YOUR MORTGAGE NOW RECAP: TICATS 23 RIDERS 17
HAMILTON – It was not a good start to the season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. They lost the game, and their franchise quarterback.
Frankie Williams’ 68-yard punt return TD led Hamilton to a 23-17 win over the Roughriders on Thursday night in the CFL regular-season opener for both teams.
Williams returned Jon Ryan’s 52-yard punt for the touchdown at 8:48 of the third quarter to put the Ticats ahead 17-13. Saskatchewan pulled to within 20-16 in the fourth but two late interceptions ensured that Hamilton’s Orlondo Steinauer emerged victorious in his CFL head-coaching debut.
“That was a heck of a return, he (Williams) got the whole stadium pumped up,” said Hamilton quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. “We could’ve used anything but obviously whenever special teams score it’s a huge deal.”
Williams electrified an announced Tim Hortons Field gathering of 22,287. But the stadium wasn’t even half-full as the game was played under a threat of rain in the first half and before the Toronto Raptors faced the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif., with a chance to clinch their first-ever NBA title.
Masoli, a San Francisco native, arrived at Tim Hortons Field wearing a Golden State t-shirt.
Steinauer said securing the win for the team’s sake was much more important than for him personally.
“I learned a long time ago two points is two points,” he said. “We have a lot to work on but any time you can coach off a win it’s a big deal.”
Saskatchewan lost for the first time in six games versus Hamilton as Craig Dickenson suffered the defeat in his CFL head-coaching debut. More importantly, though, the Riders played most of the game without starter Zach Collaros.
Collaros was facing the Ticats for the first time since being dealt to Saskatchewan in January, 2018. A scrambling Collaros left after being hit in the head by Ticats’ linebacker Simoni Lawrence.
Lawrence received a 25-yard roughing-the-passer penalty – one of three flags Hamilton took for 50 yards on Saskatchewan’s opening drive.
A repentant Lawrence said he didn’t mean to hurt his former teammate. Collaros spent four seasons in Hamilton (2014-17) before heading to Saskatchewan.
“He was running full speed, I was running full speed and then he slid last second and I just couldn’t pull up,” Lawrence said. “It wasn’t intentional at all … I feel bad about it because I actually care about Zach.
“As a defensive player you play at a high level … it’s hard to say, ‘Go make a play and pull up if the guy slides at the last second.’ In slow motion it might look like it’s easy but when the bullets are flying it’s tough. I’m apologetic and I’m going to try to do a better job to not do that.”
Dickenson wouldn’t comment on Lawrence’s hit and said while Collaros appeared fine after the game, he certainly wasn’t able to resume playing.
“I think he’s going to be all right,” Dickenson said. “We certainly didn’t feel we could put him back in at that time, so we didn’t.
“I was sorry to see him down because I really feel for the guy, but I can’t comment on the hit because I didn’t see it.”
B.C. Lions receiver Duron Carter made it clear he didn’t like the hit.
“If anyone touches @Rikester13 like that, I will be my last day I’m allowed in Canada,” Carter tweeted, referring to Lions quarterback Mike Reilly.
A candid Collaros stated this week Thursday’s game would be a significant one for him. The 30-year-old native of Steubenville, Ohio, also had approximately 45 friends and family at the contest, having been married this off-season and owning a home in Aurora, Ont.
“It’s always tough to see other quarterbacks take a head shot (and) have a head injury,” Masoli said. “Obviously that’s one of my good friends and I hope he’s doing all right.”
Cody Fajardo replaced Collaros, who missed four regular-season games and the West Division semifinal last year with a concussion. But Fajardo limped off late in the third after being hit on an incompletion.
Rookie Isaac Harker took over on the Riders’ next possession. He and Fajardo split snaps briefly before Harker finished under centre.
Hamilton lost receiver Luke Tasker (four catches, 30 yards) to an unspecified first-half injury.
Lirim Hajrullahu’s 39-yard field goal at 13:30 put the Ticats (1-0) ahead 20-13 in the CFL’s earliest regular-season opener ever. Saskatchewan (0-1) drove to the Hamilton five-yard line but only managed Brett Lauther’s 19-yard field goal at 4:05 to pull to within 20-16.
Hajrullahu put Hamilton ahead 23-16 with a 33-yard field goal at 9:24. Lauther’s single off a missed 41-yard field goal try at 12:02 rounded out the scoring.
Brandon Banks scored Hamilton’s other touchdown. Hajrullahu kicked two converts and three field goals.
Fajardo and William Powell had Saskatchewan’s touchdowns. Lauther booted a convert, field goal and single.
Powell gave Saskatchewan a 13-10 half-time lead with a one-yard run at 12:43 of the second. Powell, the CFL’s second-leading rusher last year with Ottawa, had 104 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Masoli hit Banks on a 42-yard TD strike just 17 seconds into the second to put Hamilton ahead 10-7.
Hajrullahu’s 48-yard field goal at 11:03 of the first to cut Saskatchewan’s lead to 7-3. Fajardo opened the scoring at 3:08 on a two-yard run, capping an 81-yard, seven-play drive that was aided by the three Hamilton penalties.
“I just think we were tuned up too much,” Steinauer said. “Everybody was trying to make a play.
“It was all great effort, just the execution was lacking. There were some not smart football penalties out there that kept drives alive.”
(Canadian Press/Photo: Sydney Pedersen)
All that talk about player safety by the league and players union and then some goon goes head hunting the first series trying to end careers. He has a history or dirty hits. The powers that be need to send a clear message that this isn’t okay with a multiple game suspension and the union has to agree with that. If that was a rider player hitting Masoli like that I’d feel the same. Anytime you lower your head to crack another guy in the head is intentional. Collaros is no speed demon and every other player closer to him… Read more »
I have a feeling Lawrence will only get 1 game. Then we’ll hear some more megaphone braying by Ambrosie about player safety. This is the 3rd intentional headshot on a Rider QB in the past 18 months, but until it happens to Reilly or Mitchell you’ll just see more useless posturing by the Commish.
It has happened to Reilly, more than once. The league ended up apologizing for the missed hit by the Stamps. He was drilled in the head vs Regina also last year on the winning TD via interception by Jefferson which should have been called back. It works both ways. I fully agree that a suspension should go along with this. There’s no place in the game for head shots. But let’s not make this is a Rider problem. It’ a league problem & Reilly & Mitchell are as prone to this as Collaros.
Actually EW the hit that Mike Reilly took in Regina from Zack Evans on the pick 6 was face gaurd to face gaurd. That’s why it was reviewed and not called a Roughing the passer. If Zack would have hit Reilly’s face gaurd with the crown of his helmet. That would have been roughing. Face guard to face guard is not a defensive player leading with his helmet or looking to do a head shot. It would be considered a stand up tackle. Now the other fact is big Zack Evans falling all 300lbs onto Mike is also another factor.… Read more »
Can’t argue with that & the TV crew stated that a call could still have been made for that. Regardless, my only point is that this is not simply a Rider problem. Reilly had missed calls, admitted by the league, on consecutive games. He & Zach are just the most obvious examples. Last night you saw the reverse problem. Pipkin got bumped after releasing the ball & the crew called that, rightly so, an iffy call but if you’re going to reduce these instances better to err on the side of iffy. A call late in the game on Adams… Read more »
The league has just proven their 25 yard penalty increase is not going to stop this behaviour. The coach did nothing to stop this behaviour, did not bench him after the penalty nothing…they should follow and build on the US college model of TARGETING, with an immediate ejection from the game and a 25 yard penalty Then, add into the penalty 1 game additional (not a suspension but in game penalty. Any ejection ought to have a meeting with the commish and team owner. The Hamilton Coach ought to have benched SL for this selfish action and behaviour that is… Read more »
The CFL should implement a rule similar to the NCAA rule of targeting. If you deliberately target a player’s head or lead with your helmet you are ejected from the game, suspended, fined.
I would suggest that certain CFL teams head hunt QB’s with concussion issues. To give up a 25 yard penalty to take the starting QB out of the game. Guaranteeing a 2 point victory is peanuts. That’s like fining a CFL team $5K for tampering after they just signed a Bona fide Star that is going to help their team tremendously. While hurting a divisional rival that you stole the player from. If this league ever want to be taken seriously then Ambrosie better stand front and Center and make an example. The CBA will only allow a half game… Read more »
I don’t believe that certain CFL teams intentionally hunt QB’s & if they did, why QB’s with concussion issues? Among starters that would be a club of one – Zach. You might say some players end up with these kinds of hits more often. Willis comes to mind as he had the hit on Collaros last year & also had a questionable hit on Zach in the Eastern Final with Edmonton in 2017. But BC had less roughing penalties than anyone last year. I have to be careful what I say here because these kinds of injuries are not the… Read more »
Happy feet Fajardo is not the answer. At least Harker is a throw first QB.