The song "How Do You Like Me Now?" by country star Toby Keith blared through the speakers at Mosaic Stadium early Sunday evening, immediately after the Saskatchewan Roughriders had fought back to beat the B.C. Lions 29-25 in the 2013 CFL Western Semifinal.
The song aptly paralleled the thoughts of Rider quarterback Darian Durant who took the team on his broad shoulders and willed them to victory on an absolutely frigid November day. Maybe it was moreso his legs than his shoulders. The eight year veteran Rider rushed for 97 yards, including 76 in the fourth quarter, to help Saskatchewan complete the comeback and advance to the West Final in Calgary on Sunday.
"My teammates call my legs the 'tree trunks'," Durant laughed on CKRM radio after the game. "I guess it was about time I used them!"
It was shades of an earlier time in Durant's career, when his rushing ability made the Saskatchewan offense a three-pronged threat: the receivers, the running backs, and the quarterback coming out of the backfield. The Lions, who led 17-16 at halftime and 25-16 going into the fourth quarter, could not account for Durant as he romped through massive amounts of green space when the game was on the line.
And, as I woke up the day after the game to write this piece, it came with a tremendous sense of liberation. For those of us who staunchly defend Durant, from being on the radio to coffee row, it was a moment to smile. Durant proved his supporters, and more importantly his coaches, right.
In the big picture, it had to be even more vindicating for Rider head coach Corey Chamblin. The wolves were lining up outside his door, ready to pounce if Saskatchewan didn't pull this game out (notice Rider GM Brendan Taman was given a contract extension in the spring however Chamblin was not). The wolves' howls had been getting louder, spurred on by the Riders' 3-6 record in the second half.
I hate those damn wolves.
They are not easily satisfied. Tossing them a win or two in the regular season is like tossing them a steak which they promptly devour, and just as quickly come back for more. But this wasn't just any win. It was massive.
The Rider coaching staff had to do some fancy tap-dancing in this one because as Chamblin put it after the game, B.C. came with an excellent game plan. They did exactly the opposite of their regular season tendencies on offense and defense and it took the Riders almost the whole game to figure it out. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay moved the ball at will for much of the opening 45 minutes while the B.C. defense clamped down on the Riders in the redzone, forcing six field goal attempts.
"It takes four quarters," Chamblin said. "In football, each game will be different. By B.C. doing what they did, it will allow us to go forth and know how to stay tough."
That's right. This thing is far from over and although beating B.C. was a massive hump to get over, it only sets the Riders up for a showdown in Calgary against their most-heated rival with a trip to the Grey Cup on the line. The Stampeders beat the Riders two-out-of-three times in the regular season including a 29-25 outing at McMahon Stadium in Game 17.
"Everything goes out the window in the playoffs; stats, whatever, " Chamblin continued. "They'll have some new things for us so we'll have to be ready. They'll be a different team."
Chamblin's Riders are salivating at the opportunity which lay ahead of them, which is the chance to play for the Grey Cup in their own stadium in less than two weeks.
"We love being the underdog!" Durant smiled, referring to the West Final. "Special thanks to Rider Nation. I love you guys. I can't even explain it. We have the best fans in the world and I appreciate everything."
With that, perhaps the critics and the wolves, who are dogged and determined and never seem to go away, will in fact go away at least until next season.
And we are left to see if Durant can indeed finish the job and take his team back to the Cup.
