Eskimos hold off charge by Ticats
Hamilton QB Collaros helps make it close
There were 150 members of the Edmonton Police Service at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday, but that didn’t stop the winless Hamilton Tiger-Cats from attempting to pull off the heist of the season against the unbeaten Edmonton Eskimos.
In the end, the Eskimos won 33-28 in front of 27,078 in the stands on EPS Night to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1961 and just the third time in club history.
But it didn’t come nearly as easily as it should have for an Eskimos squad that doubled Hamilton’s time of possession over the first three quarters, only to take a fivepoint lead into the fourth.
They quickly added to it with a 51-yard punt return into the red zone by Chris Edwards to set up an 18-yard touchdown reception by Vidal Hazelton, who got in behind coverage to the back corner of the end zone to go ahead 33-21.
Not to be outdone, Zach Collaros hit a wide-open Mike Jones for a 35-yard gain, a diving Brian Tyms for 24 more, and Damarr Altman for 23 yards, only to have Eskimos linebacker Kenny Ladler come up with his team-leading third interception of the season, in the end zone on third-and-goal from the three yard-line.
Hamilton got the ball back in the red zone on a fumble with 2:22 to go on the way to a 22-yard touchdown catch by Jalen Saunders to pull back within five.
Facing third-and-one on the 55 yard-line, Eskimos running back LaDarius Perkins failed to pick up the first down, giving Hamilton the ball back with 42 seconds remaining.
Facing second-and-seven from 37 yards out and two ticks left on the clock, Hamilton got a first down at the 21 yard-line on roughing the passer against Odell Willis.
But one final toss by Collaros into the end zone to Jones fell incomplete, with Ticats head coach Kent Austing finally asking for his lone challenge, which was denied due to having no time out left.
Before things kicked off, Ticats linebacker Larry Dean had to police the coin toss when an official mistook heads for tails in what would have been Edmonton’s favour.
In the Eskimos’ first game since a rule change reduced coaches challenges to one a game, Jason Maas didn’t last half a quarter before challenging a call that resulted in defensive pass interference on their opening drive.
It set Edmonton up on the one yard-line for a QB keeper by Reilly to take a 6-0 lead, before kicker Hugh O’Neill, playing in his first game in green and gold since 2014 in place of injured Sean Whyte, missed his first point-after attempt.
The Ticats used a 15-yard facemask penalty against rookie Eskimos linebacker Christophe Mulumba-Tshimanga to get on the board with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Aultman over rookie cornerback Mercy Maston.
They then took the lead with a two-yard reception by slotback Luke Tasker for the two-point conversion.
The second quarter opened with Sergio Castillo missing his first field-goal attempt of the season after coming in nine-for-nine, with his 47-yard effort sailing wide and getting returned 29 yards out of the end zone by Chris Edwards.
While he saved face with a follow-up attempt from 27 yards away, it was the Eskimos offence mounting a six-minute drive that ended with a five-yard scramble into the end zone as Reilly pump faked before scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game.
O’Neill brought the Eskimos into halftime with a 23-11 lead on a 25-yard field goal. But the Ticats offence jumped to life coming out of it, with Zach Collaros eluding a sure sack and hitting Brandon Banks seven yards into the end zone to trail 26-18.
Another field goal brought the score within five points heading into the final frame.
Reilly completed 29 of 38 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns, compared to Collaros’ 22 of 35 for 282 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Eskimos receiver Bryant Mitchell recorded his first triple-digit performance with game highs of eight receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, while Perkins, the third Edmonton running back to start a game this season, had 105 yards on 19 carries.
EXTRA POINTS: Eskimos C Justin Sorensen left the game midway through the second quarter after attempting to play with his left knee braced ... SB Brandon Zylstra, seeing an end to his consecutive games with 100 receiving yards end at three, and LB Doug Parrish also left in the first half .