Riders can’t answer Bombers, give up 54 points in Banjo Bowl loss

The Saskatchewan Roughriders didn’t have much of an answer for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Saturday’s Banjo Bowl.

The top team in the CFL handled business at home, scoring points on its first eight drives in the game — six touchdowns and two field goals — and won 54-20 in a CFL game at IG Field.

Perhaps as an omen for what would occur, about 15 members of the Riders had to be relegated to backup duty or taken off the game-day roster prior to the game due to a stomach illness that spread through the team.

“I have a lot of heart for those guys. Our entire offensive line was sick and they were giving them a bunch of IVs to get them on the field,” said quarterback Cody Fajardo. “There’s a lot of guys that gutted that game out and for us to perform as well as we did going into the first half, we knew a four-quarter game was going to be tough.

“Those guys didn’t eat since we left Regina.”

Head coach Craig Dickenson wasn’t immune to the illness, saying he started feeling it around 9 p.m. on Friday night.

“I don’t know what it was but we had it run through our team and it was a nasty one,” Dickenson said. “That group in there gutted it out. We’re not happy with the score and we feel like we’re a better team than that.

“That was a depleted group in there and the ones that were playing, half of them were sick. You’re going to need your best team and your guys healthy to even stay with Winnipeg, let alone beat them at their place.”

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo (7) reacts after Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Jackson Jeffcoat (94) recovers his fumble during the second half of CFL football action in Winnipeg on Sept. 10, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)

While the Riders’ O-line battled an illness, they also had to duel with a Winnipeg pass rush that had four sacks in the contest.

The Bombers (12-1-0) swept a home-and-home series from the Roughriders (6-7-0). Saskatchewan lost 20-18 in the Labour Day Classic last Sunday.

Once again, penalties proved to be an issue for the Riders against the Bombers. After getting flagged 12 times for 99 yards in the first meeting between the two clubs, the Riders had 14 penalties for 141 yards Saturday.

“We have to find a way to nip the penalties in the bud and just continue to go out. Their crowd did a great job making it hard on our offence and (to) communicate,” Fajardo said. “I just can’t reiterate enough how proud I am of our guys.”

Fajardo completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 124 yards — an average of 8.2 yards a completion. Fajardo had a rushing touchdown in the game as well.

With the Bombers up 47-20 late in the fourth quarter, Jake Dolegala was called into game action.

Dolegala wasn’t originally slated to dress for the game, but Mason Fine was one of the players who was a late scratch due to the illness.

Dolegala went 3-for-7 passing for 23 yards and an interception.

The Riders got a boost to begin the second half with Mario Alford returning the opening kickoff with a 92-yard touchdown return.

“It was nice. The best thing for an offence is to see a guy run down the field and score,” Fajardo said. “He’s an electric guy.”

Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros went 21-for-25 passing for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Short-yardage quarterback Dakota Prukop had two rushing touchdowns.

Bombers slotback Nic Demski caught two touchdowns from Collaros and finished with 71 yards receiving. Dalton Schoen, Rasheed Bailey and Brenden O’Leary-Orange also had touchdown receptions for Winnipeg.

With a big lead, Dru Brown eventually replaced Collaros. Brown completed one pass for 11 yards and a touchdown.

“They played really well. That was the best I’ve seen Winnipeg play on offence all year,” Dickenson said.

The Riders will now turn their attention to the Edmonton Elks on Friday and will look to do something that has been tough to do recently — win at home. Saskatchewan has dropped its last four home games at Mosaic Stadium, with its last home win being a 28-13 decision over the Ottawa Redblacks on July 8.

“We have to find a way to win at home and give our fans something to cheer about — it feels like forever since we’ve won a home game so that’s our goal this week,” Fajardo said. “Go home, win in front of our crowd, and head into the bye week with some momentum.”