Redblacks win with last-minute field goal
OTTAWA Hamilton Tiger-Cats coach Kent Austin didn’t worry about wins or losses on Thursday night, which was a good thing.
Ray Early kicked a 37-yard field goal with 68 seconds left to play to give the Ottawa Redblacks a 30-29 win over the Tiger-Cats, who had a nine-point lead with six minutes to play.
“I think our effort was pretty good and we played a pretty clean game, but game’s like this, the only thing that’s important is that you learn from it,” said Austin, adding that the late loss was a teachable moment. “Learn from it as an individual player, learn from it as a football team.
“We had a nine-point lead and we let them get back in the game. We need to learn to be more resilient and extent the lead.”
Both teams combined to use seven quarterbacks as they opened the preseason portion of their CFL season.
The Tiger-Cats used Jeremiah Masoli, Everett Golson, Matt Johnson and Cody Keith while the Redblacks countered with Trevor Harris, Drew Tate and Ryan Lindley.
Ottawa used all three of its available quarterbacks in the first half and in keeping with the theme of getting everyone involved, 11 different receivers caught passes in the first half alone.
ARGONAUTS 24, ALOUETTES 20
TORONTO — Awkasi Owusu-Ansah and Aaron Berry returned first-half interceptions for touchdowns as the Toronto Argonauts beat the Montreal Alouettes in the first CFL exhibition game for both teams.
Neither squad was especially sharp offensively before a sparse BMO Field gathering estimated at about 2,000 spectators. Then again, both teams didn’t dress a number of their starters.
The contest was Marc Trestman’s first as Toronto head coach. Trestman spent five years on Montreal’s sideline (2008-12), winning two Grey Cups before becoming the Chicago Bears’ head coach.
Trestman was fired last season as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive co-ordinator. He returned to the CFL with Toronto, joining GM Jim Popp, who had hired Trestman in Montreal.
Montreal will host the Grey Cup champion Ottawa Redblacks next Thursday night in the final exhibition game for both teams. Toronto visits the Hamilton Tiger-Cats next Friday.