CALGARY -- The Riders' worst fears were imagined at McMahon Stadium Friday night. Not only did they lose 25-13 to the Stampeders (their fifth straight loss), but quarterback Darian Durant left the game in the fourth quarter with injury.
Making his first pro start at quarterback for the Stamps, Drew Tate engineered three touchdown drives and was in control all game long as the Stamps led 17-10 at halftime and 24-13 after three quarters. Starting behind centre for the Riders, Durant ended his team's 18-quarter touchdown drought with a 5-yard endzone run in the second quarter. However he was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter and backup Ryan Dinwiddie was unable to put any points on the board.
The win upped the Stamps' record to 9-7 while the Riders dropped to 4-12 as they return home to host Hamilton on Saturday.
Thanks to Rod Pederson for these articles.
Just a few notes from the Riders' 1:30 pm arrival at Regina Airport on Saturday following a 25-13 loss in Calgary the night before:
• We may have seen the last of QB Darian Durant for the season. He was knocked out of last night's game in the fourth quarter and sees no sense in continuing to play in the remaining two games.
"I'm a football player so of course I want to play," Durant told us. "You only get 18 cracks at this and that's why I trained all off-season; to be in that position. But given what happened last night, I know Coach Miller and I agree the best thing for me is to shut it down."
• Although Durant took a heckuva shot from Stamps safety Demtrice Morley which left him on the turf for quite some time, there are no lingering effects. He is suffering no concussion symptoms although TSN reported that he had suffered one.
• Durant is unbelievably tough and durable.
• Coach Ken Miller said right now they don't know what their roster will look like for Saturday's home game against Hamilton (1:00 pm on TSN and CKRM), nor who will start at quarterback. Miller said he'll discuss the next two games with Rider GM Brendan Taman and President Jim Hopson this weekend.
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