CFL: The Wild West just got Wilder! (Edition II: Riders v. Lions))

The Game Room
1

The story thus far: last week, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stamps, tied for first place in the standings for the CFL West Division, met to decide the matter. Except they didn’t decide it. The Riders were trailing in the fourth quarter, but managed to come back for a touchdown and a two point conversion, tying the game at 30-30. After two overtime sessions, game was still tied, at 44-44, leaving the Riders and the Stamps still tied for first place: CFL: The Wild West just got Wilder! (Riders v. Stamps).

So going into this weekend’s games, the Stamps and the Riders are still tied for first, with both the B.C. Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos snapping at their heels. And by a quirk in the scheduling, the four western teams are meeting this weekend.

Yesterday, the Stamps and the Esks met, and the Stamps creamed them. Stamps are now alone in first.

Today, the Lions come to Taylor Field. Riders need to win to stay even with the Stamps; if the Lions win, they jump over the Riders into second place. And just to spice things up, the two teams have a long grudge against each other. Piper, Mrs Piper and PiperCub all settle in for a fun time at Tayor Field.

First quarter: Lions score a field goal; Riders nada. May be a long cold game.

Second quarter: Much better. Lions score two field goals, but the Riders score two touchdowns and a field goal. Score now is 17 - 9, Riders. Looking better for Riders fans…

Third quarter: Lions score a touchdown, Riders score a field goal and two singles. Score is 22-16 for the Riders. Still looking good.

Fourth quarter: Rider fans at Taylor Field start to monitor their heart rates. Lions score a touchdown, with an amazing diving catch by Bumpus. Score: 23-22, Lions. Riders don’t do anything all quarter; we all start to have that sinking feeling of a game slipping away from us. Riders start to put together a drive, and then Durant for the Riders throws a pick. Lions run it back for a touchdown. Score: 30-22, Lions. Only a few minutes left in the game. People start filing out.

And then, as I’m looking at the scoreboard, I think: 30-22. The Riders could come back with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, just like last week, to send it to overtime again.

And that’s just what they did! With less than two minutes to go, Durant hits Quinn in the end-zone, and it’s 30-28. And then a pass to Getzlaf, and it’s 30-30, with about a minute to go.

Unlike last week, however, there’s a bit more time left. The Lions go two and out; the Riders march it down the field; they’re in field goal range. Congi lines up for the Riders; the Lions put three men in the end-zone to kick the ball out if he misses. Congi kicks for the game - and he hits the uprights! Ball falls dead, and we’re into overtime, for the second week in a row, with exactly the same score: 30-30. What are the odds?!?

Riders start the Overtime. And sputter. All they achieve is a field goal. And then the Lions come on. We’re all on our feet. We yell. They take a procedure penalty, not able to hear the QB. We yell some more; they take another procedure penalty. And then Printers winds up, in pressure from the Riders defence, and throws straight to Jeroy Simons in the end-zone. Everyone holds their breath…

And out of nowhere, Patrick for the Riders pops up and snags the ball in the end-zone! Game over! Riders win, 33 - 30!!!

So, net result is that the Riders and the Stamps are still tied in first, but have gained two points each on the Lions and the Esks. Stamps play the Lions next week, but it’s looking like the season won’t be decided until the last game of the year, in two weeks, at Taylor Field: Stamps v. Riders.

The Pipers will be there…


	        1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Final
BC	         3	 6	7	14	0	30
Saskatchewan	 0      17	5	8	3	33
2

I wish CFL was broadcast in the US. I have room for another sport to obsess over.

3

the games aren’t available live, but they are on the internet after the game. so if you can avoid the temptation to see who won, you can watch them on delay.

http://www.cfl.ca/page/webcast-schedule

4

It was a great game. I couldn’t believe that people were leaving at 30-22.

I think that this game is for first place regardless of what happens this week. Whichever team wins will get the tiebreaker over the other team.

5

Except I think that if the Riders play it to a tie, they scoop first place because they have one win against the Stamps earlier in the season, which they won by one point. The Stamps have to win the game by by two points to have a better record than the Riders.

6

Yeah, with a tie the Riders will still have the tiebreaker. If Calgary wins by 1, then the season series is completely tied, so they go to the next tiebreaker which is division record, and Calgary wins that.