REDBLACKS end losing run with victory against Tiger-Cats
10/25/2024 09:10 PM
OTTAWA — The Friday night game between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa REDBLACKS didn’t mean a lot with regard to the standings, but you wouldn’t be able to tell with how the game panned out in the nation’s capital. Both teams fought until the very end in a game which had seven lead changes, but it was the REDBLACKS who finished on top 37-31 to end their five-game losing spell.
Despite the high scoring totals and lofty passing numbers from both starting quarterbacks, it was the Ottawa defence who came up with the biggest play of the game. That unit denied Hamilton on the goal line on three straight plays in the dying seconds to hold on to the result and finish the regular season with a winning record.
Dru Brown threw for 445 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Rookie receiver Kalil Pimpleton ended his day with 167 yards on six catches, plus a score. Dominique Rhymes also passed the century mark with 115 yards on six catches of his own.
Despite the loss, Bo Levi Mitchell was able to make Tiger-Cats history, setting a franchise record for passing yards in a season after throwing for 425 at TD Place Stadium. Mitchell threw for a touchdown and an interception on the day, while Steven Dunbar Jr. recorded 180 receiving yards on nine catches.
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The road team forced the game’s first turnover during the game’s opening drive as Ray Wilborn popped the ball out of Anthony Gosselin‘s control and Kyle Wilson recovered. Mitchell threw a pair of incompletions for a quick two-and-out, but the Ticats would shortly get the ball back at midfield after Ottawa punted from their own 15-yard line. Marc Liegghio found the first points of the ballgame with his 17-yard field goal to cap off Hamilton’s second possession.
On the ensuing drive, Brown threw for three first downs en route to Ottawa’s first score of the evening. Several receivers were involved across seven plays, and then it was Addison who came up with a 12-yard touchdown catch.
The two teams traded a trio of scoreless drives, which included a Damon Webb interception in the end zone. Early in the second quarter, the REDBLACKS resumed the scoring through Lewis Ward‘s 23-yard kick after Brown and Pimpleton combined for a 51-yard passing play over the middle.
The Ticats came away with their second turnover of the night later in the frame as Destin Talbert picked off Brown, returning it 38 yards the other way. Ante Milanovic-Litre converted on a third-down rush inside the red zone before Mitchell connected with a wide-open Smith in the end zone to tie the game up at 10-10.
Another big passing play from Brown set up a field goal to put the home team back on top late in the second quarter. This time it was Rhymes who came down with a 35-yard reception through the middle of the field before Ward knocked in his 31-yard field goal try.
Hamilton answered back with a field goal of their own to tie things up at 13-13, but Ottawa would have the final say before halftime. Dustin Crum got loose for a 42-yard run when he just needed two for a first down and then a couple of plays later Acklin caught a four-yard pass from Brown to make it 20-13 in favour of the hosts at the break.
The Tiger-Cats cut into the deficit on their first drive of the second half courtesy of another Liegghio field goal. His third make of the night put the Tabbies four points behind their opponent after the nine-play drive was brought to a halt inside the red zone.
After an Ottawa two-and-out, the Ticats put themselves back into the lead. Milanovic-Litre ripped off a 28-yard run to kick off the scoring drive and then Greg Bell rushed for a 21-yard touchdown. Liegghio’s attempted extra point went wide right, leaving the score at 22-20.
Ottawa was able to jump back ahead after Ward’s 33-yard field goal, but Hamilton quickly came clawing back. Tim White made a contested catch good for 37 yards to put the Black and Gold into scoring range and then a couple of plays later, Milanovic-Litre fought through a pile and into the end zone from two yards out. White couldn’t break the plane on the two-point conversion leaving the scoreline at 28-23 early in the fourth quarter.
Ward’s fourth field goal of the night cut Hamilton’s lead down to two and on their next possession, Ottawa would retake the lead. Brown looked downfield to combine with Acklin and then Rhymes for completions of more than 20 yards but then failed to deliver a couple of throws to Pimpleton inside the red zone. Called on once more, Ward put his 21-yard field goal through the uprights, giving Ottawa a 29-28 advantage with 4:28 to go.
The back-and-forth contest nature of the fourth quarter continued through the final minutes of the contest as Liegghio kicked Hamilton back into a short-lived lead with a 46-yard make. Back with the football, Brown threw a 65-yard touchdown strike to Pimpleton. Brown found Addison in the end zone on the two-point conversion, making it 37-31 with 1:52 on the clock.
Needing to score a touchdown on the next drive, Mitchell completed a clutch 44-yard pass to Brendan O’Leary-Orange to set up the Ticats on Ottawa’s doorstep. With three cracks on the goal line, Milanovic-Litre was smothered up by Ottawa’s defence, giving the hosts the win as time expired.
Next up for the REDBLACKS is a trip to Toronto for the Eastern Semi-Final on Saturday, November 2. Despite their solid run of results through the tail end of the regular season, the Tiger-Cats will be watching playoff football from home as their offseason begins earlier than they would’ve wanted.
