Tweet
RECAP
STAMPS STIFLE ESKS, CRUISE TO SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN
CALGARY – The Calgary Stampeders made a statement on Mark’s Labour Day Weekend, winning their sixth game in a row and beating the rival Edmonton Eskimos 39-18 at McMahon Stadium.
With first place on the line, the crucial West Division matchup sent the Esks (7-3) to their third straight loss while the Stamps improved to 8-1-1.
Bo Levi Mitchell tossed 277 passing yards and a pick while Mike Reilly threw for 320 yards and added a pair of interceptions and touchdown passes.
Calgary scored on the opening possession and got it done in all three facets of the game, holding off a brief fourth quarter Eskimos comeback.
DaVaris Daniels started the game with a 45-yard gain to get the Stamps offence rolling right off the bat. Right outside of the redzone, a Jerome Messam rush moved the ball further but Calgary would settle for the field goal and the 3-0 lead.
The Stamps defence continued to carry the early momentum. After an offside call gave the Esks a first down, Brandon Smith got the ball back for Calgary by forcing a Cory Watson fumble that was recovered by the home team. Working back on offence, Mitchell found Anthony Parker open outside the goal line before Messam rumbled his way to the end zone for the touchdown. Roy Finch caught the two-point conversion as the Stamps lead grew to 11-0.
First down grabs by Brandon Zylstra and Adarius Bowman kept the chains moving as Edmonton looked to put some points on the board. A 14-yard rush from Ladarius Perkins put the Esks past midfield and a Kenny Stafford reception moved them into scoring territory. Chris Milo booted a 22-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 11-3.
Marquay McDaniel’s 23-yard gain closed out the first quarter. The Stamps drive continued with a Julan Lynch grab before Parker’s 24-yard sweep rush scored another touchdown and increased the Calgary lead to 18-3.
While trading possessions, the Stamps defence maintained their pressure on Reilly and the Esks offence throughout. On an Edmonton punt, Roy Finch had a case of déjà vu to last year’s Labour Day game, returning the kick 90 yards to the endzone as it was 25-3 with just over six minutes remaining in the first half.
Opting for the short game, the Esks chipped their way downfield with a series of small rushes and passes. Milo kicked a 46-yard field goal to end the drive.
Calgary added a single on a Paredes missed 42-yard field goal attempt as the Stamps carried a 26-6 lead into halftime.
The Esks did not get off to a good start in the second half as Reilly was intercepted by Shaq Richardson on the second play of the drive. Messam immediately punched in his second major of the game as Stamps lead quickly grew to 33-6.
Just outside of the three-minute warning and still pressing for points, things did not get any better for the Esks. Richardson jumped a pass route and secured his second interception of the game, again putting the Stamps in instant scoring territory. Paredes notched another field goal to grow Calgary’s lead.
Edmonton opened the fourth quarter with short passes and rushes to work their way towards the endzone. They capitalized with a Kenny Stafford touchdown but could not convert on the two-point attempt as the score sat at 36-12.
The Stamps didn’t look done on offence as Mitchell found Daniels 46 yards downfield on the next possession. Now looking at scoring territory, Mitchell’s throw was intercepted by Forrest Hightower as Edmonton went back to work offensively. Reilly rushed 22 yards past midfield and then found Zylstra 41 yards downfield for the touchdown but again were unsuccessful on the two-point convert attempt, still trailing 36-18.
A 22-yard gain by Marken Michel kept the Stamps offence moving as the clock began winding down to under three minutes. Paredes kicked another field goal to put the Stamps back up 39-18 and secured the victory by forcing a late turnover on downs.
Next week, the two clubs face off in a rematch at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
**********************
RECAP
TICATS HANG ON TO WIN WET AND WILD LABOUR DAY CLASSIC
HAMILTON — Lirim Hajrullahu’s last-minute 37-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left for the Argos, sending the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to their first win of the season in the Labour Day Classic on Monday night in Hamilton, 24-22.
C.J. Gable scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:30 remaining while the Argos came up just short of the late-game comeback, sealing a wet and wild Labour Day that included a two-hour, eight-minute delay due to lightning.
Jeremiah Masoli went 19-of-33 for 219 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his first career start on Labour Day while June Jones won his coaching debut after taking over for Kent Austin. Brandon Banks had a team-high 98 receiving yards and a touchdown. Gable chipped in with 43 rushing yards and 12 receiving yards.
Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray threw for 325 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 34-of-47 passing in a strong second-half performance by the veteran quarterback, including a pair of touchdown tosses to DeVier Posey.
For the Ticats, the annual Labour Day Classic against their most-hated rival was highly-anticipated after a turbulent couple of weeks in Tiger Town, including changes to the coaching staff and under centre. But in Jones’ first game as head coach and Masoli’s first under centre, things didn’t start out as planned.
A time count violation cost the Ticats five yards before their first offensive play while, shortly after, Masoli’s second-down pass was intercepted by Argos linebacker Marcus Ball.
The Ticats avoided disaster, getting a quick stop and forcing a 35-yard field goal by Lirim Hajrullahu with hopes of better things to come.
They would, eventually, but not right away as the two East Division rivals sparred lightly through the first 15 minutes of the ball-game.
With both offences struggling, Ray’s deep ball to S.J. Green was intercepted by Richard Leonard in double coverage. But after a 30-yard return into Argo territory, the Boatmen escaped trouble, getting a quick stop and the football back.
It was 6-0 after Hajrullahu’s second field goal of the game, this one from 13 yards out, when it appeared that Martese Jackson had broken the game wide open. The speedy and slippery return specialist eluded defenders and took off down the sideline for a 101-yard punt return touchdown, only to have the game’s biggest play called back on a holding penalty.
At 7:32 p.m. ET, with just under nine minutes to go in the second quarter, lightning in the area forced the fans into the concourse and an eventual two-plus hour delay.
The storm passed and the wind, although still a major factor, died down a little bit to set up the final two-and-a-half quarters of football at Tim Hortons Field. Up 6-0, the Argos had a chance to make it a two-score lead when they lined Hajrullahu up for a 43-yard attempt against the breeze. The kick had the distance but missed to the left, leading to their seventh point of the night and a lead of a converted touchdown.
With 1:59 and the wind at their backs, the Ticats showed no hesitation trying a 57-yard field goal — and it paid off as Castillo split the uprights to deliver the first points of the night for the Black and Gold.
Jones’ club had a chance for more before the half after stopping the Argos on third-and-three in Ticats territory. But after a swift trip into scoring range, time slipped away from the first-time CFL coach and his team. Toronto defensive coordinator Corey Chamblin brought the pressure and Masoli was sacked after time expired, sending Hamilton into the half with little to show for the late swing in momentum.
A very short halftime break arrived at 10:03 p.m. ET as the teams switched sides and the third quarter got under way.
The Ticats didn’t get any time to think about it and maybe that was a good thing, because after a first down by Jalen Saunders on a hitch screen, Banks snuck in behind the Argos’ defence, hauling in a wide open 64-yard touchdown pass from Masoli to give the Ticats a 10-7 lead.
With the ball in their possession and the wind at their backs, the Ticats planned to take full advantage of a rain-soaked field tilting quickly in their favour. On the very next play, Argos returner Jackson had the ball knocked from his grip and picked up and returned for a touchdown by Felix Faubert-Lussier. Osagie Odiase forced the fumble as the special teams play gave the Ticats a 17-7 lead.
As quickly as the Tabbies gained momentum, the Argo offence finally discovered itself after its most unproductive stretch of the season. Over the previous eight quarters coming into the second half on Monday night, that unit managed only three field goals while failing to find the end zone.
That changed quickly part way through the third quarter. After a forgettable first half, Ray got into a groove with seven completions on nine attempts, culminating in a a 10-yard touchdown pass to Posey to cut the Argos’ deficit to 17-14 late in the third quarter.
Momentum is a big part of football and it can change in a moment’s notice. And suddenly, at the turn of the fourth quarter, momentum had slipped from the Ticats to the Argos in a big way.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Castillo’s kick against the wind trailed off to the left and was retrieved from the end zone by Jackson, leaving the Ticats empty-handed.
Marc Trestman’s offence, methodical as always, went back to work. Ray completed five straight passes to four different receivers, including one to Posey at the Hamilton 11 that was turned into a go-ahead touchdown for the Double Blue.
The seven-play, 66-yard scoring drop put the Argos ahead 21-17 early in the fourth quarter.
With under 7:00 to go in the game, the Ticats had a chance to steal back the momentum, pinning Jackson and the Argos back at their own one-yard-line after a big punt by Castillo. But calm and cool as ever, Ray rolled out to his right and completed a pass to Jeff Fuller and another one to Green, moving the sticks and providing some breathing room.
Despite a stretch of 15 completions on 17 attempts by Ray, the Argos had to punt from their own 22 with the wind at their backs. With the wind shifting and a 15-yard penalty for no yards, the Ticats took over with optimal field position near their opponent’s 40 looking to make up a four-point deficit.
They did, and quickly, with help from a pass interference call against Rico Murray on Luke Tasker in the Argo end zone. The penalty set the Ticats up at the one, leading to a one-yard plunge by C.J. Gable and a 24-21 Ticats lead with two and a half minutes left.
Ray used his feet along with a fortunate Argo bounce on a completion to Green, moving the boatmen into field goal range on the ensuing drive. At the Hamilton 30, Hajrullahu’s 37-yard field goal in the wind missed to the left, sending the Ticats to their first win of the 2017 season.
The division rivals played to a crowd of 23,926 at Tim Hortons Field in a game that took five hours and three minutes from start to finish.
For the Ticats, the victory is a huge sigh of relief in a season that had strayed well off path. The Tabbies, at 1-8, move to within six points of a playoff spot behind the second-place Argos with two games in hand.
From the Argos’ perspective, their second straight loss stings, especially after controlling the clock for 34:53 and holding a 389-261 edge in offensive yards. The Boatmen also held a 26-16 edge in first downs while converting 17 of their 28 second-down attempts (61%) compared to Hamilton’s 33 per cent clip (6-of-18).
While the Argos lead the CFL both in sacks for and sacks against, Monday’s contest produced only two quarterback takedowns — one for each side.
Shawn Lemon left the game early in the third quarter with an apparent injury and Mercer Timmis was helped off the field early in the fourth. Neither player returned.
The Argos are off in Week 11 with a much-needed bye, their first of the 2017 campaign, while the Ticats head to the nation’s capital for their second clash of the season with the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Saturday, Sept. 9.
STAMPS STIFLE ESKS, CRUISE TO SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN
CALGARY – The Calgary Stampeders made a statement on Mark’s Labour Day Weekend, winning their sixth game in a row and beating the rival Edmonton Eskimos 39-18 at McMahon Stadium.
With first place on the line, the crucial West Division matchup sent the Esks (7-3) to their third straight loss while the Stamps improved to 8-1-1.
Bo Levi Mitchell tossed 277 passing yards and a pick while Mike Reilly threw for 320 yards and added a pair of interceptions and touchdown passes.
Calgary scored on the opening possession and got it done in all three facets of the game, holding off a brief fourth quarter Eskimos comeback.
DaVaris Daniels started the game with a 45-yard gain to get the Stamps offence rolling right off the bat. Right outside of the redzone, a Jerome Messam rush moved the ball further but Calgary would settle for the field goal and the 3-0 lead.
The Stamps defence continued to carry the early momentum. After an offside call gave the Esks a first down, Brandon Smith got the ball back for Calgary by forcing a Cory Watson fumble that was recovered by the home team. Working back on offence, Mitchell found Anthony Parker open outside the goal line before Messam rumbled his way to the end zone for the touchdown. Roy Finch caught the two-point conversion as the Stamps lead grew to 11-0.
First down grabs by Brandon Zylstra and Adarius Bowman kept the chains moving as Edmonton looked to put some points on the board. A 14-yard rush from Ladarius Perkins put the Esks past midfield and a Kenny Stafford reception moved them into scoring territory. Chris Milo booted a 22-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 11-3.
Marquay McDaniel’s 23-yard gain closed out the first quarter. The Stamps drive continued with a Julan Lynch grab before Parker’s 24-yard sweep rush scored another touchdown and increased the Calgary lead to 18-3.
While trading possessions, the Stamps defence maintained their pressure on Reilly and the Esks offence throughout. On an Edmonton punt, Roy Finch had a case of déjà vu to last year’s Labour Day game, returning the kick 90 yards to the endzone as it was 25-3 with just over six minutes remaining in the first half.
Opting for the short game, the Esks chipped their way downfield with a series of small rushes and passes. Milo kicked a 46-yard field goal to end the drive.
Calgary added a single on a Paredes missed 42-yard field goal attempt as the Stamps carried a 26-6 lead into halftime.
The Esks did not get off to a good start in the second half as Reilly was intercepted by Shaq Richardson on the second play of the drive. Messam immediately punched in his second major of the game as Stamps lead quickly grew to 33-6.
Just outside of the three-minute warning and still pressing for points, things did not get any better for the Esks. Richardson jumped a pass route and secured his second interception of the game, again putting the Stamps in instant scoring territory. Paredes notched another field goal to grow Calgary’s lead.
Edmonton opened the fourth quarter with short passes and rushes to work their way towards the endzone. They capitalized with a Kenny Stafford touchdown but could not convert on the two-point attempt as the score sat at 36-12.
The Stamps didn’t look done on offence as Mitchell found Daniels 46 yards downfield on the next possession. Now looking at scoring territory, Mitchell’s throw was intercepted by Forrest Hightower as Edmonton went back to work offensively. Reilly rushed 22 yards past midfield and then found Zylstra 41 yards downfield for the touchdown but again were unsuccessful on the two-point convert attempt, still trailing 36-18.
A 22-yard gain by Marken Michel kept the Stamps offence moving as the clock began winding down to under three minutes. Paredes kicked another field goal to put the Stamps back up 39-18 and secured the victory by forcing a late turnover on downs.
Next week, the two clubs face off in a rematch at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
**********************
RECAP
TICATS HANG ON TO WIN WET AND WILD LABOUR DAY CLASSIC
HAMILTON — Lirim Hajrullahu’s last-minute 37-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left for the Argos, sending the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to their first win of the season in the Labour Day Classic on Monday night in Hamilton, 24-22.
C.J. Gable scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:30 remaining while the Argos came up just short of the late-game comeback, sealing a wet and wild Labour Day that included a two-hour, eight-minute delay due to lightning.
Jeremiah Masoli went 19-of-33 for 219 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his first career start on Labour Day while June Jones won his coaching debut after taking over for Kent Austin. Brandon Banks had a team-high 98 receiving yards and a touchdown. Gable chipped in with 43 rushing yards and 12 receiving yards.
Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray threw for 325 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 34-of-47 passing in a strong second-half performance by the veteran quarterback, including a pair of touchdown tosses to DeVier Posey.
For the Ticats, the annual Labour Day Classic against their most-hated rival was highly-anticipated after a turbulent couple of weeks in Tiger Town, including changes to the coaching staff and under centre. But in Jones’ first game as head coach and Masoli’s first under centre, things didn’t start out as planned.
A time count violation cost the Ticats five yards before their first offensive play while, shortly after, Masoli’s second-down pass was intercepted by Argos linebacker Marcus Ball.
The Ticats avoided disaster, getting a quick stop and forcing a 35-yard field goal by Lirim Hajrullahu with hopes of better things to come.
They would, eventually, but not right away as the two East Division rivals sparred lightly through the first 15 minutes of the ball-game.
With both offences struggling, Ray’s deep ball to S.J. Green was intercepted by Richard Leonard in double coverage. But after a 30-yard return into Argo territory, the Boatmen escaped trouble, getting a quick stop and the football back.
It was 6-0 after Hajrullahu’s second field goal of the game, this one from 13 yards out, when it appeared that Martese Jackson had broken the game wide open. The speedy and slippery return specialist eluded defenders and took off down the sideline for a 101-yard punt return touchdown, only to have the game’s biggest play called back on a holding penalty.
At 7:32 p.m. ET, with just under nine minutes to go in the second quarter, lightning in the area forced the fans into the concourse and an eventual two-plus hour delay.
The storm passed and the wind, although still a major factor, died down a little bit to set up the final two-and-a-half quarters of football at Tim Hortons Field. Up 6-0, the Argos had a chance to make it a two-score lead when they lined Hajrullahu up for a 43-yard attempt against the breeze. The kick had the distance but missed to the left, leading to their seventh point of the night and a lead of a converted touchdown.
With 1:59 and the wind at their backs, the Ticats showed no hesitation trying a 57-yard field goal — and it paid off as Castillo split the uprights to deliver the first points of the night for the Black and Gold.
Jones’ club had a chance for more before the half after stopping the Argos on third-and-three in Ticats territory. But after a swift trip into scoring range, time slipped away from the first-time CFL coach and his team. Toronto defensive coordinator Corey Chamblin brought the pressure and Masoli was sacked after time expired, sending Hamilton into the half with little to show for the late swing in momentum.
A very short halftime break arrived at 10:03 p.m. ET as the teams switched sides and the third quarter got under way.
The Ticats didn’t get any time to think about it and maybe that was a good thing, because after a first down by Jalen Saunders on a hitch screen, Banks snuck in behind the Argos’ defence, hauling in a wide open 64-yard touchdown pass from Masoli to give the Ticats a 10-7 lead.
With the ball in their possession and the wind at their backs, the Ticats planned to take full advantage of a rain-soaked field tilting quickly in their favour. On the very next play, Argos returner Jackson had the ball knocked from his grip and picked up and returned for a touchdown by Felix Faubert-Lussier. Osagie Odiase forced the fumble as the special teams play gave the Ticats a 17-7 lead.
As quickly as the Tabbies gained momentum, the Argo offence finally discovered itself after its most unproductive stretch of the season. Over the previous eight quarters coming into the second half on Monday night, that unit managed only three field goals while failing to find the end zone.
That changed quickly part way through the third quarter. After a forgettable first half, Ray got into a groove with seven completions on nine attempts, culminating in a a 10-yard touchdown pass to Posey to cut the Argos’ deficit to 17-14 late in the third quarter.
Momentum is a big part of football and it can change in a moment’s notice. And suddenly, at the turn of the fourth quarter, momentum had slipped from the Ticats to the Argos in a big way.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Castillo’s kick against the wind trailed off to the left and was retrieved from the end zone by Jackson, leaving the Ticats empty-handed.
Marc Trestman’s offence, methodical as always, went back to work. Ray completed five straight passes to four different receivers, including one to Posey at the Hamilton 11 that was turned into a go-ahead touchdown for the Double Blue.
The seven-play, 66-yard scoring drop put the Argos ahead 21-17 early in the fourth quarter.
With under 7:00 to go in the game, the Ticats had a chance to steal back the momentum, pinning Jackson and the Argos back at their own one-yard-line after a big punt by Castillo. But calm and cool as ever, Ray rolled out to his right and completed a pass to Jeff Fuller and another one to Green, moving the sticks and providing some breathing room.
Despite a stretch of 15 completions on 17 attempts by Ray, the Argos had to punt from their own 22 with the wind at their backs. With the wind shifting and a 15-yard penalty for no yards, the Ticats took over with optimal field position near their opponent’s 40 looking to make up a four-point deficit.
They did, and quickly, with help from a pass interference call against Rico Murray on Luke Tasker in the Argo end zone. The penalty set the Ticats up at the one, leading to a one-yard plunge by C.J. Gable and a 24-21 Ticats lead with two and a half minutes left.
Ray used his feet along with a fortunate Argo bounce on a completion to Green, moving the boatmen into field goal range on the ensuing drive. At the Hamilton 30, Hajrullahu’s 37-yard field goal in the wind missed to the left, sending the Ticats to their first win of the 2017 season.
The division rivals played to a crowd of 23,926 at Tim Hortons Field in a game that took five hours and three minutes from start to finish.
For the Ticats, the victory is a huge sigh of relief in a season that had strayed well off path. The Tabbies, at 1-8, move to within six points of a playoff spot behind the second-place Argos with two games in hand.
From the Argos’ perspective, their second straight loss stings, especially after controlling the clock for 34:53 and holding a 389-261 edge in offensive yards. The Boatmen also held a 26-16 edge in first downs while converting 17 of their 28 second-down attempts (61%) compared to Hamilton’s 33 per cent clip (6-of-18).
While the Argos lead the CFL both in sacks for and sacks against, Monday’s contest produced only two quarterback takedowns — one for each side.
Shawn Lemon left the game early in the third quarter with an apparent injury and Mercer Timmis was helped off the field early in the fourth. Neither player returned.
The Argos are off in Week 11 with a much-needed bye, their first of the 2017 campaign, while the Ticats head to the nation’s capital for their second clash of the season with the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Saturday, Sept. 9.
Comment