Collaros dominant, Ticats feast on Bombers

Recap: Hamilton 38, Winnipeg 8

Adam Gagnon

 

Collaros dominant, Ticats feast on Bombers

 

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Posted: August 9,2015 07:55PM

Updated: August 9,2015 09:46PM

CFL.ca Staff
#CFLGameDay
HAMILTON -- Another game, another win for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Horton's Field. 
Zach Collaros completed 20 of his 32 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns, while Bakari Grant, Terence Tolliver and Ryan Bomben hauled in touchdowns as the Ticats remained perfect at Tim Horton's Field, downing the visiting Blue Bombers 38-8 on Sunday night.
Ticats DB Emanuel Davis was stellar on the defensive side of the ball, collecting two pick-sixes.

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The loss was especially tough for the Bombers, who saw their starting pivot Drew Willy forced out of the game late in the third quarter with a suspected knee injury. 
Willy's afternoon was obviously a bitter pill to swallow for Bombers fans, but the same couldn't be said for the Hamilton faithful, who saw their QB put on a clinic in the first half.
But before Collaros could even hit the field, the vaunted Ticats defence made sure to do their part in setting the tone early on.
Willy, who entered Sunday’s action with just two interceptions, saw his pass tipped at the line and subsequently picked off by Davis, who returned it 65 yards to the house to give the Ticats a 7-0 lead.
The interception was Davis’ second of the season, with his only other arriving in Week 2 against the Bombers, which he also returned for a touchdown.
The remainder of the opening quarter saw the Ticats continue to flex their muscle in all three phases of the game.
After Bombers punter Lirim Hajrullahu saw his attempt sail just 10 yards, giving the home side excellent field position, Collaros needed just one play to extend his team’s early lead.
The second-year starter hooked up with receiver Bakari Grant for a 23-yard major, giving the Tiger-Cats a 14-0 lead.
The score was Grant’s fourth this season, and third in his last two games.
But Hamilton’s first-quarter onslaught wasn’t done there.
On the ensuing kickoff, Ticats rookie Jay Langa recovered a loose ball, putting the ball right back into Collaros’ hands.
Langa was selected in the third round of the 2015 Draft by the Ticats. The Saint-Mary’s product was a defensive dynamo for the Huskies in 2014, leading the CIS in tackles with 80, forcing two fumbles in the process.
From there, Collaros wasted no time padding Hamilton’s lead, finding offensive lineman Ryan Bomben in the endzone for a TD.
The six-foot-four, 305 lbs. Burlington, ON native lined up at tight end and snuck his way into the endzone, making a nifty over-the-shoulder grab for the score.
Then, with just over five minutes to go in the first half, Collaros heaved a deep ball up to rookie receiver Terrence Toliver, who caught it in stride and trotted into the endzone for the 58-yard score.
The score was Toliver’s third this season.
Prior to the half, Hamilton kicker Justin Medlock split the uprights from 35 yards out to give the Ticats a 31-0 lead.
Collaros was simply dominant in the first half, completing 12 of his 18 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Big Man Bomben Scores Nifty TD
Ticats offensive lineman Ryan Bomben channels his inner receiver making an over-the-shoulder touchdown grab for Hamilton's 3rd TD of the 1st quarter. WATCH NOW!

Willy, on the other hand, had some trouble. The Bombers pivot was good on 11 of his 17 attempts for 125 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.
Once the second half got underway, TSN reported that Bombers tailback Paris Cotton would miss the remainder of the game with what is believes to be an upper-body injury. Matthew Scianitti tweeted that the running back's left arm was entirely wrapped up and in a sling.
But anyone who believed Cotton's absence in the Bombers backfield would translate to even more problems for the Bombers was proved wrong, as Willy quickly went to work on chipping into Hamilton's massive lead.
Willy connected with receiver Justin Veltung for a seven-yard touchdown, ending Hamilton's bid for a shutout.
While Willy started to find his groove in the third quarter, Collaros ran into somewhat of a road block, throwing back-to-back interceptions on consecutive drives.
Fortunately for him, the Bombers were unable to translate the turnovers into any points, as the Ticats D stood tall.
But with little time left in the third quarter, Winnipeg's night would take an unfortunate turn, as Willy was helped off the field with an apparent knee injury. 
Backup Brian Brohm was inserted into the game in his place.
Willy's final stat-line saw him complete 16-27 passes for 171 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Brohm, however, was unable to make much of a difference for the Bombers, as Davis picked him off with 1:22 left in the game and took it to the house, giving the Ticats a 38-8 lead.
The fourth quarter saw little action offensively, with both teams seemingly hoping to escape the remainder of the game unscathed.
Next week, the Ticats will welcome the BC Lions to Tim Horton's Field, while the Bombers will return home to face the Argos on Friday Night Football.