A second half rally by the Tiger-Cats wasn’t enough to overcome a sluggish start in a 32-22 pre-season defeat against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Ticats were able to sack opposing pivots five times, including two each by newcomers Dennis Haley and Justin Hickman, while their revamped offensive line didn’t surrender a single sack.
Rookie running back DeAndra’ Cobb racked up 82 yards on seven carries, including a 62-yard touchdown run that put the Ticats on the board.
The Ticats, who left several key starters back in Hamilton, got off to a slow start, allowing a field goal and a one-yard touchdown run sandwiched between a Kevin Glenn interception to trail the Bombers 6:40 into the game.
Winnipeg continued to pile on the points as the first quarter progressed. First, Nick Setta surrendered a safety after penalty troubles pushed the Black and Gold deep in their own territory. Bombers running back Lavarus Giles would score his second major of the game a little later, giving the home side a 19-0 advantage after one quarter.
The second quarter saw Quinton Porter enter the game and take over the offensive reins from Glenn. Porter would completed five of ten passes during the second frame for 46 yards while also scampering for 22 rushing yards on two rushes.
Unfortunately for the Ticats, Porter was unable to lead the Cats into the end zone while Winnipeg added another touchdown thanks to a one-yard sneak by QB Bryan Randall, sending Hamilton to the locker room facing a 26-point deficit after 30 minutes of play.
The third quarter began with a little more excitement for the Ticats as rookie RB DeAndra’ Cobb took a handoff from Adam Tafralis 62 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the half, making the score 26-7.
The defence came up big on the Bombers ensuing possession. First, rookie DE Mike McFadden forced Bombers RB Yvenson Bernard to cough up the ball, taking Winnipeg back to their two-yard line. Ticats DE Justin Hickman would follow that up with a sack of QB James Kilian for a safety and cutting the Bombers lead to 17.
An Alexis Serna field goal set up by Adam Tafralis interception would halt the Black and Gold’s momentum and put the home team up 29-9.
Nick Setta would connect on a 48-yard field goal before the end of the third frame to make the score 29-12 with one quarter to play.
The Ticats kept the ball rolling in the final quarter thanks to their special teams. Bombers return man Ramonce Taylor muffed a punt, allowing Hamilton’s Sean Manning to recover the ball on Winnipeg’s 23 yard line. That set up another Setta field goal to bring the Cats within two majors.
On the kickoff, the Ticats special teams once again capitalized on a Bomber miscue as Issac Brown recovered a fumbled kickoff return by John Eubanks, once again providing the Black and Gold with prime real estate. Rookie pivot Jason Boltus needed just three more plays before he hit Chris Davis in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to seven.
Former Ticat/current Bomber quarterback Richie Williams would put the brakes on the Cats comeback, however, as he would lead his squad into field goal territory, where Alexis Serna would ice the game on a 17-yard field goal to put his team up 10 with under three minutes to play.
The Ticats would get no closer and would drop their first pre-season game since 2005 with a 32-22 loss to the Blue Bombers.
