It was a thrilling opening game for the Roughriders at new Mosaic Stadium, but it didn't have the ending the team or the fans wanted.
After storming back in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 37 Tyler Crapigna hit the post on his field goal attempt in second OT leaving the Bombers open to win it. Winnipeg's kicker Justin Medlock did not make the same mistake sealing the 43-40 win for his team.
It was the second straight game that Crapigna's missed field goal cost his team the win. In the locker room afterwards, he didn't have any answers.
“Just unlucky, I don't know what else to say,” he said.
“You make kicks, you miss kicks. Just so happened that I've happened to miss two in the last two games,” he continued.
Overall, Crapigna went 4 for 5 on field goals including a 48 yarder.
“You saw me kick pretty damn well today, so I don't think anything was lingering (from last game), just so happened that I hit the post,” he said.
As for what got the team to that point, there were enough mistakes to go around, including an inconsistent defence that collapsed in the third quarter and some costly turnovers.
Riders quarterback Kevin Glenn took responsibility for the loss, saying he shouldn't have thrown two interceptions.
“It's tough, very tough ... I feel like I let everybody down. I put this one on me, I make two better decisions in that game, we win that game.”
Glenn threw for 377 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss.
The game started out very strong for the green and white. The defence forced two two and outs in the first quarter before Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols' pass to Julian Feoli-Gudino was tipped up instead of caught and fell right into the hands of Riders defensive lineman Jonathan Newsome.
The interception set up a spectacular 36-yard reception by Duron Carter in double coverage before Kevin Glenn found Caleb Holley in the back of the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. The point after put the Riders up 10-0 near the end of the first quarter.
After the touchdown, the Roughriders defence got back at it again and sacked Nichols to force another two and out, but the Bomber defence struck back in the next drive when T.J. Heath intercepted Kevin Glenn setting up an offensive drive for Winnipeg that ended with a field goal.
It was 10-3 halfway through the second quarter.
Consecutive two and outs by the Bombers found the Riders starting a drive on the Winnipeg 43 yard line. Already in field goal range, the Riders headed in for more. Glenn found Demski for a seven-yard gain but was clobbered by Jamaal Westerman who got a roughing the passer penalty. The Riders moved up to the 21-yard line and Glenn found fullback Spencer Moore for a first down before honing in on Bakari Grant for an 11-yard touchdown.
With less than three minutes to in the half the Riders were up 17-3, but as the minutes ticked down the momentum swung in the other direction.
After a series of first downs, the Bombers caught the Riders defence off guard and Nichols connected with Darvin Adams for a 31-yard touchdown.
The onslaught continued when Sam Hurl intercepted Glenn with less than a minute to go. The Bombers would settle for a field goal and the score was 17-13 going into halftime.
The Bombers shook off what was left of their opening week rust with three straight scoring drives in the third quarter. Weston Dressler came out in full force scoring back-to-back touchdowns for the Bombers.
The first, an 87 yarder including a 54 yard run into the endzone. The second came after Greg Morris fumbled the Riders return and the ball was recovered by Winnipeg on the Riders nine-yard line. For the second time in 40 seconds, Nichols threw to a wide open Dressler to put the Bombers up on the Riders 27-17.
But Nichols and the offence weren't finished with the third quarter and engineered a 75-yard march down the field highlighted by a 35-yard touchdown by L'Damien Washington.
It was all too familiar for head coach Chris Jones who noted the same thing happened in Montreal when the defence collapsed and they were burned for a 65-yard play due to busted coverage.
“It's not necessarily the teams we're playing that are making plays, but we're allowing them to have plays,” Jones said. “We got to find a way to do things 100 percent of the time and not just some of the time,
Aside from defensive breakdowns, the Riders were able to muster two field goals and the quarter ended with the Bombers up 34-23.
But the switch turned back on for the Roughriders and they launched a comeback in the fourth starting with a 70 yard march downfield. Demski burned his coverage and got open in the back of the endzone for a 35-yard touchdown pass from Glenn.
With nine minutes left the Riders needed only a touchdown to tie the game. It was 37-30.
The Riders defence came back big after faltering in the third with Willie Jefferson and Ese Mrabure sacking Nichols on consecutive Bombers drives to get the ball back to the offence. With less than two minutes remaining in the quarter, Glenn found Naaman Roosevelt for the game-tying touchdown that forced overtime and eventually the heartbreaking end.
“We allowed ourselves and gave ourselves a chance, that's the one positive that I can see out of this whole thing,” Jones said. “Our kids have character and they worked hard ... and gave themselves a chance to get back in the game, unfortunately, we fell short.”
ODDS AND ENDZONES
For the second week in a row, Nic Demski was the Riders top receiver with 7 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
Other touchdowns were caught by Caleb Holley, Naaman Roosevelt and Bakari Grant.
The defensive line was solid reaching Matt Nichols four times. Eddie Steele, Ese Mrabure, Willie Jefferson and Zach Minter all got in on the action.
Sam Williams led the defence with eight defensive tackles, Glenn love had a solid night on special teams racking up four tackles.
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