Carter switches to D, helps Riders stymie Stamps for playoff berth

Duron Carter didn't play on offence Friday night, but he still managed to score, coming up with a pick-6 to help the Saskatchewan Roughriders secure a 30-7 win over the Calgary Stampeders along with a playoff spot.

Carter, one of the CFL's top receivers, was forced into a defensive role due to injuries in the Riders' secondary. He started at cornerback and finished the game with the interception and two tackles. The veteran was part of a Saskatchewan defence that limited a dangerous Calgary offence to a single and two field goals.

Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell dared Carter to play defence in the days leading up to the game and vowed to throw 25 passes in his direction, but he looked foolish Friday night. Mitchell went 14-of-27 for just 136 yards and two interceptions.

Saskatchewan didn't muster a whole lot of offence itself, as Brandon Bridge posted a similar line with two interceptions of his own for the visitors, but it was somehow still enough. Reserve quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. scored the lone offensive touchdown on a goal-line sneak in the third quarter.

After missing most of the season due to injury, Chad Owens finally made his Riders debut, and the veteran pass-catcher didn't disappoint. Owens had five receptions for a game-high 78 yards in the win.

Not only did the Stampeders lose the game, they also lost star rookie receiver Marken Michel, who was forced out of the contest early with an apparent hamstring injury. Calgary has already clinched a playoff berth and remains atop the West Division standings despite the loss.