Ticats eliminate Redblacks from playoff contention with lopsided victory
CBC
Jeremiah Masoli and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have their mojo back.
Masoli threw two second-half TD passes as Hamilton defeated Ottawa 32-3 on Saturday to eliminate the Redblacks from playoff contention.
The win was Masoli's first this year but also the first in three home contests for the Ticats, who had won 11 straight at Tim Hortons Field before a 23-20 overtime loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Oct. 2.
"We definitely were talking about that . . . giving the fans something they could cheer about and go home happy with," Masoli said. "We've worked too hard not to finish these games."
WATCH l Tiger-Cats knock Redblacks out of playoff race:
Masoli left the game briefly in the third quarter after suffering a bloody nose on a seven-yard run. But he returned to finish 25-of-28 passing for 320 yards and improve to 1-4 this season.
"I definitely feel like the offence is almost getting to hit on all cylinders," Masoli said. "I hate losing, it makes me sick to my stomach so I'm glad we won."
Hamilton's win tightened up the East Division standings. Montreal (6-4) is first after earning a 37-16 home victory over Toronto (6-4) on Friday night.
"I think it's extremely important that we win this week," Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer said. "It really wouldn't matter who was on the schedule or what happened [Friday night] or in the standings.
"I thought we played well in all three phases. It's not easy to win games, it doesn't matter who you're playing. You still have to go out and execute."
On Saturday, Hamilton made an 18-3 advantage stand, to the delight of the Tim Hortons Field gathering of 20,112. Masoli's eight-yard touchdown pass to Jaelon Acklin at 11:40 of the fourth put the Ticats ahead 25-3 and culminated a seven-play, 75-yard drive.
Steinauer opted to gamble on third-and-two rather than kick the field goal despite the Ticats' failure to convert on third-and-short earlier. However, Masoli justified that faith, hitting Steven Dunbar Jr. on a seven-yard completion.
"This was a chance for the offence to step up when the team needed it most," Steinauer said. "It was time for us to take another step to make a timely play on offence when everybody is counting on it.
"You don't know what's going to happen if you don't put them in that situation."
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.
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