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Blue Bombers lose Andrew Harris in win over Roughriders

CFL / Twitter

The Banjo Bowl took a heavy toll, as Andrew Harris' right ankle injury overshadowed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' 17-10 win over the last-place Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday.

Harris, who leads the CFL with 677 rushing yards (Jerome Messam has 655 going into the Stampeders-Eskimos game), came up limping after being tackled in the second quarter at Investors Group Field. The two-time 1,000-yard rusher appeared to be in discomfort for the rest of the first half. When the teams returned to the field for the third quarter, he had changed into street clothes.

Since Harris is Canadian, his absence could force Winnipeg to make adjustments at multiple positions to conform to the ratio (minimum seven national starters). Understudy Pascal Lochard had five rushes for 21 yards on Saturday, which nearly doubled his career numbers.

The Blue Bombers (7-4), who lead the CFL with a plus-23 turnover ratio, locked down their sixth consecutive win by forcing three fourth-quarter turnovers. The first came when Saskatchewan (1-10) was driving with the game tied 10-10. Defensive tackle Brandon Tennant stripped the ball from Roughriders slotback Caleb Holley, and cornerback Johnny Adams recovered on Winnipeg's 16-yard line.

On the next two plays, backup slotback Julian Feoli-Gudino brought down a 38-yard reception in tight coverage and then drew an illegal-contact penalty, igniting a tiebreaking 94-yard touchdown drive. Matt Nichols, who became the starting QB the week the win streak began, scored the go-ahead TD with 10:04 left.

Winnipeg made that stand up, completing its first sweep against Saskatchewan in the Labour Day Classic and Banjo Bowl since 2004.

Saskatchewan, which lost to Winnipeg on the final play in the Labour Day Classic (the first half of the rivals' annual midseason home-and-home series), sealed its own fate with some questionable strategy. On third-and-3 at Winnipeg's 49-yard line with 5:05 left, the Roughriders ran a fake field goal. Rookie defensive back Terrence Frederick tackled holder Brandon Bridge for a loss.

Nichols was 20-of-31 for 243 yards, and scored twice on 1-yard runs. Weston Dressler made seven receptions for 135 yards, including long gainers on both touchdown drives. Justin Medlock was 1-of-2 on field goals.

Roughriders QB Darian Durant was 23-of-36 for 283 yards with one TD. League receiving leader Naaman Roosevelt had six receptions for 121 yards, including a game-tying touchdown in the third quarter. Roosevelt leads the league with 1,095 yards, but has only scored two TDs.

The game was deadlocked 3-3 deep into the second quarter when Dressler took advantage of busted coverage for a 50-yard reception, which became a 65-yard gain to Saskatchewan's 5-yard line due to roughing the passer and objectionable conduct penalties. Another Saskatchewan roughing penalty facilitated Nichols' first TD of the afternoon.

The Roughriders had 15 penalties for 110 yards, while Winnipeg drew 10 for 86.

Saskatchewan failed to score a first-half touchdown for the fourth game in a row. On the Roughriders' first possession, Adams wrapped up veteran receiver Rob Bagg on the 1-yard line. Winnipeg's Keith Shologon and Khalil Bass each stuffed quarterback sneaks before Saskatchewan moved back with an illegal procedure penalty, creating a passing down. Holley and Roosevelt wound up in the same area of the end zone on Durant's failed second-down pass.

The Roughriders have totalled only 32 first-half points in their last six games. Durant hasn't factored into a first-half TD since Aug. 4.

The Blue Bombers host the Toronto Argonauts - who lost veteran QB Ricky Ray to lung and rib injuries - on Sept. 17, while Saskatchewan hosts the Edmonton Eskimos on Sept. 18.

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