'Bend but don't break': Defence helps Riders edge Elks in season opener

Riders beat Elks in season opener WATCH: The Riders beat the Edmonton Elks 17-13 on Sunday in the season opener.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are 1-0 on the 2023 campaign after slipping past the Edmonton Elks 17-13 on Sunday in the Alberta capital, thanks to a remarkable goal-line stand.

Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson called it the ‘series of the game’ A late fourth quarter goal-line stand on the one-yard line gave the green and white the ball back with under five minutes to play in a tight hard-fought contest on Sunday in Edmonton.

“It was outstanding.” Said coach Dickenson after the game. “We’re happy with the win. We’ll celebrate wins anytime we can get them.”

Rolan Milligan Jr., who made the third and series ending tackle in that goal-line stand said it breeds confidence throughout the entire team.

“Bend but don’t break. We knew the closer they got to the goal line they were going to run the quarterback sneak, so it was just a matter of who was going to be more physical,” he said.

New Riders starting quarterback Trevor Harris was also impressed. “You don’t see three plays in a row from the one yard line get stuffed like that, I think I’ve only seen it once since I came up here in 2012. You just shake your head and say, 'Man, we don’t deserve these guys.'”

Derel Walker provided the team’s lone touchdown on a four yard strike from Trevor Harris just under six minutes into the contest.

The Elks got their first points off the foot of soccer player turned football kicker Dean Faithfull from 17-yards out. Edmonton took the lead on a huge play to open the second quarter when quarterback Taylor Cornelius fired downfield to Eugene Lewis, who won a jump ball, and trotted downfield for a 102-yard score.

Saskatchewan’s Brett Lauther tied the game with a 13-yard field goal to send the teams to the locker room tied at 10 at halftime.

Trevor Harris’ tenure as starter in Rider Nation didn’t exactly start as he’d have hoped on a personal level. “I think that’s the poorest I’ve played in a victory in my life” said Harris after the game. The veteran pivot completed 20 of 33 passes for 179 yards, 1 touchdown and a pair of interceptions in the win.

Following the goal line stand with just over four minutes to play in the contest, the Riders were able to chew up serious time on the clock with their run game. Jamal Morrow, who hadn’t been able to gain any real ground through the first three quarters, found room to run. Morrow finished the game with 80 yards on 14 attempts including a 28 yard scamper during the game’s final few minutes.

The final play of the game may have been the scariest for fans of the green-and-white. Trevor Harris took the snap, rolled out of the pocket and was hit as he threw downfield. The 37-year- old remained on the turf for a couple of moments, appearing to be in serious pain, before walking gingerly off the field.

“Not too great right now. [I’m] hoping it loosens up a bit here.” Said Harris when asked how he was feeling post game.

Head coach Craig Dickenson too was asked why he decided to have his quarterback throw on the run with the game seemingly in-hand. “Trevor knows the play and he knows he’s gotta get [the ball] out of his hand before he gets hit. He’s fine,” said Dickenson of his star QB, adding that the thought process was to chew up more time on the clock to leave Edmonton without an opportunity to drive the field.

“I was just proud of our guys, we missed a lot of opportunities in this game. Offensively there’s a lot to learn from, we’ll watch the film and try to get better” Dickenson said.

The Roughriders will face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night at Mosaic Stadium.