Lions beat Als in opener
Jonathon Jennings completed 20-of-24 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns as the B.C. Lions beat the Montreal Alouettes 22-10 in the 2018 season opener for both teams Saturday night.
Jennings also rushed for 57 yards as the Lions won their season opener for only the second time in the past six years. The Als lost after winning their past two season openers.
Ty Long’s 27-yard field goal with 2:44 left in the third quarter, which gave the Lions a 12-10 lead, ultimately decided the outcome.
B.C. got its touchdowns from Shaquille Johnson and Cory Watson, while Long provided the other points on two field goals, two punt singles and two converts.
Als quarterback Drew Willy completed 22-of-32 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown. Eugene Lewis scored Montreal’s lone major as he fell on a loose ball in the B.C. end zone following a Chris Williams reception, but Willy was still credited with a touchdown pass on the play. Meanwhile, Boris Bede kicked a field goal and a convert.
Both teams entered the game looking to make good on subpar 2017 seasons. The Lions missed the playoffs for the first time in two decades while going 7-11, and the Alouettes were a dismal 3-15.
Calgary Stampeders 28 Tiger-Cats 14 CALGARY - The Calgary Stampeders started slow and finished strong in a 28-14 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.
Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Kamar Jorden and Don Jackson rushed for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Terry Williams and Jackson both ran for two-point converts for the hosts.
Rene Paredes kicked field goals from 22, 17, 29 and 19 yards in front of an announced 23,717 at McMahon Stadium.
Hamilton quarterback Jeremiah Masoli rushed for a touchdown.
Lirim Hajrullahu kicked field goals from 41 and 44 yards for the Tiger-Cats, who have lost 13 in a row to the Stampeders. Hamilton’s last win at McMahon was in 2004.
The Tiger-Cats were on the march to Calgary’s end zone with less than two minutes remaining in the game, when veteran Calgary defensive back Brandon Smith intercepted Masoli.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel did not see action as Masoli’s backup, so Manziel’s CFL debut will have to wait.
The Stampeders couldn’t finish a drive with a touchdown for three quarters. Calgary’s first five trips to the red zone within 20 yards of the goal line - yielded four field goals and an interception.
Mitchell completed 17-of36 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown pass. Masoli finished 23 for 33 in passing for 302 yards. Kickoff was under cloudy skies and a temperature of 12 degrees with a shower moving through late in the third quarter.