Na-na-na-boo-boo!
That's all of Rider Nation answering the skeptics in the league as we stand alone atop the standings. This Rider team is for real, people. Failure to take them seriously will bring disastrous results.
Wow!
It came down to the wire. It was a close hard-fought battle the whole way, but in the end the Riders prevailed 23-20. It was an exciting game for sure. Just watching the return game would be reason enough to stand up and cheer.
Tristan Jackson (38) killed the returns today. He took one missed field goal attempt by McCallum and ran it out to the 55 yard line. Like wow. When was the last time you got to your feet to cheer a kick return? That was textbook.
But that was nothing, because to start off the fourth quarter McCallum missed ANOTHER field goal (more on that in a bit) and T-Jack grabs it. For a second everyone thought he was going to take a knee and give up a safety (1 point) and in an interview after the game, he said he was planning to just that. But when he saw some good blocks setting up down field he bolted.
And blasted 129 yards to the opposite end zone for a touchdown.
Boom!
I would have loved to have been in Mosaic at that moment. The fans went insane. I was doing my best not to scream my head off. (The Hubster was on the phone regarding work.) Five long years Rider fans have waited for a kick returner to "take it to the house". And T-Jack finally ended the drought. Ka-bam!
I texted my brother-in-law at a wedding so he could spread the news to Rider fans. (Who schedules a wedding during a Rider game anyway?)
Of course, all of Rider Nation held our breath when Rob Bagg (6) went down in the second quarter. I cringed as I watched the replay and saw his leg crumple underneath him. After fighting his way back from a knee injury all of last season, I couldn't help but fear it could be all undone. Turns out it was the opposite leg to his injuries and he was right back in the thick of things three plays later. He played the rest of the game and looked a-okay. Whew!
Do you have your "Holy Sheets" t-shirt yet? (Check them out here.) Like wow. Sheets (1) tears through defensive lines. Not a stellar game for number 1, but with 15 carries and 76 yards, he's just so much fun to watch.
Top receiver of the day was Jordan Sisco (12) with 53 yards. Nice job for the former Regina Ram. Not much to brag about, but he made some great catches. Whether he stays as a starter or not, it's nice to know we've got Canadian depth at wide receiver position.
I need to give a shout out to Tyron Brackenridge (41). I haven't mentioned him and I have been re-miss. This guy has really been impressing me the last two games and today was no different. Watching him ring Geroy Simon's bell almost made me wish "superman" would get the ball more often. Brackenridge could make receivers regret catching the ball, there's no doubt.
And Craig Butler (28) rocks. Second game in a row with an interception. QBs better start watching for this guy, because he seems to be able to get his paws on the pig when it's needed. It's a matter of time before he snags a pick six.
Speaking of mitts in the air... Odell Willis (11) had some great knock downs today as well. I think it's safe to say our defense really rattled Lulay. We might not have sacked him, but we kept up pressure and held this potent QB to only 20 points. (Is Lulay not unreal when it comes to getting out of pressure? He's going to be in B.C. for a long, long time.)
And speaking of B.C. I'm going to give a special shout out to Lions kicker McCallum. Thanks for the help today, buddy. Without you missing the mark twice, the game would have been very different. As you could plainly tell, Rider fans appreciate your contribution.
I'm not even going to speak about the officiating. There were so many blown calls (going either way) that I would be here all day if I chose to talk about the refs. It is one of those things you just have to live with in football.
So hats off again to a total team effort. They had the Green and White prepared. The defense did what they had to do. The offense moved the ball (only two two-and-outs). And special teams killed it. A 42-man victory. Only 15 more to go.
And btw... only 43 more regular season games left in Mosaic stadium. More on that in my next post. Til then...
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
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