Nic Marshall’s interception talents surfaced at the right time for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a 29-26 overtime win Saturday over the host Calgary Stampeders.
Marshall picked off Stampeder quarterback Jake Maier targeting Tre Odoms-Dukes in the end zone for the winning touchdown.
Marshall’s five career TD interceptions is a Saskatchewan franchise record. His pick Saturday night wasn’t for a major, but it was pivotal in sealing the win for the visitors, who stormed McMahon Stadium’s turf in celebration.
“It’s like we snatched victory away from the jaws of defeat, so to speak, and so it was a nice play by Nic,” Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson said. “And it felt like a real comeback game for Nic because he had some moments there, he struggled.
“But he’s got ball skills. If you just throw it up around him, he will go up and get it.”
Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris threw a touchdown pass to Tevin Jones and completed 20 of 30 pass attempts for 273 yards and one interception.
“It’s the mark of a good team when we’re still building into the team that we’re going to be, we’re able to win games like this,” said the 37-year-old quarterback.
His backup Shea Patterson scored a pair of short-yardage touchdowns for Saskatchewan (2-1). Running back Jamal Morrow rushed for 133 yards.
Brett Lauther kicked a field goal from 18 yards and was successful from both 38 and 20 yards in overtime, but he was wide on a 52-yard attempt in the second quarter.
Because of a bye week and a pair of road games, it will be almost a month before Calgary (1-2) gets another shot at its first home win of 2023.
Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes’ four field goals gave him a career 502. He’s the eighth CFL kicker to reach the 500 mark.
Paredes was good from 47 and 46 yards and tied a career-long 53-yarder with 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime in front of an announced 24,923 at McMahon Stadium.
The veteran kicked a 23-yard field goal in overtime. Malik Henry caught a touchdown pass for the Stampeders and amassed 92 receiving yards in the game, but left the game in discomfort in the fourth quarter.
Maier scored a three-yard rushing touchdown and was 18 of 35 in passing for 288 yards and one touchdown throw. He was intercepted three times.
The 26-year-old didn’t regret throwing to Odoms-Dukes on a second-and-seven from Saskatchewan’s 18-yard line in OT, because he felt the slotback got behind coverage. Maier regretted the outcome.
“As soon as it left my hand I thought ‘we won the game’. It didn’t feel short out of my hand at all,” the quarterback said. “I think it was Nic Marshall, who made a great play. I just felt like that was the opportunity to go win it and it fell short.”
Had Maier thrown an incompletion, Calgary would have tried a field goal for the tie, but didn’t get the chance because of the interception.
“Complete jubilation,” Harris said. “Getting a tie is like, what is it, like kissing your sister or something they say? Then our defence came up with a play.”
Said Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, who is Craig’s younger brother: “I don’t play for ties. I want to win. I’m comfortable trying to win games.”
Both clubs heading into the first of their three bye weeks played depleted rosters Saturday due to injuries. Saskatchewan made 10 lineup changes from a loss to Winnipeg the previous week.
Calgary was minus top receiver Reggie Begelton and running back Ka’Deem Carey. The attrition continued Saturday.
Along with Henry leaving the game, Calgary’s top returner Peyton Logan needed help getting to the sidelines in the fourth quarter with an apparent left leg or ankle injury.
“We were on the tail tend of our entire roster, but so (were) they. They had a lot of injuries,” said Dave Dickenson.
“We need the bye if we’re this beat up. It is a lot of our superstars. That’s why it would have been so nice to come out with a win. When you get all those injuries and win, it feels like it’s maybe worth it a little more.”
Said Harris: “We’re beat up. This bye week’s going to come at a good time for us so we can get back to being at full strength.”
Calgary led 13-9 midway through the third quarter on Henry’s 52-yard catch and run to score, but the Roughriders regained the lead on Jones’ 44-yard grab and dash on the final play of the quarter.
The Stampeders wasted a first down on Saskatchewan’s 12-yard line in the fourth quarter, when Maier was picked off by Larry Dean throwing to Odoms-Dukes in the end zone.
The Roughriders scored on the following drive with Patterson scoring his second one-yard major of the game. A two-point convert attempt failed, but the visitors still led 23-13.
Maier’s rushing touchdown and a Paredes convert pulled the Stamps within a field goal with five minutes remaining in the game.
Patterson’s short-yardage dive on a third-down play on the following drive was short, so Saskatchewan turned the ball over on Calgary’s nine-yard line.
Maier strung together three passes in a row for the first time in the game to get the Stampeders to midfield. He then left the game with arm discomfort.
Backup Tommy Stevens completed one pass and ran for a yard, which left Paredes looking at a 53-yard attempt to force overtime.
Maier was back on the field for overtime when the Stampeders opened the scoring with a 23-yard Paredes’ field goal. Lauther countered from 38 yards and then 20 on the second series when Marshall’s pick ended the game.
The Roughriders turned an interception into a touchdown to lead 9-6 early in the third quarter.
Julian Howsare’s pass knockdown grabbed by Cam Judge gave the Stampeders the ball at midfield, but Calgary immediately gave the ball back when Maier was intercepted by Rolan Milligan Jr.
Milligan returned the pick 56 yards to get tackled on the one-yard line by Cole Tucker. Patterson finished the job with a one-yard plunge, although Lauther missed his convert try.
The hosts led 6-3 on Paredes’ 47-yard field goal in the second quarter and carried that lead into halftime.
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