Article by Duncan Gray
Blow-out wins have been few and far between this season so
it was a bit of a surprise when this week's two Saturday night games were all
one way. The earlier games were close though, particularly the Thursday night
defensive battle in Montreal which was absolutely fascinating.
Edmonton Eskimos 15 - 12 Montreal Alouettes
As expected, this game was the battle of two top defences. Big plays on offence were few and far between, field position was everything.
The Alouettes started on top as Edmonton turned the ball over four times in the first half. Two Boris Bede field goals and an interception returned for a touchdown by Kyler Elsworth gave the Als a 12-0 lead. Edmonton pulled a score back before half time when they managed to put a drive together, ending with Kenny Stafford catching a short TD pass from Jordan Lynch. Overall, Edmonton had the better of the defensive battle. They sacked Rakeem Cato eight times, Odell Willis got three of them, while Montreal had four sacks and knocked the Esks' QB Matt Nichols out of the game. The Eskimos failed to take advantage of the their territorial advantage though as Grant Shaw missed three field goals. Single points from Shaw's kicks were enough to level the scores though and James Franklin, now in at quarterback, finally drove them to a 28 yard field goal opportunity which Shaw put through the posts with the last kick of the game. Even if he'd missed, this being Canadian football, the ball landed in the advertising boards so would have earned the one point needed for the win.
Highlights
As expected, this game was the battle of two top defences. Big plays on offence were few and far between, field position was everything.
The Alouettes started on top as Edmonton turned the ball over four times in the first half. Two Boris Bede field goals and an interception returned for a touchdown by Kyler Elsworth gave the Als a 12-0 lead. Edmonton pulled a score back before half time when they managed to put a drive together, ending with Kenny Stafford catching a short TD pass from Jordan Lynch. Overall, Edmonton had the better of the defensive battle. They sacked Rakeem Cato eight times, Odell Willis got three of them, while Montreal had four sacks and knocked the Esks' QB Matt Nichols out of the game. The Eskimos failed to take advantage of the their territorial advantage though as Grant Shaw missed three field goals. Single points from Shaw's kicks were enough to level the scores though and James Franklin, now in at quarterback, finally drove them to a 28 yard field goal opportunity which Shaw put through the posts with the last kick of the game. Even if he'd missed, this being Canadian football, the ball landed in the advertising boards so would have earned the one point needed for the win.
Highlights
Toronto Argonauts 27 - 20 Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Argonauts have made a habit of fourth quarter wins this season and they did it again on Friday night in hot and humid Winnipeg.
After Drew Willy's suffered an injury last week which will keep him out for several games the Bombers gave a first start to their second year quarterback Robert Marve. He started well as they scored on their first two possessions including a 56 yard touchdown from a screen pass to Cameron Marshall. Toronto replied with a touchdown by wide receiver Diontae Spencer but it was Winnipeg who held a narrow lead through three quarters. The turnaround came when A J Jefferson returned a punt 69 yards for a Toronto score. Shortly afterwards, a Bombers fumble gave Toronto good field position and Trevor Harris went on to complete the scoring with a short touchdown pass to Tori Gurley.
A welcome return from injury for Toronto was their veteran running back Chad Kackert. He's been out for almost two years and has been acting as the team's strength and conditioning coach. When the TSN sideline reporter Sarah Orlesky asked him at half time if he felt good after a big hit from the Bombers linebacker Khalil Bass, Kackert looked at her replied “No”! He was obviously loving being back on the field though and finished the game with 73 rushing yards and 16 receiving. Robert Marve finished his starting debut having completed 18 of 29 passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Toronto now has a share of the East Division lead with Hamilton.
Highlights
The Argonauts have made a habit of fourth quarter wins this season and they did it again on Friday night in hot and humid Winnipeg.
After Drew Willy's suffered an injury last week which will keep him out for several games the Bombers gave a first start to their second year quarterback Robert Marve. He started well as they scored on their first two possessions including a 56 yard touchdown from a screen pass to Cameron Marshall. Toronto replied with a touchdown by wide receiver Diontae Spencer but it was Winnipeg who held a narrow lead through three quarters. The turnaround came when A J Jefferson returned a punt 69 yards for a Toronto score. Shortly afterwards, a Bombers fumble gave Toronto good field position and Trevor Harris went on to complete the scoring with a short touchdown pass to Tori Gurley.
A welcome return from injury for Toronto was their veteran running back Chad Kackert. He's been out for almost two years and has been acting as the team's strength and conditioning coach. When the TSN sideline reporter Sarah Orlesky asked him at half time if he felt good after a big hit from the Bombers linebacker Khalil Bass, Kackert looked at her replied “No”! He was obviously loving being back on the field though and finished the game with 73 rushing yards and 16 receiving. Robert Marve finished his starting debut having completed 18 of 29 passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Toronto now has a share of the East Division lead with Hamilton.
Highlights
BC Lions 22 - 52
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
There's something magical about the Ti-Cats, playing at Tim Horton's Field in front of their home crowd are good. If you're with the visiting team they're scary good. One of the nicknames for the city of Hamilton is "the Hammer" and for the second week running they hammered in a thirty point lead before half time. BC came up with a little bit of resistance just before the break when they managed a touchdown as Travis Lulay connected with Emanuel Arcenaux on a couple of passes. However it was always Hamilton's day. The action was spread around the team, Zach Collaros threw four touchdown passes including two to Luke Tasker, the defence scored touchdowns on a fumble recovery and an interception and there was Brandon "Speedy" Banks' third punt return for a touchdown of the season, this one for 96 yards.
There's something magical about the Ti-Cats, playing at Tim Horton's Field in front of their home crowd are good. If you're with the visiting team they're scary good. One of the nicknames for the city of Hamilton is "the Hammer" and for the second week running they hammered in a thirty point lead before half time. BC came up with a little bit of resistance just before the break when they managed a touchdown as Travis Lulay connected with Emanuel Arcenaux on a couple of passes. However it was always Hamilton's day. The action was spread around the team, Zach Collaros threw four touchdown passes including two to Luke Tasker, the defence scored touchdowns on a fumble recovery and an interception and there was Brandon "Speedy" Banks' third punt return for a touchdown of the season, this one for 96 yards.
Both teams put in back up
players for the fourth quarter and BC managed to pull another touchdown
back before the end.
The Tiger-Cats' next face a trip west to Edmonton for what
will be the biggest game of the season so far.
Ottawa Redblacks 3 - 48 Calgary Stampeders
So far this season the Stampeders hadn't looked like the
champions of last year. Coming out of the their bye week however they were
ready to step up and they proved it, matching Hamilton's 31 first half points
as they completely dominated an Ottawa team who…. let's just say they didn't
travel well.
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was back to his best as team leader.
He ran in the first two touchdowns himself and threw two more to Joe West and
Eric Rogers. Rogers now has a streak going, five games with a TD reception.
Matt Walter, covering for the injured Jon Cornish, added a rushing TD. By the
time Mitchell came out of the game in the third quarter his passing figures
were 17 of 25 for 243 yards and 2 TDs. For the fourth game running he wasn't
intercepted. He was replaced by back-up Drew Tate who was playing in his 100th
CFL game.
It was a day when there were no highlights for the
Redblacks. They continually gave away field position, not least by fumbling two
punts, to the extent that the average starting position for Calgary drives was
in the Ottawa half. They made a change after half-time, bringing on Thomas DeMarco
at QB in place of Henry Burris. DeMarco was ineffective though and he was
replaced by Daniel O'Brien who at least managed to move the ball a little.
The win keeps Calgary level with Edmonton in the lead of the West Division.
The win keeps Calgary level with Edmonton in the lead of the West Division.
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