In an Eastern Division showdown to start the CFL Saturday doubleheader. The Montreal Alouettes were at Tim Hortons Field to battle the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
In the first quarter, Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. injured his ankle. The Tiger-Cats dominated the first quarter. The only point scored in the first quarter was a 32-yard field goal from Tiger-Cats kicker Taylor Bertolet for a 3-0 lead with 19-seconds left.
In the second quarter, Alouettes backup quarterback Matthews Shiltz was in the game. On the second possession for the Alouettes, Shiltz led the team on a nine-play drive before settling for a 13-yard field goal by David Cote that tied the game 3-3 with 7:10 left.
With under three minutes left, Tiger-Cats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Tim White. After the Alouettes challenged the play for offside pass interference, the call was reversed. Instead, the Tiger-Cats added another field goal from Taylor Bertolet that went 26-yards for a 6-3 lead.
The Alouettes attempted to tie the game before halftime, but kicker David Cote missed a 42-yard field goal, and the Tiger-Cats led 6-3 at halftime.
On the Tiger-Cats first possession of the third quarter, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli led the team on a six-play drive before kicker Taylor Bertolet made a 37-yard field goal for a 9-3 lead with 11:31 left.
Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was able to return to the game. The Alouettes went two and out. After Tiger-Cats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw a 56-yard pass to Steven Dunbar, running back, Sean Thomas-Erlington fumbled the ball but recovered it in the endzone for a 13-yard touchdown run. The Tiger-Cats went for a two-point conversion and got it for a 17-6 lead with 9:00 left in the third quarter.
The Tiger-Cats’ defense were taking care of business, sacking Vernon Adams Jr. twice. The Tiger-Cats led 17-6 at the end of the third quarter.
Down 17-6, the Alouettes needed to make a comeback. On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, Vernon Adams Jr. threw a 26-yard pass to Jake Wienke to cut the Tiger-Cats lead to 17-10 with 12:50 left in the game.
After the Alouette’s defense shut down the Tiger-Cats offense, the Alouettes’ offense was back on the field. Vernon Adams Jr. got the Alouettes to the 23-yard line before David Cote made a 30-yard field goal trailing 17-13 with 9:03 left in the game.
The momentum was on the Alouettes side late in the game. With under a minute left, Vernon Adams Jr., on third and twenty, with the pocket breaking down, threw the ball down the field caught in traffic by Eugene Lewis to give the Alouettes its first lead of the game 20-17.
With their backs against the wall, the Tiger-Cats quickly got to the Alouettes’ 48-yard line. Then, Tiger-Cats kicker Taylor Bertolet made a 55-yard field goal to send the game into overtime tied 20-20.
In overtime, Tiger-Cats running back Sean Thomas-Erlington fumbled the ball that was recovered by the Alouettes’ defense. Alouettes kicker David Cote made a 36-yard field goal to give the Alouettes a 23-20 win. The Alouettes are now 3-4 on the season, while the Tiger-Cats are 4-3.
Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. went 17/26 for 209-yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and 18-yards rushing. Running back, William Stanback had 12 carries for 59-yards, while Quan Bray led in receiving with three catches for 89-yards. The defense recorded four sacks, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
For the Tiger-Cats, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli went 23/33 for 223-yards and 17-yards rushing. Running back Sean Thomas-Erlington carried the ball seven times for 26-yards and one touchdown. Stevan Dunbar led the receivers with three catches for 75-yards. The defense recorded three sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Next week, the Alouettes host the Ottawa Redblacks on Monday, October 11th, at 1 pm on ESPN+, followed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosting the Toronto Argonauts at 4 pm on ESPN+.
