Week 16 CFL Wrap

BLUE BOMBERS 27 ELKS 14

EDMONTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a nickname for the opposition’s end zone. They refer to it as the “chicken box.”

So, after each of running back Brady Oliveira’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns, he did a chicken dance.

Oliveira ran for 127 yards on 18 carries, scored twice and led the surging Blue Bombers to a 27-14 win over the Edmonton Elks Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.

For Oliveira, those were his first two touchdowns of the season, an odd stat for a rusher who has 1,021 yards on the year.

“Man, we got in the chicken box tonight,” said Oliveira. “It felt real good to get that monkey off my back. It really felt good to celebrate with my boys in the end zone.”

For the West Division-leading Bombers (8-6), it was their sixth straight win. The Elks (5-9) lost for just the second time in seven games.

While Oliveira had a breakout night, Tre Ford’s return as the Edmonton Elks starting quarterback did not go according to plan

Ford lost a fumble and threw two interceptions.

“I don’t think I played well, I think the turnovers were a big thing, I think that is what killed us and killed some of our drives,” Ford said. “We could have put points up, that’s how the game goes, there’s turnovers in it.

“Obviously you try to limit how many of those you do and I didn’t do a good job of that today.”

With the score tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter, Ford’s underthrown pass was picked off by Blue Bombers linebacker Michael Ayers, who returned the ball to the Elks’ 36-yard line. Oliveira then unleashed a punishing run of 30 yards, followed by a six-yard touchdown scamper, to put the Blue Bombers ahead for good.

Oliveira also scored a late touchdown on a five-yard burst up the middle.

Bombers coach Mike O’Shea said Ayers, a backup, got more playing time because of his impressive work on special teams.

“It was right on time. I think they just had a big run, too. So, he just got up and picked the ball and he was in a bit of no man’s land. But he went up and got it — and good for him. It’s nice for a young guy, when he makes a play, that his teammates are so excited for him.”

The Elks wasted a fantastic rushing day from Justin Rankin, who went for 157 yards on 14 attempts.

Ford finished with 10 completions on 17 passing attempts, and just 131 yards. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros went 19-for-27 for 191 yards.

Ford was restored as the Elks starting quarterback for the Winnipeg game, another chapter in the Elks’ quarterback saga. After the Elks lost seven in a row to start the year, Ford supplanted McLeod-Bethel Thompson as the starter. Ford started two games, but was knocked out with a rib injury. A rejuvenated Bethel-Thompson was 3-1 in four subsequent starts, but Elks coach Jarious Jackson made the decision to go back to Ford for the Winnipeg game.

After Ford’s struggles, Bethel-Thompson was reinstated as the Elks quarterback midway through the fourth quarter. 

UP NEXT

This was the first time Winnipeg and Edmonton matched up this season, but they’ll meet again on Friday in the Manitoba capital.

ALOUETTES 24 REDBLACKS 12

OTTAWA – The Montreal Alouettes want to give themselves every advantage heading down the stretch and Saturday’s 24-12 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks was a big step forward.

With the win the Alouettes (11-2-1) remain unbeaten on the road (6-0-1) and clinched a home playoff game. They were also the first team to beat Ottawa (8-5-1) at TD Place snapping their unbeaten home streak (6-1-1).

“A win’s a win, but sometimes when you say it’s a big game all week, I mean, they feel a little differently,” said Alouettes head coach Jason Maas. “As the season progresses there’s things that these games mean for us and, obviously, this one meant a lot for where we are in the standings.”

Maas pointed out the importance of being seven points up on second-place Ottawa and wanting the opportunity to play in front of their home fans in the post-season.

“We love to be able to do that, so it’s an accomplished goal.”

Ottawa was looking to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2018 but are now facing a two-game losing streak for the first time this season. Things could get even more difficult.

Already playing without a number of key starters, the Redblacks also lost starting quarterback Dru Brown, who aggravated an ankle injury late in the second quarter. They also lost wide receiver Eli Stove (knee), OL Drake Centers (shoulder), DB’s Ty Cranston (stinger in arm), Brandin Dandridge (knee) and Alonzo Addae (knee).

Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce didn’t use injuries as an excuse admitting his team made too many mistakes and took too many penalties — 11 for 137 yards.

“They certainly took advantage of our mistakes and didn’t make big enough ones on their end to cost them the game,” said Dyce. “So, I’m not going to take any credit away from Montreal. They’re a very good team, very well coached team, but on the opposite side of that, there’s things that if we play clean football, that we talk about playing, I believe the result would have been different.”

Brown was 8-for-16 for 69 yards with two interceptions before Jeremiah Masoli finished the game going 17-for-26 in passing for 218 yards and one touchdown.

Ottawa’s Lewis Ward kicked field goals from 18 and 46 yards.

Montreal quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 16 of 27 pass attempts for 226 yards and scored a rushing touchdown.

“This felt like a playoff game,” said Fajardo. “Our defence played incredible, our special teams played awesome and our offence did enough to win the football game. We’ve just got to clean some things up and I think we’re well on our way.”

Fajardo added that it was at a similar time last year that the team started getting hot and rode it into the playoffs and it’s time for a repeat performance.

Alouettes kicker Jose Maltos scored field goals from 17, 13 and 30 yards. A 30-yarder by Maltos midway through the fourth quarter stretched Montreal’s lead to a dozen points.

The Redblacks trailed 20-6 at halftime.

UP NEXT

Redblacks: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-7-1) next Saturday.

Alouettes: Visit the Toronto Argonauts (7-7) next Saturday.

ROUGHRIDERS 37 STAMPEDERS 29

CALGARY –– Heading into Friday’s game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were “ready to rock.”

With help from newly acquired running back Ryquell (Rock) Armstead, Harris backed up his statement as he led the Roughriders (6-7-1) to a 37-29 win over the Stampeders (4-9-1) in front of 24,240 fans at McMahon Stadium.

“Honestly, I feel like this team can beat any team,” said Harris, who had a rushing touchdown and threw a TD pass to Kian Schaffer-Baker. “It’s just a matter of us having the right attitude, mindset and execution.”

While Harris completed 16-of-18 passes for 248 yards, he was also able to work Armstead into the offence by continually handing the ball off to the former Ottawa Redblacks’ running back.

“Obviously our offensive line was moving people,” Harris said. “We were able to get some good cutbacks and (Armstead) was doing a great job of finding the holes. He’s a load to bring down. 

“He’s a stud and he did a great job for us tonight, no doubt.”

Armstead definitely had an impressive debut with 207 yards rushing on 25 carries.

“All I did is just try to come out here and do my job and help these guys and contribute,” said Armstead, who was given the game ball from Saskatchewan coach Corey Mace after the victory. “These coaches did a great job with the game plan, adjustments and things like that.

“They made it very easy and all I had to do was my part.”

Backup quarterback Shea Patterson ran for a pair of touchdowns. Brett Lauther kicked three field goals for the Riders, who ended a seven-game winless streak.

“I’m so happy for these guys,” Mace said. “They worked their tails off. I know it hasn’t been the results maybe in the prior weeks for us, but these guys, their work ethic is outstanding. They wanted this just as bad as Rider Nation.”

Clark Barnes and Jalen Philpot caught touchdown passes from quarterback Jake Maier for the Stampeders (4-9-1), who are 0-5-1 in their past six games.

Maier completed 25-of-31 passes for 197 yards to go with his two TD passes and one interception.

“The mood in here is what you would think,” Maier said. “It’s super frustrating. It’s a feeling of failure.”

Tommy Stevens and Dedrick Mills had rushing touchdowns for Calgary, while Rene Paredes kicked a field goal.

“They beat us,” said Calgary coach Dave Dickenson. “They were more physical. They owned the line of scrimmage. We fought back, but it just wasn’t enough.”

UP NEXT

Roughriders: Host the Ottawa Redblacks (8-4-1) on Sept. 28.

Stampeders: Visit the B.C. Lions (7-7) on Oct. 4.

TIGER-CATS 33 ARGONAUTS 31

TORONTO – Marc Liegghio kept the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ faint playoff hopes alive.

Liegghio’s 48-yard field goal on the final play earned Hamilton an exciting 33-31 win over Toronto Argonauts on Friday night. The Ticats (5-9) swept the three-game season series with the Argonauts (7-7), their first since 2019.

Liegghio, who booted six field goals in all, not only kicked the winner into a swirling wind but did so on a slick BMO Field surface.

“The field wasn’t the most tacky out there,” he said. “I think I would’ve been good from 50-plus (but) I would’ve had to make sure I got all of the ball and that my feet were stuck in the ground.

“I’m glad we took the shot where it was and it was just awesome we got the win.”

Hamilton won its third straight overall and moved within four points of third-place Toronto. Both teams have four regular-season games remaining.

“I think they’re feeling good about themselves,” Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich said outside a jubilant Ticats dressing room. “They’re happy with the improvements we’ve made, they believe in each other.

“That’s the thing I think that’s changed the most, the three phases believe the other side is going to do their job. I told them momentum is a powerful force and right now we’ve got it.”

Milanovich also gave Liegghio kudos for his performance.

“The field wasn’t in very good condition,” Milanovich said. “For him to have six field goals on the grass, we never play on it, and win one going into the wind from (48) yards, that’s big time. “

Liegghio’s boot capped a solid seven-play, 35-yard drive with no timeouts for Hamilton. Lirim Hajrullahu’s 28-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining had put Toronto ahead 31-30.

Hajrullahu’s field goal came after Liegghio connected from 15 yards out at 12:50 to give Hamilton a 30-28 advantage. But Toronto starter Chad Kelly missed a wide-open DaVaris Daniels in the end zone.

It appeared Toronto would get the ball at the Hamilton one-yard line on a pass interference call in the end zone. But it was overturned by the command centre.

“We just didn’t make enough plays,” said Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. “We had a chance to hit DaVaris at the end, that was unfortunate we didn’t make that play.

“(The) defence was too soft. It looked like seven on seven out there. Shoot, I think anybody could’ve went out and completed 80 per cent of their passes … we’ve got to get that fixed on defence.”

Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell finished 31-of-40 passing for 362 yards and a touchdown. He improved to 15-2 all-time against Toronto, to the dismay of 18,210 spectators at BMO Field.

“It felt like, by far, the best I’ve seen him play,” Milanovich said of Mitchell. “He was patient, he played like an elite quarterback tonight.”

Mitchell and Co. were especially efficient on second down, converting 16-of-25 chances.

“We were losing those exact same games early in the year,” Mitchell said. “What I saw was a team that’s been through it, learned from it, responded the right way.

“It’s awesome to see us come back and win a game like that at the end. It kind of shows we feel like we can beat anybody.”

Kelly was 17-of-26 passing for 255 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also ran for two TDs, his one-yard score at 9:08 putting Toronto ahead 28-27.

Hajrullahu’s 43-yard field goal at 1:29 pulled Toronto to within 24-21. But Liegghio countered with a 25-yard field goal at 7:35 to put Hamilton up 27-21.

Makai Polk had Toronto’s other touchdown. Deonta McMahon had a two-point convert while Hajrullahu kicked three field goals and two converts.

Jevoni Robinson and Antre Litre scored Hamilton’s touchdowns. Liegghio added two converts while Nik Constantinou had a single.

Liegghio’s 25-yard boot at 7:35 of the third gave Hamilton a 27-18 advantage.

Litre’s two-yard TD run at 4:53 put Hamilton ahead 21-18. Liegghio made it 24-18 with a 10-yard field goal at 14:22 but it came after Toronto stopped Litre on five straight rushing attempts from its one-yard line.

The last two came when Hamilton got a fresh set of downs following a Toronto offside penalty after stopping Litre on third down.

“That was disappointing,” said Milanovich, who’s also Hamilton offensive coordinator. “That could’ve ended up biting us and (it’s) fortunate that it didn’t.”

Liegghio’s 45-yard field goal to end the second quarter cut Toronto’s lead to 18-14. But it came after a facemask penalty against tackle Brendan Bordner erased Mitchell’s 24-yard TD pass to Kiondre Smith earlier on the drive.

Kelly put Toronto ahead 18-11 with a 14-yard TD strike to Polk at 13:27. He then found McMahon for the two-point convert.

UP NEXT:

Toronto: Hosts Montreal Alouettes (10-2-1) on Saturday night.

Hamilton: At B.C. Lions (7-7-0) on Friday night. 

(Canadian Press)