Ticats drop nail-biter to Redblacks
OTTAWA 41, HAMILTON 36
In a season full of stomach-churning losses, what’s one more?
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats gave up a touchdown with just over 30 seconds remaining to lose 41-36 to Ottawa Redblacks Friday night. Ottawa receiver and return man Diontae Spencer posted 496 allpurpose yards to set a new CFL record.
The Cats stormed out to an early 16-0 lead, but allowed the Redblacks to storm back, then traded the lead back and forth for the rest of the night. In a year when the Ticats have found all kinds of ways to lose, from the embarrassing to the agonizing, this was something a little different.
The Ticats dominated the first quarter, outgaining the Redblacks, 127 yards to three. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was on fire, throwing two touchdown passes and generally having his way with the Ottawa defence.
But the Hamilton advantage was down to five by the time halftime arrived and Ottawa scored early in the third for their first lead.
Brandon Banks’ second touchdown catch put the Ticats back in front and gave Banks more than 100-yards receiving for the fifth straight game. Only eight players in CFL history have managed that feat.
The Ticats added another score off a Masoli toss to Luke Tasker and stretched the lead to 11 early in the fourth but the Redblacks scored two touchdowns in just over two minutes to give the home side a narrow one point advantage with just over three to play.
Kenny Allen hit a 43yard field goal to give Hamilton a late lead but the Redblacks got another long return from Spencer — the Ticat kick coverage units were awful all night and William Powell ran it in from 43 yards for the win.
Banks and Spencer weren’t the only ones to post impressive numbers: both Tasker and Jalen Saunders went over 1,000 receiving yards on the season and Masoli threw for more than 300 yards for the fourth straight game.
With a Redblacks win the Toronto Argonauts will need to beat the B.C. Lions next week to win the division. Hamilton is now 5-12 on the season and will face the Montreal Alouettes at home next Friday to close out one of the more memorable seasons — and not in a good way — in recent memory.