Recap: Hamilton 35, Toronto 27
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Tiger-Cats edge out resilient Argos, take back-to-back
Posted: September 11,2015 10:30PM
Updated: September 12,2015 12:38AM
CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO -- It wasn’t nearly as easy, but the Hamilton Tiger-Cats completed a season series sweep of the Toronto Argonauts with a 35-27 win on Friday night at the Rogers Centre.
Zach Collaros threw two touchdown passes and Luke Tasker caught eight passes and a touchdown, as the Tabbies clicked on all three phases to go a perfect three-for-three against the Argos this season and extend their lead on the East Division to two games.
Swayze Waters left the game for the Argos and replacement Dave Stala had a punt blocked in the fourth quarter, as the Boatmen came up short on another second-half comeback attempt despite a pair of third-quarter Trevor Harris touchdown passes.
Tori Gurley and Anthony Coombs each scored for the Argos, while Tasker and Matt Coates each caught a touchdown from Collaros in the Ticats’ victory.
Collaros made Harris pay immediately after, connecting with Coates on a slant pass for the Markham, Ont. native’s first career touchdown.
In an early hole for the second straight week, the Argo offence engineered exactly the response that was needed. It started with a 13-yard catch by Coombs on second down to move the sticks, followed by a 16-yard pickup by fullback Brendan Gillanders down to the Hamilton 25.
Harris then calmly avoided pressure and connected with Gurley for another first down at the 12, before using his legs on a second down play to get within a yard of moving the sticks. Scott Milanovich elected to gamble on third and a long yard and wisely stayed away from the Ticats’ interior defensive line, as Brandon Whitaker took the pitch and beat the Ticats’ defence outside for the game-tying touchdown.
The Argos conceded a safety early in the second quarter after Craig Butler sacked Harris near his own goal line, giving the Ticats a 9-7 lead.
Then, after the teams exchanged punts, Brandon Banks looked to add to the Ticats’ two-point edge with a special teams play. The speedster burned the Argo defence for a 42-yard return down the right sideline, setting up the Ticat offence nice and close.
A pickup of 11 by Ray Holley got the wheels in motion, then penalties took over. An illegal contact penalty gave the Ticats one fresh set of downs, then, after seemingly stopping the Ticat offence in its tracks, Tristan Okpalaugo’s second roughing the passer penalty of the half gave Hamilton’s offence new life yet again.
The hit seemed to have no effect on Collaros, as on the very next play the second-year Ticat hit Tasker for the three-yard score, capping off a six-play, 39-yard drive and extending the Ticats’ lead to 16-7.
The touchdown marked Collaros’ second of the game and Tasker’s sixth of the season, but the Tabbies weren’t done there. A quick two-and-out on defence put the ball right back in the hands of Collaros, who quickly went to work.
A catch-and-run by Sinkfield moved the Ticats across midfield, then a mental miscue hit the Argos hard. Okpalaugo forced a fumble on Collaros and it was recovered by Martin Wright. But after being untouched, Wright gave himself up and lost possession of the ball, turning it back over to the Ticats – although the play was for not as the Argos also took a penalty that was accepted anyway.
A third roughing the passer penalty against the Argos moved Hamilton closer, but the Ticats were eventually stopped and forced to settle for a Justin Medlock field goal to extend their lead to 19-7.
Down at the half and needing an answer, the Argos turned momentum in their favour early in the third quarter in the form of a third down gamble. Caught up in a third and nine just past midfield, Milanovich kept the offence on the field and Harris came through with a completion to Gurley to pick up the first down.
It was the spark the Argos needed because on the next set of downs, facing second-and-21 following a holding penalty, Harris went over the top and hit Gurley for a 43-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, but the Boatmen trailed only by six with 10:44 left in the third quarter.
The Ticats responded with a Medlock field goal after Collaros and Tasker quickly worked their way down field, but the Argos mounted a quick retaliation of their own. A defensive pass interference moved them within striking distance, while Harris continued the drive from there with his legs.
On second down from the 11, Harris dropped back and pinpointed a pass in the back of the end zone for Coombs, who held on for his first career touchdown. The Argos continued their third-quarter surge, cutting the deficit to 22-20 following the 10-play, 70-yard drive.
But just as they had all night, the Ticats fought fire with more fire of their own. Collaros connected with Toliver for a key first down on second-and-long, then Holley kept the drive moving with some hard downhill running of his own. Suddenly the Ticats were back inside the Argo 30.
After last time settling for a field goal, this time Collaros was keen on finishing better. He hit Sinkfield over the middle for 21, then the former Argo pushed the ball to the one on a seven-yard pickup off the hand off. The Ticats capped off the drive with a one-yard plunge by Jeff Matthews, re-establishing their two-score lead, 29-20.
A blocked punt off the ensuing drive set the Ticats up at the Argo 23, but just as the game seemed to be slipping away the Argos weren’t done yet. The defence rose to the occasion and forced yet another Medlock field goal, while the offence took over and moved up the field in a hurry.
The elusive Coombs got the play started with a catch-and-run, then Gurley made a catch and found an edge for another big-gainer. The Ticats seemed to have the Argos stopped in the red zone, but an off-side penalty on an incomplete pass play kept the drive alive.
Milanovich then opted to challenge the play for pass interference against Gurley at the front of the end zone, and after review it was called pass interference. Whitaker finished off the 10-yard scoring drive with the one-yard touchdown plunge, and with 5:08 remaining the Argos trailed only by five points.
In yet another familiar scene, though, Collaros answered, running down the clock and moving into field goal range on the strength of his legs and three completions to Sinkfield. Another field goal by Medlock made it 35-27 Hamilton, an eight-point lead with 1:12 remaining.
The Argos needed third down to move the sticks on a completion to Chad Owens, then Harris threaded the needle to Elliott over the middle for a pickup into Ticats territory. A pickup to Chad Kackert put the ball at the 24, giving the Argos one final play to tie it up. Harris dropped back and was picked off in the back corner of the end zone by Emanuel Davis, clinching the Ticats’ victory.
Collaros finished the game 22-of-31 for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns to go with one interception, while Sinkfield led the way among Ticat receivers with seven catches for 91 yards.
Harris responded for the Argos with 201 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15-of-28 passing but was picked off twice in the loss.
The Argos get a week off to recoup from their three straight losses, next paying a visit to Ottawa on Sept. 26. The Ticats, meanwhile, aim to keep rolling next Saturday when they welcome the Eskimos to Tim Hortons Field.
TORONTO -- It wasn’t nearly as easy, but the Hamilton Tiger-Cats completed a season series sweep of the Toronto Argonauts with a 35-27 win on Friday night at the Rogers Centre.
Zach Collaros threw two touchdown passes and Luke Tasker caught eight passes and a touchdown, as the Tabbies clicked on all three phases to go a perfect three-for-three against the Argos this season and extend their lead on the East Division to two games.
Swayze Waters left the game for the Argos and replacement Dave Stala had a punt blocked in the fourth quarter, as the Boatmen came up short on another second-half comeback attempt despite a pair of third-quarter Trevor Harris touchdown passes.
Tori Gurley and Anthony Coombs each scored for the Argos, while Tasker and Matt Coates each caught a touchdown from Collaros in the Ticats’ victory.
Collaros made Harris pay immediately after, connecting with Coates on a slant pass for the Markham, Ont. native’s first career touchdown.
In an early hole for the second straight week, the Argo offence engineered exactly the response that was needed. It started with a 13-yard catch by Coombs on second down to move the sticks, followed by a 16-yard pickup by fullback Brendan Gillanders down to the Hamilton 25.
Harris then calmly avoided pressure and connected with Gurley for another first down at the 12, before using his legs on a second down play to get within a yard of moving the sticks. Scott Milanovich elected to gamble on third and a long yard and wisely stayed away from the Ticats’ interior defensive line, as Brandon Whitaker took the pitch and beat the Ticats’ defence outside for the game-tying touchdown.
The Argos conceded a safety early in the second quarter after Craig Butler sacked Harris near his own goal line, giving the Ticats a 9-7 lead.
Then, after the teams exchanged punts, Brandon Banks looked to add to the Ticats’ two-point edge with a special teams play. The speedster burned the Argo defence for a 42-yard return down the right sideline, setting up the Ticat offence nice and close.
A pickup of 11 by Ray Holley got the wheels in motion, then penalties took over. An illegal contact penalty gave the Ticats one fresh set of downs, then, after seemingly stopping the Ticat offence in its tracks, Tristan Okpalaugo’s second roughing the passer penalty of the half gave Hamilton’s offence new life yet again.
The hit seemed to have no effect on Collaros, as on the very next play the second-year Ticat hit Tasker for the three-yard score, capping off a six-play, 39-yard drive and extending the Ticats’ lead to 16-7.
The touchdown marked Collaros’ second of the game and Tasker’s sixth of the season, but the Tabbies weren’t done there. A quick two-and-out on defence put the ball right back in the hands of Collaros, who quickly went to work.
A catch-and-run by Sinkfield moved the Ticats across midfield, then a mental miscue hit the Argos hard. Okpalaugo forced a fumble on Collaros and it was recovered by Martin Wright. But after being untouched, Wright gave himself up and lost possession of the ball, turning it back over to the Ticats – although the play was for not as the Argos also took a penalty that was accepted anyway.
A third roughing the passer penalty against the Argos moved Hamilton closer, but the Ticats were eventually stopped and forced to settle for a Justin Medlock field goal to extend their lead to 19-7.
Down at the half and needing an answer, the Argos turned momentum in their favour early in the third quarter in the form of a third down gamble. Caught up in a third and nine just past midfield, Milanovich kept the offence on the field and Harris came through with a completion to Gurley to pick up the first down.
It was the spark the Argos needed because on the next set of downs, facing second-and-21 following a holding penalty, Harris went over the top and hit Gurley for a 43-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, but the Boatmen trailed only by six with 10:44 left in the third quarter.
| Collaros, 'Cats battle to the wire |
|---|
The
Argos never stopped battling, but neither did Zach Collaros. The
Ticats' pivot led his team to a hard-earned 35-27 win over the Argos on
Friday night in Toronto ... Read More.
|
The Ticats responded with a Medlock field goal after Collaros and Tasker quickly worked their way down field, but the Argos mounted a quick retaliation of their own. A defensive pass interference moved them within striking distance, while Harris continued the drive from there with his legs.
On second down from the 11, Harris dropped back and pinpointed a pass in the back of the end zone for Coombs, who held on for his first career touchdown. The Argos continued their third-quarter surge, cutting the deficit to 22-20 following the 10-play, 70-yard drive.
But just as they had all night, the Ticats fought fire with more fire of their own. Collaros connected with Toliver for a key first down on second-and-long, then Holley kept the drive moving with some hard downhill running of his own. Suddenly the Ticats were back inside the Argo 30.
After last time settling for a field goal, this time Collaros was keen on finishing better. He hit Sinkfield over the middle for 21, then the former Argo pushed the ball to the one on a seven-yard pickup off the hand off. The Ticats capped off the drive with a one-yard plunge by Jeff Matthews, re-establishing their two-score lead, 29-20.
A blocked punt off the ensuing drive set the Ticats up at the Argo 23, but just as the game seemed to be slipping away the Argos weren’t done yet. The defence rose to the occasion and forced yet another Medlock field goal, while the offence took over and moved up the field in a hurry.
The elusive Coombs got the play started with a catch-and-run, then Gurley made a catch and found an edge for another big-gainer. The Ticats seemed to have the Argos stopped in the red zone, but an off-side penalty on an incomplete pass play kept the drive alive.
Milanovich then opted to challenge the play for pass interference against Gurley at the front of the end zone, and after review it was called pass interference. Whitaker finished off the 10-yard scoring drive with the one-yard touchdown plunge, and with 5:08 remaining the Argos trailed only by five points.
| Sinkfield solid again in 'Cats win |
|---|
 Another week, another impressive performance for Terrell Sinkfield Jr. in the Tiger-Cats offence. For the second straight week he led his club in receiving. This time, to the tune of seven catches for 91 yards ... View Full Game Stats. |
In yet another familiar scene, though, Collaros answered, running down the clock and moving into field goal range on the strength of his legs and three completions to Sinkfield. Another field goal by Medlock made it 35-27 Hamilton, an eight-point lead with 1:12 remaining.
The Argos needed third down to move the sticks on a completion to Chad Owens, then Harris threaded the needle to Elliott over the middle for a pickup into Ticats territory. A pickup to Chad Kackert put the ball at the 24, giving the Argos one final play to tie it up. Harris dropped back and was picked off in the back corner of the end zone by Emanuel Davis, clinching the Ticats’ victory.
Collaros finished the game 22-of-31 for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns to go with one interception, while Sinkfield led the way among Ticat receivers with seven catches for 91 yards.
Harris responded for the Argos with 201 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15-of-28 passing but was picked off twice in the loss.
The Argos get a week off to recoup from their three straight losses, next paying a visit to Ottawa on Sept. 26. The Ticats, meanwhile, aim to keep rolling next Saturday when they welcome the Eskimos to Tim Hortons Field.
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