Posted: October 31,2014 05:31PM
Updated: October 31,2014 11:12PM
CFL.ca Staff
#FNF
OTTAWA -- The Hamilton Tiger-Cats came in to the game a bit tense with playoff hopes hanging over them, but once they were able to relax they overpowered the Ottawa REDBLACKS beating them 34-25 in Ottawa on Friday night.
Thanks to a pair of interception return for touchdowns, by Delvin Breaux and Brandon Stewart, along with a kickoff return by Brandon Banks the Ticats kept their playoff hopes alive.
Zach Collaros finished the game with 227 yards and a touchdown, while Henry Burris finished with 202 yards and a major.
For the REDBLACKS, Jeremiah Johnson led the way as he rushed for 140 yards on 16 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Entering the game, the tilt meant a lot for the visiting side, with only two berths available in the East Division and three teams vying for them, Toronto and Montreal were certainly cheering on the REDBLACKS on this night.
On the REDBLACKS side, they were hoping to give the home crowd a winning sendoff as it was the home season finale and play spoiler.
After tradiing off unsuccessful drives to open the game the REDBLACKS began to get into a groove.
On the REDBLACKS second drive, Burris was able to get enough protection and survey the field. He was able to find Matt Carter for a quick 10-yard gain. Following that, Burris scrambled to buy some extra time and found a streaking Wallace Miles for a catch and run for 31 yards.
Miles made it three completions in a row when he was all alone along the sideline for another first down. After a Taylor Reed sack, the REDBLACKS settled for a 29-yard field goal attempt, where Brett Maher pushed just a touch right resulting in a rouge.
On the following possession for the REDBLACKS, they changed things up under centre and inserted Danny O’Brien into the game adding a bit of a different look for the TIcats defensive front.
On his first play he found Marcus Henry for 20-yard gain. The next play he handed the ball off to Jeremiah Johnson who ran for another first down.
Just as O'Brien was finding his rhythm with the offence a hit put him down and out forcing Burris to return under centre where he helped keep the drive going.
Johnson finished things off with a 9-yard run for his first CFL touchdown to give the REDBLACKS and early 8-0 at the end of the first quarter.
After the defence shut down the Ticats again the REDBLACKS offence went to work again with O'Brien under centre and marching the team down the field until Finch fumbled the ball putting it in the hands of Collaros and the Ticats offence.
In great field position, it didn’t take long for the Ticats to make the home side pay for their mistake.
After a Mossis Madu 16-yard rush, Hamilton called an end-around to Banks who got to the pylon and putting the Ticats on the board for the first time on the night.
The REDBLACKS looked to rebound from their earlier mistake and did so in quick fashion. Five plays after the Ticats scored, Burris found Carter who broke free from coverage for a 34-yard major to put the REDBLACKS up eight points, with a 15-7 advantage.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Ticats responded when Banks fielded the kick and found himself a seam for a 103-yards to reduce the lead to a single point. The return was the first kickoff return touchdown for the Ticats since June 28, 2013 when Lindsey Lamar returned one back in the opening game that season.
The REDBLACKS continued to make life more difficult for themselves. After moving the chains, O’Brien over threw his receiver right into the hands of Ticats' defensive back Ed Gainey. He returned it 46 yards giving the offence a short field to work with.
The REDBLACKS defence continued to rise to the occasion with back-to-back sacks to take the Ticats out of field goal position and keeping the 15-14 lead intact going into the locker rooms for halftime.
To open the second half, Collaros continued to find his favourite first-half target in Tasker. A pair of first down receptions, including one that he broke three tackles netting 31 yards, the Ticats were unable to find the end zone. A 22-yard field goal by Justin Medlock finsihed the drive and gave the Ticats their first lead in the game.
Once again the pesky REDBLACKS were able to respond thanks to the legs of Johnson. Leaning on Johnson the REDBLACKS marched down the field in a drive that was capped off by a 20-yard highlight reel run to regain the lead at 22-17.
O'Brien came back for the REDBLACKS but did not have much success throwing a pick to Brandon Stewart who returned the ball 30-yards for a touchdown to give the Ticats a 24-22 lead.
Before the third quarter ended, the REDBLACKS saw some positives though, as Travis Brown jarred the ball loose from Terrell Sinkfield but the ensuing drive resulted in no points for the home team.
Early in the fourth, Collaros led a drive that eventually gave the Ticats some extra insurance as Medlock knocked in a 28-yard field goal to make the score 27-22.
Looking to keep the game close, Burris lead the REDBLACKS on a drive which resulted in a Maher 42-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 27-25 with seven minutes to play in the game.
After the Ticats could not expand their lead, Burris came on to the field looking for a long drive trapped deep in their own end but insteadf gave the Ticats a bigger lead throwing an interception to Delvin Breaux for the second pick-six of the game.
Needing to score after being down two possessions, Burris led the REDBLACKS into the Hamilton red zone. Ottawa made the decision to go for the touchdown on 3rd-and-seven but the devcisiion backfired as the pass into the endzone was too long and the Ticats got thwe ball back to end the game and end the hopes of a REDBLACKS win.
To end their inaugural season, the REDBLACKS will finish on the road in Toronto and continue to play spoiler. Meanwhile, Hamilton will finish their season in the friendly confines of Tim Hortons Field against the Montreal Alouettes, where they find themselves in a playoff battle with in the East Division.
#FNF
OTTAWA -- The Hamilton Tiger-Cats came in to the game a bit tense with playoff hopes hanging over them, but once they were able to relax they overpowered the Ottawa REDBLACKS beating them 34-25 in Ottawa on Friday night.
Thanks to a pair of interception return for touchdowns, by Delvin Breaux and Brandon Stewart, along with a kickoff return by Brandon Banks the Ticats kept their playoff hopes alive.
Zach Collaros finished the game with 227 yards and a touchdown, while Henry Burris finished with 202 yards and a major.
For the REDBLACKS, Jeremiah Johnson led the way as he rushed for 140 yards on 16 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Entering the game, the tilt meant a lot for the visiting side, with only two berths available in the East Division and three teams vying for them, Toronto and Montreal were certainly cheering on the REDBLACKS on this night.
On the REDBLACKS side, they were hoping to give the home crowd a winning sendoff as it was the home season finale and play spoiler.
After tradiing off unsuccessful drives to open the game the REDBLACKS began to get into a groove.
On the REDBLACKS second drive, Burris was able to get enough protection and survey the field. He was able to find Matt Carter for a quick 10-yard gain. Following that, Burris scrambled to buy some extra time and found a streaking Wallace Miles for a catch and run for 31 yards.
Miles made it three completions in a row when he was all alone along the sideline for another first down. After a Taylor Reed sack, the REDBLACKS settled for a 29-yard field goal attempt, where Brett Maher pushed just a touch right resulting in a rouge.
On the following possession for the REDBLACKS, they changed things up under centre and inserted Danny O’Brien into the game adding a bit of a different look for the TIcats defensive front.
On his first play he found Marcus Henry for 20-yard gain. The next play he handed the ball off to Jeremiah Johnson who ran for another first down.
Just as O'Brien was finding his rhythm with the offence a hit put him down and out forcing Burris to return under centre where he helped keep the drive going.
Johnson finished things off with a 9-yard run for his first CFL touchdown to give the REDBLACKS and early 8-0 at the end of the first quarter.
After the defence shut down the Ticats again the REDBLACKS offence went to work again with O'Brien under centre and marching the team down the field until Finch fumbled the ball putting it in the hands of Collaros and the Ticats offence.
In great field position, it didn’t take long for the Ticats to make the home side pay for their mistake.
After a Mossis Madu 16-yard rush, Hamilton called an end-around to Banks who got to the pylon and putting the Ticats on the board for the first time on the night.
The REDBLACKS looked to rebound from their earlier mistake and did so in quick fashion. Five plays after the Ticats scored, Burris found Carter who broke free from coverage for a 34-yard major to put the REDBLACKS up eight points, with a 15-7 advantage.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Ticats responded when Banks fielded the kick and found himself a seam for a 103-yards to reduce the lead to a single point. The return was the first kickoff return touchdown for the Ticats since June 28, 2013 when Lindsey Lamar returned one back in the opening game that season.
The REDBLACKS continued to make life more difficult for themselves. After moving the chains, O’Brien over threw his receiver right into the hands of Ticats' defensive back Ed Gainey. He returned it 46 yards giving the offence a short field to work with.
The REDBLACKS defence continued to rise to the occasion with back-to-back sacks to take the Ticats out of field goal position and keeping the 15-14 lead intact going into the locker rooms for halftime.
To open the second half, Collaros continued to find his favourite first-half target in Tasker. A pair of first down receptions, including one that he broke three tackles netting 31 yards, the Ticats were unable to find the end zone. A 22-yard field goal by Justin Medlock finsihed the drive and gave the Ticats their first lead in the game.
Once again the pesky REDBLACKS were able to respond thanks to the legs of Johnson. Leaning on Johnson the REDBLACKS marched down the field in a drive that was capped off by a 20-yard highlight reel run to regain the lead at 22-17.
O'Brien came back for the REDBLACKS but did not have much success throwing a pick to Brandon Stewart who returned the ball 30-yards for a touchdown to give the Ticats a 24-22 lead.
Before the third quarter ended, the REDBLACKS saw some positives though, as Travis Brown jarred the ball loose from Terrell Sinkfield but the ensuing drive resulted in no points for the home team.
Early in the fourth, Collaros led a drive that eventually gave the Ticats some extra insurance as Medlock knocked in a 28-yard field goal to make the score 27-22.
Looking to keep the game close, Burris lead the REDBLACKS on a drive which resulted in a Maher 42-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 27-25 with seven minutes to play in the game.
After the Ticats could not expand their lead, Burris came on to the field looking for a long drive trapped deep in their own end but insteadf gave the Ticats a bigger lead throwing an interception to Delvin Breaux for the second pick-six of the game.
Needing to score after being down two possessions, Burris led the REDBLACKS into the Hamilton red zone. Ottawa made the decision to go for the touchdown on 3rd-and-seven but the devcisiion backfired as the pass into the endzone was too long and the Ticats got thwe ball back to end the game and end the hopes of a REDBLACKS win.
To end their inaugural season, the REDBLACKS will finish on the road in Toronto and continue to play spoiler. Meanwhile, Hamilton will finish their season in the friendly confines of Tim Hortons Field against the Montreal Alouettes, where they find themselves in a playoff battle with in the East Division.
No comments:
Post a Comment