Trevor Harris needed to take a second to kneel down on the sector and soak all of it in.
In his thirteenth season within the CFL, the 39-year-old lastly had a Gray Cup title as a beginning quarterback.
Harris led the Saskatchewan Roughriders to their fifth championship and their first since 2013 with a 25-17 win over the Montreal Alouettes in Winnipeg Sunday. A corporation that has longed for a title noticed the inexperienced and white confetti fall to the turf in enemy territory.
It was a battle till the top, and Saskatchewan has been by means of lots of them all through the season, however the Roughriders had been one of the best staff within the CFL from begin to end this 12 months.
So many occasions, the Roughriders have seen their title aspirations finish in heartbreak, however now they’ll boast that they’re the Gray Cup champions.
The Roughriders performed successful soccer once more on Sunday with a number of essential performs. Head coach Corey Mace, a champion in his second 12 months, made a name that ended up being a well timed one for his staff when he challenged for go interference within the first quarter. What was going to be a turnover on downs was flipped to a landing for the Roughriders, a play that kick-started a giant run for Saskatchewan.
Nevertheless, because the Alouettes made a push and bought to inside a rating, the Roughriders wanted their MVP to return by means of.
Harris had one of the best completion share in Gray Cup historical past at 85.2 per cent in what can solely be referred to as a trademark efficiency by the veteran quarterback.
Not solely was Harris correct with the soccer, however he additionally made positive it was popping out of his palms rapidly and to his playmakers. The technique labored as Harris was not sacked and didn’t have a turnover.
“We had some large second-down conversions,” Harris informed reporters after the sport. “I did not throw any touchdowns however we had some big-time second down conversions by means of the air.
“We ran the ball properly, we had been capable of keep on the sector and that final drive we had been capable of get some first downs and bleed some clock to actually put the stress on them.”
Saskatchewan additionally had some breaks go their method, together with a drop by defensive again Kabion Ento, who regarded like he was going to take an errant go by Harris all the way in which again for a pick-six, however he could not safe the ball. And a fumble by Shea Patterson on the Roughriders’ three-yard line took away Montreal’s finest probability to tie the sport within the dying moments.
As has been the case all season, Harris was not the one participant on the Roughriders to make a big effect on the sport. So let’s check out among the large performances in these takeaways from the 112th Gray Cup.
No storyline heading into the Gray Cup was introduced up greater than the damage considerations for Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander, given the unknown standing of his hamstring.
Give credit score the place it is due, Alexander battled and was clearly not 100 per cent. The ache bought to a degree the place he could not get the facility he wanted on deep throws, and he solely broke out of the pocket for a pair of runs, considered one of which led to him reaching again for his hamstring.
Nevertheless, the tone was set early on this sport when Alexander had a deep ball for Tyson Philpot intercepted by Marcus Sayles. It was considered one of three interceptions thrown by the Alouettes quarterback as he tried to do what he may to place his staff in one of the best place to win the sport.
After the sport, Alexander made it identified that he did not have the identical zip on his throws and was a little bit out of rhythm.
“If you get outplayed within the quarterback place, you set your staff at a deficit instantly. Our guys battled on the market. Our guys battled for me. They saved me in it,” Alexander informed reporters after the sport. “They gave us an opportunity. Yeah. Finally, I’ve to be higher for this group within the greatest second of my life and the largest sport of my life.”
He nonetheless pushed the ball down the sector and made the defence respect the truth that he wasn’t going to accept simply quick throws. However his ultimate line of 284 passing yards with zero touchdowns and three picks wasn’t ok.
Patterson’s game-changing fumble
There will likely be loads of questioning what may have been for lots of performs made and never made on this sport.
Nevertheless, a defining second needed to be the fumble by Shea Patterson with Montreal pushing to attempt to tie the sport late within the fourth quarter. As an alternative, on the third-yard line, the ball was knocked out of Patterson’s palms and recovered by the Roughriders. It ended what may have been an unbelievable comeback for the Alouettes, who trailed 25-7 late within the third quarter earlier than slicing the lead right down to a single rating.
“I can’t even describe the sensation,” Patterson informed 3DownNation, talking softly. “I had an opportunity to transform a primary down and get us in place to attain and tie the sport up. I don’t know. The man made play, hit me from the aspect. I’ve gotta hold onto the ball.”
Some will likely be questioning whether or not the Alouettes ought to have carried out one thing in another way in that scenario. Whereas quarterback sneaks are the usual in short-yardage conditions, groups generally rely an excessive amount of on these performs.
On the finish of the day, Patterson additionally scored on a quarterback sneak earlier within the sport and had the belief of the teaching workers to do it once more.
What comes subsequent for Harris?
Nobody would fault Harris if he determined he nonetheless has lots left within the tank and delayed the questions on retiring for at the very least one other season.
It ought to come as no shock that he brushed apart these talks, however in some unspecified time in the future, he must decide.
“I believe that is for you guys to speak about,” mentioned Harris. “I am simply grateful for my teammates. I am so grateful for my teammates.”
Harris would not have something left to show at this level, as he can say he is Gray Cup champion as a starter. His earlier rings got here in video games he did not begin.
Given the success they’d, the Roughriders actually will not be pushing for Harris to hold up his cleats simply but, however in some unspecified time in the future, they might want to know his plans.
Ricky Ray, a former teammate of Harris, confronted an identical scenario late in his profession. Sadly, after successful a Gray Cup in 2017, Ray would return for one more season solely to endure a season-ending damage and by no means play once more.
This season, Harris was capable of keep wholesome, which was a problem within the prior two seasons. Contemplating how this season went in Saskatchewan, there may very well be some convincing carried out for Harris to return alongside as a lot of the championship core as potential.
If not, it will likely be fascinating to see what comes subsequent for a quarterback who has now cemented his legacy with a Gray Cup as a starter.
