Reilly, Eskimos freeze out Lions
Mike Reilly throws 3 TDs, runs in another as Eskimos beat Lions
EDMONTON — Quarterback Mike Reilly passed for three touchdowns and took one in himself as the Edmonton Eskimos overcame a sloppy start to record a 41-22 victory over the B.C. Lions on Friday.
Reilly completed 22-of-30 passes for 326 yards as the Eskimos improved to 2-1 on the season, while the Lions are 1-1.
The Lions started the game with a single on a 37-yard missed field-goal attempt by Tyler Long.
B.C. got the ball back when Reilly was picked off by T.J. Lee, eventually leading to a one-yard touchdown plunge by Jeremiah Johnson.
Edmonton continued to implode, fumbling the ball away to Dyshawn Davis on its own 23yard line on the ensuing kick-off. Long kicked a 14-yard field goal to put the Lions up 11-0 midway through the first.
The Esks got on the board when B.C. conceded a safety.
Long started the second with 39-yard field goal, but then hit the uprights on his next attempt.
Edmonton finally got its offence going late in the second, when Reilly found Natey Adjei for a 14-yard passing TD. Then he hit Kenny Stafford for a 13-yard strike through the air with just 30 seconds left and added a two-point convert pass to Duke Williams to take a 17-14 lead into the half.
The Esks picked up where they left off in the third, with a three-yard TD run by C.J Gable, although the convert kick failed.
Edmonton’s momentum remained late in the third when Reilly completed a 64-yard passand-run into the end zone to Williams, who also caught another two-point convert.
The Lions finally ended Edmonton’s run of 29 straight points with a one-yard TD by backup QB Cody Fajardo to start the fourth.
Edmonton bounced back with a one-yard rushing major of their own by Reilly.
The Eskimos added a late Sean Whyte field goal.
Both teams are back in action again next Saturday, as the Lions head to Winnipeg and the Eskimos are in Toronto.
NOTES: Lions defensive end Odell Willis made his return to Edmonton after being traded away in the off-season. Willis played for the Eskimos for five seasons…B.C., with former Edmonton GM Ed Hervey in charge, has nine former Eskimos on its roster.
MASOLI LEADS TICATS PAST BOMBERS HAMILTON — If Jeremiah Masoli cares about making CFL history, he won’t admit it.
Masoli passed for 369 yards and a touchdown to lead the Tiger-Cats past the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 31-17 on Friday in Hamilton’s home opener. He’s thrown more than 300 yards in eight consecutive games, tying Montreal’s Anthony Calvillo (2012) and Edmonton’s Mike Reilly (2015-16) for second most in CFL history.
“In all honesty, man, those lists don’t mean anything for wins and losses,” said Masoli. “If you have to throw for 500 yards just to lose, I don’t want to do that. I’d rather throw for one yard and win every time. Right now that’s what our focus is.”
Montreal’s Sam Etcheverry (1956) and Saskatchewan’s Kent Austin (1991) are tied for first with nine.
Mercer Timmis ran in two touchdowns for the Tiger-Cats (2-1), while fellow Canadian Sean Thomas Erlington racked up 92 yards. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu connected on four field goals.
Running back Andrew Harris led Winnipeg’s (1-2) offence with 66 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie QB Chris Streveler rushed in a touchdown, but managed only 146 passing yards a week after he was one of the CFL’s top performers.