REGINA — Dave Dickenson may feel jinxed with challenges but the Calgary Stampeders head coach and general manager nailed two crucial challenges in Friday’s 37-31 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
With Calgary leading 20-13 late in the third quarter, Riders quarterback Trevor Harris connected with KeeSean Johnson on a 15-yard pass. Dickenson challenged for an illegal block downfield and after review, the Riders were penalized for blocking downfield before the pass was thrown. Three plays later, the Riders punted.
Dickenson’s second challenge came midway through the fourth quarter with the Stampeders holding a 27-13 lead. Harris was intercepted by Ashton Miller-Melancon on a deep pass but Calgary’s Zy Alexander was flagged for pass interference. Dickenson challenged the call, which was overturned. The interception stood and Calgary took over on the Saskatchewan 21-yard line.
Five plays later, Jalen Philpot caught a four-yard touchdown to go up 34-13.
“They ended up being good for us, they kept momentum on our side. Obviously, that big interception, I wanted to keep on the board as well, but you never know if you’re going to win them all. I got help from Marcus Howell upstairs, and I was pretty confident,” said Dickenson.
“I was also pretty confident I was going to win the blocking downfield. I saw that one with my own eyes. Those were two pivotal plays that kept our momentum and really kept the ball in our hands.”
The Stampeders registered their third straight victory to continue their hot pursuit of a CFL playoff berth. Calgary improved to 8-8 while the Riders dropped their third straight to fall to 8-7. Saskatchewan could have clinched a playoff berth with a win but the Stampeders instead won the season series to have a tiebreaker over the Riders.
Back in Calgary on Saturday, defensive end Folarin Orimolade said Friday night’s win felt like the post-season had already started.
“It was a great, great environment,” Orimolade said. “We needed it. It was like a playoff-like environment -- playoff for us, do or die, so getting the win was huge.
“Obviously, we want to finish a bit better,” he added, “but it was good all around. (We’re) looking forward to the next one.”
He said the team’s focus was to win one in a row every single week left in the season.
“We win the next two. We’re in for sure. We win the next one with help from Montreal, (and) we’re in for sure again. So we just need to take it one by one. Go one and zero, and let the rest take care of everything else.”
Adams dominant
Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 22 of 29 passes for 242 yards with four touchdowns. It was the seventh game this season that Adams had three or more touchdown passes without an interception.
Dickenson has been impressed by the totality of Adams game this season.
“He had another solid game. To me, he’s doing the little things better and better, but also doing the same things he was doing early with being explosive but still taking care of the football. So those are all good things,” said Dickenson.
“I think we’re very balanced. I think we’ve got five to six guys, and that that makes it hard on defences right now because they really can’t key on anybody. I think Jalen (Philpot) is obviously our leader and has done a lot, but we have guys making plays and taking advantage of opportunities. But Vernon stirs the drink, no doubt about it.”
While the Stampeders have caught steam down the stretch, the Riders have done the opposite. The defence has struggled in recent weeks, and defensive back DeMarcus Fields feels the unit has to find a way to regain its footing.
“We’ve just got to get it together. We’re just trying to find our way to get back to us, and we haven’t been playing to our standard and I think that’s what we need to do, to get back to where we need to be,” said Fields.
“People expect us to do our job, and that’s what we need to do., especially when it comes down to the wire, we need to make the play. That’s what we were doing before, making those plays and we were winning. We need to get back to that.”
Saskatchewan made things interesting in the late stages, scoring three touchdowns in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter. Daniel Wiebe caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Harris with 2:42 remaining, Dhel Duncan-Busby nabbed a five-yard scoring pass with 1:04 left and Johnny Johnson had an eight-yard TD reception on the final play of the game. The Riders failed two-point convert attempts after all three touchdowns.
Dickenson wasn’t pleased with the late touchdowns.
“I didn’t like how we finished,” said Dickenson. “Obviously, that does taint it a bit for me, but I’m not going to let it. I’m going to let the guys celebrate because that’s a huge win on the road against a great team.”
Erik Barnes, Damien Alford and Tevin Jones also scored touchdowns for the Stampeders while Rene Paredes had two field goals.
Kian Schaffer-Baker had a touchdown reception for the Riders in the first quarter. Rookie kicker Dawson Hodge made two of four field goal attempts.
Harris completed 36 of 50 passes for 453 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.
Jeff DeDekker, The Canadian Press with files from CTV News’ Tommy Osborne and Stephen Hunt
