Le ROUGE et NOIR égalisent avec les Roughriders dans une drôle de fin de match

For the rest of your life, you might never see a weirder, more confusing, or twisted ending to a football game. The Ottawa REDBLACKS battled the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 22-22 tie on Thursday night, in a game that was seemingly over at least three different times.

The REDBLACKS and Riders spent much of the first half kicking the ball back and forth to one another, exchanging punts as the rain pelted the TD Place turf. A low hit in the second quarter knocked REDBLACKS’ pivot Dru Brown out of the game, leaving Dustin Crum to finish the night.

Jovan Santos-Knox and Alijah McGhee both snagged interceptions in the second quarter, as well, but the REDBLACKS’ offence couldn’t capitalize with more than a field goal, which they kicked with under 30 seconds to go in the half.

Quickly, the Riders made their way down the field, and with zeros on the clock, they booted three of their own through the uprights, levelling the game at three heading into the locker room.

With the third quarter ticking along, the REDBLACKS broke the seal with another field goal, before they added a single just a few minutes later, pushing the lead up to four points.

In the fourth, the REDBLACKS kicked yet another field goal, taking a seven-point lead, but the Riders had an answer. With under two minutes to go, they found paydirt to tie the game, and just over a minute later, they took the lead on a field goal, capitalizing on a late interception.

Crum and the REDBLACKS’ offence took the field desperate for an answer, and as time ran down, they marched their way down the field. Life was breathed into the TD Place crowd with a 22-yard pickup on third down. Ottawa moved into field goal range, and Lewis Ward banged it through, sending the game to overtime.

The REDBLACKS started first on offence, and scored a touchdown on a physical run from Crum, but they didn’t convert on the two-point attempt. Needing a stop for the win, the REDBLACKS forced a turnover on downs, but the Riders challenged it for pass interference, which they won.

With new life, they scored a touchdown on the very next play to tie things up once again, but they too failed to convert their two-point attempt, setting up the second and final overtime period.

The Riders began the second overtime period with a field goal, as the REDBLACKS’ defence stood tall once more. Needing a touchdown to win, Crum was sacked on first down, and again on second down. He fumbled, and it was recovered by the Riders, seemingly culminating in the first home loss of the season.

That was until the officials notified the sideline that there was a roughing the passer call on the second down sack, giving Ottawa new hope. Still, it wasn’t enough to earn a victory, and they settled for a field goal, ending the game in a rare tie.

The REDBLACKS are back on the field next Thursday night in Calgary, for their rematch with the Stampeders.