'Riders walk off Esks in overtime, end 7-game losing streak

Against a franchise that has given them grief for generations, the Saskatchewan Roughriders rallied to defeat the Edmonton Eskimos 26-23 in overtime in the CFL rivals' final clash at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday.

Darian Durant summoned a vintage effort late in the fourth quarter and the OT, where he snapped Saskatchewan's seven-game losing streak by scrambling for a 7-yard walk-off touchdown on second and goal. The veteran quarterback, who hadn't started and won a game in more than a full calendar year, was flushed left, but found a skew of space to beat the Edmonton defenders to the end zone.

Roughriders defensive back Ed Gainey, who also scored a touchdown on a 51-yard fumble return in the first half when he took the ball right out of slotback Adarius Bowman's hands, broke up a second-down pass on Edmonton's overtime possession. Sean Whyte kicked his fifth field goal of the game for a precarious 23-20 lead.

Saskatchewan (2-10), is almost certain to miss the playoffs, but hurt the chance of Edmonton (5-7) catching the West Division playoff pack. The defending Grey Cup champions are six points adrift and will likely need to cadge the last East spot as a crossover team.

Gusting winds at Mosaic Stadium restricted each team's passing attack. The Roughriders were also missing 1,000-yard wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt (leg), who is on the six-game injured list. The Roughriders did not cross Edmonton's 35-yard line until their second-last drive, when Durant directed an eight-play, 65-yard march to tie the game with 2:05 remaining.

Newcomer Armanti Edwards, best known for quarterbacking Appalachian State to a historic NCAA upset against Michigan in 2007, scored the tying TD on a 5-yard jet sweep. Edwards accounted for 31 yards on that drive.

Edwards was the 18th player to catch a pass from Durant this season.

Justin Cox, who whiffed on tackling Nate Coehoorn during the Edmonton wideout's 72-yard pass-and-run touchdown early in the third, redeemed himself by intercepting Mike Reilly with 1:08 left in the fourth. The pick allowed Saskatchewan to force overtime.

Adding injuries to the insult of losing to a last-place team, Edmonton lost national SB Cory Watson (leg) and DB Marcell Young (wrist) in the third quarter. Young was hurt after being hit after the play by Roughriders LG Andrew Jones, who was penalised for unnecessary roughness. Watson, one of the three valued Canadians in Edmonton's receiving corps, limped to the sideline after trying to catch up to an overthrown pass later in the quarter.

Durant was 20-of-29 for 174 yards with one interception, but also had five rushes for 61 yards. Eddie Steele, with 13 rushes for 87 yards, had the Roughriders' highest individual rushing total of the season. Edwards had six receptions for 60 yards.

Kicker Tyler Crapigna was 1-of-1, making a 48-yarder early in the fourth quarter. Josh Bartel added two punt singles.

Reilly was 19-of-36 for 306 yards with one TD and one INT. Bowman had game highs with nine receptions for 152 yards as he brought his CFL-leading tally to 1,279 yards. All-star Derel Walker was held to five receptions for 44 yards and had a four-game touchdown streak snapped.

Whyte was 5-of-5 on field goals. Grant Shaw added a 70-yard punt single.

Edmonton has a must-win home game against the B.C. Lions (8-3) on Friday. Saskatchewan hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-6) on Saturday.