Hamilton Tiger-Cats' Kiondré Smith (85) scores a touchdown while being tackled by Edmonton Elks' Kai Gray (5) during second half CFL action in Edmonton on July 28.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look like they are finally finding their footing.
Bo Levi Mitchell passed for 316 yards and five touchdowns, including two to wide receiver Tim White, as the Tiger-Cats won their second game in a row, defeating the hapless Edmonton Elks 44-28 on Sunday.
“It felt like the first time this year where we’ve come together on offence, defence and special teams, and played well on each side. Hopefully that is an example of what we can do when we bring all three phases,” said Ticats head coach Scott Milanovich.
“It’s just given us confidence. That locker room is feeling a lot different than it was three weeks ago.”
The Tiger-Cats improved to 2-5.
“It is a long road, but I think we have taken another step toward becoming the football team we want to be,” Mitchell said. “The guys we have on this roster are special. I know we started 0-5, but we are a special team.
“We can do something dangerous because we have a lot of talent in that room. We’re young and we have to find our way and our identity, but now that it is there, I think we understand who we are.”
The Elks are still winless on the year, falling to 0-7, and 0-2 under interim head coach Jarious Jackson, who replaced Chris Jones.
“In the second quarter we gave up a punt block, I think it was a one-point game at the time, and it just seems like the bottom fell out after that,” Jackson said. “We have to be better at handling adversity.”
Edmonton now has a depressing 2-28 record at home since Oct. 26, 2019.
The Elks got on the board with their opening drive, getting a 26-yard field goal from Boris Bede.
Hamilton’s first possession was not as successful, as Mitchell was intercepted by Elk Marcus Lewis at the Edmonton 49, eventual leading to a 47-yard field goal by Bede.
The Ticats responded with a 45-yard field goal by Marc Liegghio with three minutes remaining in the opening frame, and he added another one from 47 yards to close out the quarter and tie the game 6-6.
Edmonton regained the lead on a pair of punt singles, with Hamilton then getting a single of its own off of a kickoff.
The Tiger-Cats finally stopped the scoring by dribs and drabs when Kobe Jones blocked a punt which was recovered by DQ Thomas with 2 1/2 minutes left in the first half. That led directly to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to Jevoni Robinson.
Hamilton completely took charge almost immediately after as Jamal Peters picked off Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. That led to a monster 66-yard passing play from Mitchell to Luther Hakunavanhu for a touchdown with a minute to play in the second quarter and a 21-8 lead at halftime.
The Ticats continued the onslaught to start the third, as Mitchell found White down the sidelines for a 12-yard passing major.
The drubbing continued with three minutes left in the third, as Mitchell went deep for a 59-yard touchdown pass to Kiondre Smith.
Hamilton made it 41-8 to start the fourth on a seven-yard touchdown pass to White.
Much to the delight of the Edmonton crowd, the Elks finally brought in backup QB Tre Ford and he engineered a long drive, culminating in a five-yard TD pass to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. The two-point convert attempt failed.
Liegghio added a 35-yard field goal.
Ford’s second possession was just as successful, another long drive capped off by a 20-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Cobb. The two-point convert pass to Eugene Lewis was good.
Edmonton’s Darrius Bratton recovered a fumble at the Hamilton 20, leading to another Ford TD pass, a 12-yarder to Lewis.
Ford ended up with 121 passing yards and three TDs in less than a quarter of play, to Bethel-Thompson’s 85 yards passing.
“It was just fun again,” said Ford, who didn’t get into a single game this season under Jones as coach. “I haven’t played football in a long time. It was fun just to go out there and play good and try to gel with the guys on the go.”
NOTES
The teams split their seasonal series last year, with each winning in the other team’s stadium … Hamilton injuries included OL Dayton Black (Achilles), DB Stavros Katsantonis (leg), DL Luke Brubacher (hamstring) and WR Branden O’Leary-Orange (hamstring) … Out for Edmonton were DL Sam Acheampong (knee), DB Scott Hunter (knee), LB Michael Brodrique (groin) and OL Hunter Steward (head) … The last home win for Edmonton over Hamilton was on Aug. 4, 2017 … Edmonton came into the game with 10 consecutive losses. All six of their previous losses this season were one possession games, including five consecutive defeats by six points or less … Cats QB Mitchell is off to a great start. His 12 touchdown passes coming into the contest were already the most he’s thrown since 2019.
UP NEXT
Tiger-Cats: Host the Montreal Alouettes (6-1) on Friday.
Elks: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-2) on Saturday.