QB Darian Durant threw for 401 yards and two interceptions in the Riders loss to Edmonton on Friday.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ bright 3-0 start has been washed away as quickly as it arrived.  The Riders dropped to 3-3 on the year with 28-20 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos on Friday night.

Penalties and turnovers were the story of the game for the Riders as they committed nine penalties for 75 yards and turned the ball over three times on the night.

Running back Kory Sheets had a big game, picking up 78 yards along the ground and 138 yards receiving, but he failed to find the end zone for the first time in his CFL career.  Quarterback Darian Durant also had some big stats with 401 yards passing and a 27 yard rushing touchdown.  Durant threw two interceptions though, his third straight game with a pick after opening with three straight turnover-free games during a 3-0 start.

Saskatchewan got on the board first with a 25-yard field goal by newly acquired kicker Sandro DeAngelis on the game’s opening drive.  Edmonton answered right away though as kicker Grant Shaw hit from 24-yards out on the ensuing drive.

Both offensives struggled to get keep the momentum going for the rest of the first quarter, but Edmonton struck on the opening drive of the second with a pair of former Riders hooking up for the score.  Steven Jyles hit slotback Cary Koch for a 30-yard touchdown with 1:24 gone in the quarter.  Backup quarterback Drew Willy even the game heading into halftime with a one-yard plunge for the Riders.

Edmonton pulled away in the third quarter as Joe Burnett returned a fumble by slotback Weston Dressler 44-yards for touchdown and a 20-17 lead after three.

The Eskimos picked up another touchdown midway through the fourth that put them up 28-17.  Sheets had an amazing 76-yard catch and run on the next drive for the Riders to set up another field goal by DeAngelis with 3:41.  Durant’s second interception of the game would end the game on a hail mary to the end zone.

The loss drops the Riders into a tie with Calgary for second in the CFL’s West Division, while Edmonton moves into a tie with BC for first.  Saskatchewan will return home on Saturday and start getting ready for a trip to BC Place to face the Lions in Week 8.