HAMILTON, Ont. - Winnipeg defensive back Alex Suber returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown to give his team the lead as the Blue Bombers came from behind to defeat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24-16 in CFL action Friday night.
Winnipeg was down 16-9 at halftime but its defence held the Tiger-Cats scoreless in the second half while the team mounted its comeback.
The Blue Bombers had pulled within three points, making the score 16-13, early in the fourth quarter when Suber returned an overthrown Kevin Glenn pass, intended for Dave Stala, for a touchdown. The score gave Winnipeg a lead they would not relinquish in front of an opening-day crowd of 23,852 at Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Blue Bombers receiver Terrence Edwards and Suber each scored TDs for Winnipeg while receiver Maurice Mann scored for the Tiger-Cats.
Winnipeg quarterback Buck Pierce threw one touchdown pass with one interception, while Hamilton pivot Kevin Glenn also had a touchdown pass but added three interceptions, and was replaced by Quinton Porter with 8:45 left in the game. Winnipeg safety Ian Logan had two interceptions on the night, one off Glenn and one off Porter.
Hamilton kicker Justin Medlock was good on all three field goals, hitting from 42, 13 and 37 yards. Winnipeg kicker Justin Palardy hit both field-goal attempts, from 39 and 34 yards. Palardy and punter Mike Renaud also scored singles.
Hamilton built up its halftime lead thanks to three field goals by Medlock and a 19-yard TD pass from Glenn to Mann. Edward's 49-yard reception and a safety accounted for Winnipeg's offence.
But the Blue Bombers made it 16-12 with 4:12 left in the third quarter after Winnipeg linebacker Joe Lobendahn intercepted Glenn at the Ticats' 26-yard line, to set up Palardy's 39-yard field goal two plays later.
Palardy's single off the ensuing kickoff made it 16-13 and set the stage for Suber's heroics. After Glenn's pass sailed over Stala, Suber tipped the ball to himself before running the ball back down the right sideline for a touchdown 1:54 into the fourth quarter that finally gave Winnipeg the lead.
The teams then traded interceptions on back-to-back plays. Hamilton's Marcell Young picked off Pierce at the 50-yard line and the Ticats looked to have some momentum.
But on the very next play, Logan picked off Glenn at the Winnipeg 37-yard line. That was the last of Glenn, as Porter replaced him on the next Hamilton series. Porter would also give up an interception, to Logan, with 1:29 left in the game.
Perry Floyd's 42-yard punt return later in the fourth set up Palardy's second field goal of the night, this one from 34 yards, to give the Bombers a 23-16 lead with 4:25 remaining. Renaud's 58-yard punt single with 2:02 left in the game gave Winnipeg the eight-point lead.
Hamilton took a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter and then went up 10-0 when Markeith Knowlton blocked a Mike Renaud punt at the Winnipeg 38 and Jonathan Hood recovered it and ran it seven yards to the 19. On the very next play, Glenn hit Mann down the middle for the score.
But the boisterous crowd soon quieted down when Winnipeg answered on its next possession. Perry Floyd ran the kickoff back 56 yards to the Hamilton 49 and two plays later Pierce found Edwards heading to the end zone, two steps ahead of the coverage for the 49-yard touchdown and a 10-7 score.
Hamilton found its way down to the Winnipeg five-yard line, led by a 22-yard run by Avon Cobourne and a pass-interference call against Winnipeg. But the Tiger-Cats had to settle for a 13-yard field goal 37 seconds into the second quarter.
A Renaud punt pinned Hamilton at its own five-yard line and when the Tiger-Cats couldn't move the ball, Glenn conceded the safety for the 13-9 score.
Medlock hit his third field goal of the half, a 37-yarder, to make it 16-9 with 2:58 left on the clock and Hamilton took the lead into the dressing room.
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