Roughriders fans just as guilty as team in shocking loss

The fans are as guilty as the Roughriders in a shocking loss Friday night.

When Tyler Crapigna kicked his sixth field goal of the night with six minutes to go in the game, many fans from the sellout crowd figured they had shivered long enough.

The Roughriders were up by 12, the game was seemingly in the bag, and the temperature was well below freezing.

Unfortunately, the Riders themselves checked out a little too early as well.

Two Redblacks touchdowns in the last two-and-a-half minutes lifted Ottawa to a 33-32 victory, denying the Roughriders a chance to clinch an elusive playoff berth this weekend.

"Yup, too many field goals not enough touchdowns," said a frustrated quarterback Kevin Glenn, moments after what must have felt like a kick in the gut.

"If we score touchdowns, that game is a different story."

The story which should have been written was all about head coach and GM Chris Jones, and the masterful job he has done rebuilding the organization from scratch.

It was earlier than this last year — in fact, Thanksgiving weekend — the Roughriders were put out of their misery, officially erased from the CFL playoff picture with four games still to play.

Over Thanksgiving turkey a year ago, Riders fans wanted to carve up and sacrifice Chris Jones — the architect of another forgettable campaign in Saskatchewan.

The Riders' boss of all things, even though it was his first year in charge, had no semblance of a plan.

He blew away the franchise record for most players used in a single season.

In fact, in 2016, more than 200 players were a part of the Riders organization, for at least a day, as Jones seemed desperate, auditioning anyone with football experience.

This year, after 14 weeks, we could say there is a plan and it's coming together.

Coming off two road wins out east, the Riders record was eight and six. Friday's game at home against the Redblacks should have been a walk.

It was, until about three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Suddenly, it fell apart — two Ottawa majors, compliments of the Riders, surrendering costly penalties and third-down conversions, including a fake punt.

The defence can't blame it on being tired, either, as the Riders offence controlled the ball for nearly three-quarters of the game.

As much as they love their pint-sized kicker, the Riders saw a little too much of Crapigna Friday night.

Still, six field goals and two touchdowns should have been enough.

"We get a turnover with four minutes, five minutes left to go and the game's probably over," said Jones, after being asked how they let it slip away.

"But we take a penalty to extend a drive and then we can't cover them in man coverage, so you watched the same game I did," which ended the shortest Chris Jones post-game media conference of the season.

Duron Carter, on the other hand, was his chatty self.

The Riders' multi-talented receiver with the heart of a child had himself a 230-yard night with 11 catches.

"I was on fire, just like playing NBA Jam. I couldn't miss, I had the blue flame going on under me — that's just how I felt. I couldn't drop anything," said Carter, who passed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his four-year CFL career.

While the rest of his teammates were trying to come to grips with how they could blow a game like that, the always-smiling Carter was talking about cookies.

"That's football. That's life. You can't break a cookie evenly down the middle, that's what they say. That's how the cookie crumbles."

Any other player who talked and smiled like that after a loss might not go over too well with teammates.

But that's just Duron.

"I had a very good game but I'm very upset right now. I guess it's a nervous reaction. When I'm very upset, I guess I just smile."

Riders fans should probably try the same.

After all, they are a heck of a lot better off than they were this time a year ago.