The Roughriders finished with a 9–9 record and a third-place finish in the 1989 season, but still qualified for the playoffs for a second consecutive season. They defeated the Calgary Stampeders 33–26 in the West Semi-Finals in part because of delay run play to Brian Walling who ran 50 yards for a touchdown to make it 30–26 with 1:38 left to play. Ironically Walling had just been picked up by the Roughriders just weeks previously from the Edmonton Eskimos practice roster. In the West Final, Saskatchewan faced the powerhouse Edmonton Eskimos, a team that set (and still holds) a CFL record with 16 regular season wins in one season since the institution of the 18-game CFL schedule in 1986. The Roughriders defeated the heavily favoured Eskimos 32–21 to advance to the Grey Cup where they faced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the third time in franchise history. With a talented roster that included Kent Austin at quarterback, receivers Ray Elgaard, Donald Narcisse, Jeff Fairholm and James "Duke" Ellingson, and an outstanding offensive line featuring Roger Aldag, Vic Stevenson, Dan Payne and Bob Poley, the Roughriders found themselves in a game that featured extensive offensive prowess. With the score tied 40–40, placekicker Dave Ridgway kicked a 35-yard game-winning field goal to win the 77th Grey Cup for the Roughriders, with a play that has become simply known as "The Kick." It was the second championship for the franchise, following a 23-year drought and is considered the greatest Grey Cup game ever played.