Final
Durant helps Roughriders clinch playoff berth
Oct 2, 2010 - 11:04 PM TORONTO (CP) - Darian Durant threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as the Saskatchewan Roughriders clinched a playoff berth with a 27-16 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday afternoon.Durant was 29-of-37 passing for 311 yards and cemented the win for Saskatchewan (9-4) with a 66-yard TD strike to Andy Fantuz just 2:03 into the second half, giving the Riders a 24-13 lead. The catch, before a Rogers Centre gathering of 23,873, also vaulted Fantuz, a native of Chatham, Ont., over the 1,000-yard receiving plateau for the first time in his five-year CFL career.
The Riders earned their fifth straight win over Toronto to remain two points behind first-place Calgary in the West Division. They'll clinch a home playoff game should Winnipeg beat B.C. later Saturday night.
The loss tarnished the debut by Toronto quarterback Dalton Bell, who replaced the injured Cleo Lemon (concussion) to make his first-ever pro start. Bell, traded to the Argos in the off-season by Saskatchewan, did a nice job of managing the game in the first half but only mustered 158 passing yards and lost a key fumble in the fourth after being sacked by Saskatchewan's Keith Shologan.
Marcus Adams recovered and rumbled five yards to the Toronto 22. That set up Luca Congi's 22-yard field goal at 9:00 that put the Riders ahead 27-16.
Bell was also the beneficiary of the return of tailback Cory Boyd, who missed the last two games due to a concussion. Boyd ran for 145 yards - his fifth 100-yard game of the year - to boost his season total to 1,048 yards and regain the CFL rushing lead.
Toronto (6-7) remains tied for second in the East Division with Hamilton (6-6), which faces Edmonton (3-9) at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday.
Toronto's Justin Medlock added a convert and three field goals.
Chris Getzlaf had Saskatchewan's other touchdown. Congi booted two field goals and three converts.
Durant capped his impressive opening half with a 16-yard TD strike to Getzlaf at 13:08 of the second quarter to stake Saskatchewan to a 17-13 halftime lead. Durant was 19-of-21 passing for 182 yards and also added 31 yards rushing on four carries in the opening two quarters.
But the combination of Bell and Boyd proved to be a formidable one for Toronto. Bell was impressive with his poise and pocket presence in the opening half, completing 7-of-10 passes for 64 yards. He also ran twice for 20 yards, including a 12-yard scamper to record the Argos' lone TD of the game in the first.
More importantly, Bell did a great job of taking what Saskatchewan gave him and not forcing matters. And that was crucial as Durant and Co., also had no turnovers and keeping pace was a major reason why Toronto was able to stay within striking distance.
Boyd was an offensive force with 98 yards on 11 carries, surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing plateau in just his 11th game of the season. Boyd's biggest play was a 49-yard run on a third-and-one gamble in the opening quarter that set up Bell's TD.
And after Getzlaf's TD put Saskatchewan ahead 17-10, Bell engineered a nice seven-play, 59-yard drive that culminated with Medlock's 15-yard field goal on the half's final play.
NOTES - Saskatchewan is the CFL's lone unbeaten team at home, sporting a perfect 6-0 record at Mosaic Stadium . . . Toronto has a tough finish to its regular season as five of its final six opponents are .500 or better . . . The Roughriders' roster features nine players who were born and raised in Saskatchewan. They include: offensive linemen Nick Hutchins, Dan Clark and Gene Makowsky, receivers Jason Clermont, Jordan Sisco and Getzlaf, defensive back Tamon George and running backs Neal Hughes and Stu Foord . . . Rookie Danny Brannagan, of Burlington, Ont., dressed as Toronto's third quarterback, becoming just the fourth Canadian-born quarterback to suit up for the Argos since 1950.
- CFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SASKATCHEWAN 10 7 7 3 27
TORONTO 7 6 3 0 16 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SAS - FG, LUCA CONGI 26 YD, 4:52. SASKATCHEWAN
3-0
TOR - TD, DALTON BELL 13 YD RUN (JUSTIN MEDLOCK
KICK), 7:07. TORONTO 7-3
SAS - TD, DARIAN DURANT 10 YD RUN (LUCA CONGI
KICK), 11:01. SASKATCH
Oct 2 5:47 PM - CFL
FG SAS
LUCA CONGI 22 YD
SASKATCHEWAN 27
TORONTO 16 6:10 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Roughriders 27, Argonauts 16 4th - 6:10Oct 2 5:27 PM - CFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SASKATCHEWAN 10 7 7 24
TORONTO 7 6 3 16 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SAS - FG, LUCA CONGI 26 YD, 4:52. SASKATCHEWAN
3-0
TOR - TD, DALTON BELL 13 YD RUN (JUSTIN MEDLOCK
KICK), 7:07. TORONTO 7-3
SAS - TD, DARIAN DURANT 10 YD RUN (LUCA CONGI
KICK), 11:01. S
Roughriders 24, Argonauts 16 End of 3rdOct 2 5:07 PM - CFL
FG TOR
JUSTIN MEDLOCK 52 YD
SASKATCHEWAN 17
TORONTO 16 3:55 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Roughriders 17, Argonauts 16 3rd - 3:55Oct 2 4:57 PM - CFL
SASKATCHEWAN 24
TORONTO 13 13:49 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Roughriders 24, Argonauts 13 3rd - 13:49Oct 2 4:37 PM - CFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SASKATCHEWAN 10 7 17
TORONTO 7 6 13 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SAS - FG, LUCA CONGI 26 YD, 4:52. SASKATCHEWAN
3-0
TOR - TD, DALTON BELL 13 YD RUN (JUSTIN MEDLOCK
KICK), 7:07. TORONTO 7-3
SAS - TD, DARIAN DURANT 10 YD RUN (LUCA CONGI
KICK), 11:01. SASKA
Oct 2 4:37 PM - CFL
FG TOR
JUSTIN MEDLOCK 15 YD
SASKATCHEWAN 17
TORONTO 13 0:01 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Roughriders 17, Argonauts 13 2nd - 0:01Oct 2 4:22 PM - CFL
TD SAS
CHRIS GETZLAF 16 YD PASS FROM DARIAN DURANT
(LUCA CONGI KICK)
SASKATCHEWAN 17
TORONTO 10 1:52 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Roughriders 17, Argonauts 10 2nd - 1:52Oct 2 4:12 PM - CFL
FG TOR
JUSTIN MEDLOCK 18 YD
SASKATCHEWAN 10
TORONTO 10 6:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Roughriders 10, Argonauts 10 2nd - 6:30Oct 2 4:02 PM - CFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SASKATCHEWAN 10 10
TORONTO 7 7 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SAS - FG, LUCA CONGI 26 YD, 4:52. SASKATCHEWAN
3-0
TOR - TD, DALTON BELL 13 YD RUN (JUSTIN MEDLOCK
KICK), 7:07. TORONTO 7-3
SAS - TD, DARIAN DURANT 10 YD RUN (LUCA CONGI
KICK), 11:01. S
Oct 2 3:42 PM - CFL
TD SAS
DARIAN DURANT 10 YD RUN
(LUCA CONGI KICK)
SASKATCHEWAN 10
TORONTO 7 3:34 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Roughriders 10, Argonauts 7 1st - 3:34Oct 2 3:37 PM - CFL
TD TOR
DALTON BELL 13 YD RUN
(JAMIE BOREHAM KICK)
SASKATCHEWAN 3
TORONTO 7 7:24 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Roughriders 3, Argonauts 7 1st - 7:24Oct 2 3:27 PM - CFL
FG SAS
LUCA CONGI 26 YD
SASKATCHEWAN 3
TORONTO 0 10:08 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Roughriders 3, Argonauts 0 1st - 10:08Oct 2 3:22 PM
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