Recap: Edmonton 26, BC 23
CFL
Down to the Wire: Whyte's OT field goal wins it for Esks
Posted: October 17,2015 10:30PM
Updated: October 18,2015 12:09PM
CFL.ca Staff
EDMONTON -- Sean Whyte made his sixth field goal of the night in the second mini overtime game as the Edmonton Eskimos edged out a 26-23 win over the BC Lions on Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
Down by three, Mike Reilly orchestrated a final
drive with just under two minutes left in regulation. Reilly found
Adarius Bowman three times on the last push, setting up Whyte for a
field goal with three seconds left on the clock to send the game into
extra time and set up a wild finish in Edmonton.
Both Whyte and Richie Leone made field goals on each of their teams' first possessions to put the game at 23-23, giving both squads another chance to score.
Jonathon Jennings’ first pass of the second mini game was intercepted by Dexter McCoil, and Whyte finished the job to secure a 26-23 win for Edmonton.
Bowman was phenomenal for the Green and Gold with 11 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown.
With the Eskimos' win, both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts clinch playoff spots.
The match was hectic from start to finish, as no lead was ever safe throughout the game. The Esks would strike on their first drive of the game with some help from their special teams. Kendial Lawrence bolted down the field for a 63-yard punt return to move into Lions territory, but Reilly was shut down by the BC defence and the Esks settled for a 40-yard field goal by Whyte to take an early 3-0 lead.
BC would respond, punting deep into Eskimos' territory after a quick two-and-out and trapping Edmonton at its own two-yard line. On the next play, Reilly’s pass was intercepted by Ronnie Yell and returned for a touchdown to put the Lions up 7-3.
Reilly and the Esks generated little offence on their next possession and were forced to punt, but the ball slipped through the fingers of Stephen Adekolu and Mike Miller was there to recover the fumble for the Green and Gold. The strong defensive effort set up a field goal attempt to put the Esks within one point of the lead, but the kick was blocked by Michael Brooks to keep the score unchanged.
The Esks would make up for the missed opportunity on their next drive as Reilly found Bowman in stride deep down field in the opening play of the second quarter for a 63-yard touchdown.
Edmonton did not hold on to the lead for long as the Lions responsed with a 14-yard field goal by Richie Leone to tie the game at ten apiece.
The two teams exchanged field goals as the quarter dwindled down. Whyte made his second field goal of the night from 22-yards out to regain the lead for Edmonton, but Leone responded with a field goal of his own to tie the game at a 13-13 deadlock entering halftime.
Bowman was a monster in the first half, picking up 138 yards on five catches through the first 30 minutes. His numbers are even more impressive consdering that Edmonton only had 161 passing yards in the first half.
Reilly appeared to be in trouble at the beginning of the third quarter as the pocket collapsed around him, but managed to fire off a 45-yard pass to Derel Walker for a big gain. The play led to a 34-yard field goal by Whyte, his third of the night, to break the tie and give Edmonton sole possession of the lead at 16-13.
The BC defence would strike again and continue to wreck havoc on the Esks. Reilly made a pass to Bowman, but the ball tipped off of his fingers and into the hands of Alex Hoffman-Ellis, who then returned the ball for 28 yards to put the Lions close to the endzone. A short three-yard touchdown pass by Jennings to Emmanuel Arceneaux on the next play pulled the Lions ahead, but the missed extra point would keep the lead at 19-16.
A single by Edmonton at the beginning of the fourth quarter would narrow the margin to two points, setting up a thrilling finish at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Lions looked to pull away midway through the fourth quarter, driving up the field to the Edmonton one yard line, but BC would not manage a single point on the play as the ball was fumbled into the end zone and recovered by Deon Lacey. Lacey ran the width of the end zone and then out for a 34-yard gain to keep the game close.
A single by the Lions would put BC back up by three points.
The Esks received the ball back with just under two minutes remaining, trailing 20-17, needing a field goal to send the match into overtime.
Reilly orchestrated a quick drive down the field and only needed 11 plays to advance 86 yards and deep into Lions territory, setting up Whyte for a field goal attempt from 16 yards out. Whyte made no mistake, kicking his fourth field goal of the night with three seconds left on the clock to extend the game into overtime, and eventually kicking the game winning field goal.
The victory marks Edmonton’s sixth straight win, a streak they will try to continue when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Oct. 24. BC will look to get back on the playoff track against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 23 at BC Place.
EDMONTON -- Sean Whyte made his sixth field goal of the night in the second mini overtime game as the Edmonton Eskimos edged out a 26-23 win over the BC Lions on Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
| Related: Lions at Eskimos |
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 » View Game Stats » Images: BC at EDM » Standings/Crossover Standings » Shaw Road to the Grey Cup» Watch: Reilly finds Bowman downtown » Preview: Esks wary of Jennings |
Both Whyte and Richie Leone made field goals on each of their teams' first possessions to put the game at 23-23, giving both squads another chance to score.
Jonathon Jennings’ first pass of the second mini game was intercepted by Dexter McCoil, and Whyte finished the job to secure a 26-23 win for Edmonton.
Bowman was phenomenal for the Green and Gold with 11 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown.
With the Eskimos' win, both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts clinch playoff spots.
The match was hectic from start to finish, as no lead was ever safe throughout the game. The Esks would strike on their first drive of the game with some help from their special teams. Kendial Lawrence bolted down the field for a 63-yard punt return to move into Lions territory, but Reilly was shut down by the BC defence and the Esks settled for a 40-yard field goal by Whyte to take an early 3-0 lead.
BC would respond, punting deep into Eskimos' territory after a quick two-and-out and trapping Edmonton at its own two-yard line. On the next play, Reilly’s pass was intercepted by Ronnie Yell and returned for a touchdown to put the Lions up 7-3.
Reilly and the Esks generated little offence on their next possession and were forced to punt, but the ball slipped through the fingers of Stephen Adekolu and Mike Miller was there to recover the fumble for the Green and Gold. The strong defensive effort set up a field goal attempt to put the Esks within one point of the lead, but the kick was blocked by Michael Brooks to keep the score unchanged.
The Esks would make up for the missed opportunity on their next drive as Reilly found Bowman in stride deep down field in the opening play of the second quarter for a 63-yard touchdown.
Edmonton did not hold on to the lead for long as the Lions responsed with a 14-yard field goal by Richie Leone to tie the game at ten apiece.
The two teams exchanged field goals as the quarter dwindled down. Whyte made his second field goal of the night from 22-yards out to regain the lead for Edmonton, but Leone responded with a field goal of his own to tie the game at a 13-13 deadlock entering halftime.
Bowman was a monster in the first half, picking up 138 yards on five catches through the first 30 minutes. His numbers are even more impressive consdering that Edmonton only had 161 passing yards in the first half.
Reilly appeared to be in trouble at the beginning of the third quarter as the pocket collapsed around him, but managed to fire off a 45-yard pass to Derel Walker for a big gain. The play led to a 34-yard field goal by Whyte, his third of the night, to break the tie and give Edmonton sole possession of the lead at 16-13.
The BC defence would strike again and continue to wreck havoc on the Esks. Reilly made a pass to Bowman, but the ball tipped off of his fingers and into the hands of Alex Hoffman-Ellis, who then returned the ball for 28 yards to put the Lions close to the endzone. A short three-yard touchdown pass by Jennings to Emmanuel Arceneaux on the next play pulled the Lions ahead, but the missed extra point would keep the lead at 19-16.
A single by Edmonton at the beginning of the fourth quarter would narrow the margin to two points, setting up a thrilling finish at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Lions looked to pull away midway through the fourth quarter, driving up the field to the Edmonton one yard line, but BC would not manage a single point on the play as the ball was fumbled into the end zone and recovered by Deon Lacey. Lacey ran the width of the end zone and then out for a 34-yard gain to keep the game close.
A single by the Lions would put BC back up by three points.
The Esks received the ball back with just under two minutes remaining, trailing 20-17, needing a field goal to send the match into overtime.
Reilly orchestrated a quick drive down the field and only needed 11 plays to advance 86 yards and deep into Lions territory, setting up Whyte for a field goal attempt from 16 yards out. Whyte made no mistake, kicking his fourth field goal of the night with three seconds left on the clock to extend the game into overtime, and eventually kicking the game winning field goal.
The victory marks Edmonton’s sixth straight win, a streak they will try to continue when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Oct. 24. BC will look to get back on the playoff track against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 23 at BC Place.
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