accomplished 30-of-45 passes for 429 yards with two touchdowns, whereas receivers Samuel Emilus (seven catches for 137 yards) and Shawn Bane Jr. (eight catches for 136 yards) every went over the 1,000-yard mark on the season.

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However Dolegala additionally had two interceptions and couldn’t engineer scoring drives when the Riders wanted one within the fourth quarter on Saturday after Toronto took the lead. 

“We had a number of explosives, I assumed we did respectable within the purple zone,” mentioned Dolegala. “Turned the ball over, clearly that damage.”

And after choosing up two wins in his first two begins this season in Weeks 11 and 12, it appeared the Riders had been greater than on their method to the post-season. However seven straight losses following these wins and the Riders are actually on the surface trying in. 

“It’s brutal to be sincere,” mentioned Dolegala. “We had been in it for some time there and simply felt like nothing might actually go our approach. 

“It was a mixture of a number of issues. Every sport was totally different however, in some facets, it felt the identical. 

“Simply not adequate soccer.” 

The Riders had a number of possibilities to clinch a playoff spot, together with in Week 19 in opposition to Calgary, however did not get the job carried out, as they watched the Stampeders leapfrog them within the standings in a matter of weeks. 

“We had the chips fall our approach and we didn’t capitalize,” mentioned Riders’ defensive lineman Micah Johnson, who has by no means missed the playoffs in his seven-year CFL profession. “It’s been powerful. We’re annoyed.” 

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“Tremendous irritating as a result of we’re so gifted,” mentioned Bane Jr. “It’s arduous to come back in day after day and never have the ability to see the fruit of your labour. 

“It’s what it’s. We’ve received to maintain pushing nevertheless it’s positively tough.” 

The 6-12 report and seven-game dropping streak to finish the season is equivalent to what the crew went via final yr. And though loads of modifications had been made this low season, the consequence was the identical. 

“Like deja-vu,” mentioned linebacker Larry Dean. “We simply got here up brief. 

“We had been greater than succesful however on the finish of day, you possibly can’t simply discuss it, it’s a must to do it and capitalize on it.” 

“It was a unique crew, however we didn’t win any extra video games,” mentioned Dickenson. “We felt just like the method was to get somewhat higher character-wise and I felt we did. We tried to place somewhat extra emphasis on the offensive line, which I felt like we did.  

“However it didn’t translate into wins so on the finish of the day, this season was a failure. We didn’t get the place we wished to.” 

Now the Riders head into the low season with loads of questions and to date, not many solutions. 

There are various pending free agent gamers like Dolegala, Bane Jr. and Dean. Dickenson’s contract can be up on the finish of the season and he’s undecided what subsequent yr seems to be like. 

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“The those who make the choices will make the choices and I respect no matter route they determine to go,” mentioned Dickenson. “I’ve loved each minute right here and I hope to proceed to teach right here but when that’s not the best way they go, then I go away with no regrets.” 

Recreation abstract 

The Riders opened the scoring early on Saturday. After Kian Schaffer-Baker caught a deflected 39-yard go from Dolegala on the primary offensive play of the sport, the Riders had been shortly in scoring place. 

After a first-down go to Emilus, Dolegala went again to Schaffer-Baker for a 16-yard landing strike. 

With the convert, the Riders led 7-0 simply two minutes into the sport. 

On Toronto’s second drive of the sport, the Argos responded with a six-play, 62-yard drive capped off by a three-yard dashing landing by AJ Oullette to make it a 7-7 sport. 

Brett Lauther kicked a 31-yard discipline aim for Saskatchewan to place the Riders up 10-7 earlier than Saskatchewan received a spark from their defence. 

With Toronto driving down the sector, defensive finish Bryan Cox Jr. sacked Argos’ quarterback Chad Kelly and proceeded to get well the fumble. 

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On the subsequent play, Dolegala discovered Emilus for a 51-yard acquire — which put Emilus over the 1,000-yard mark on the season — placing the Riders in putting distance. 

Nonetheless, the Riders couldn’t capitalize as Dolegala was intercepted ultimately zone by Toronto defensive again Qwan’Tez Stiggers. 

After Toronto punted it away, Dolegala appeared to make up for that turnover. He began off with a 44-yard go to Bane Jr. — which put Bane Jr. over 1,000 receiving yards for the season — earlier than he discovered Emilus ultimately zone for the 35-yard landing to make it 17-7 Riders. 

The Argos kicked a discipline aim to make it 17-10, earlier than including one other rating earlier than the half, as Kelly discovered Damonte Coxie, who beat Nic Marshall, for a 50-yard landing. 

The convert was missed because the Riders led 17-16 on the half. 

After the Argos took the 19-17 lead with a discipline aim early within the third quarter, the Riders responded with a 11-play, 55-yard landing drive as short-yardage quarterback Antonio Pipkin plunged in from two yards out. An unsuccessful two-point convert made it a 23-19 sport. 

On Saskatchewan’s subsequent possession, receiver Jerreth Sterns fumbled the ball and it was scooped up by the Argos, who proceeded to kick a 33-yard discipline aim to make it 23-22 with 13:50 to go within the sport. 

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The Riders kicked a discipline aim of their very own on the subsequent drive, as Lauther was good from 48 yards out to make it 26-22 for Saskatchewan. 

The Argos marched it down the sector to the Saskatchewan 14-yard line however elected to not kick a discipline aim, as a substitute turning it over on downs after an unsuccessful third-down gamble with 4 minutes to go. 

After Saskatchewan punted it away, Argos’ backup QB Cameron Dukes marched Toronto 67 yards down the sector earlier than working again Dan Adeboboye scored from 5 yards out to provide the Argos the 29-26 lead with 57 seconds to go. 

The Riders received the ball again on their 45-yard line with 52 seconds to go, needing three factors to tie, however Dolegala was intercepted on his first go of the drive. 

Saskatchewan’s defence would pressure a fast two-and-out, giving the Riders the ball again on theis six-yard line with 29 seconds to go, however Dolegala couldn’t engineer a miracle drive, as Saskatchewan’s season got here to an finish. 

tshire@postmedia.com

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