Ticats top Blue Bombers in battle of division leaders
Winnipeg suffers 1st loss of season after 5-0 start; Masoli leaves with injury
Dane Evans helped the Hamilton Tiger-Cats knock the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from the ranks of the unbeaten, but at a potentially huge cost.
After heading to Hamilton's dressing room, Masoli returned before the end of the half wearing shorts and a brace on his left knee. He completed six-of-seven passes for 59 yards with an interception to go with the rushing TD.
Still, Hamilton converted six Winnipeg turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles, downs) into 14 points to earn its fourth straight home win. And the Ticats' defence was without linebacker Simoni, its leading tackle who was serving the first of a two-game suspension for hitting Saskatchewan's Zach Collaros in the head in the season opener.
Canadian Nick Shortill replaced Lawrence and performed admirably with a game-high nine tackles before a season-high Tim Hortons Field sellout of 23,512. Hamilton coach Orlondo Steinauer said the club should know early Saturday the severity of Masoli's injury.
And time is of the essence as Hamilton (5-1) visits the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday night.
WATCH | Ticats hand Blue Bombers 1st loss of season:
"Jeremiah doesn't need practice if it's something he can get through," Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer said. "If it's something different then Dane has to step up, that's the way it is.
Evans finished 13-of-25 passing for 94 yards with an interception and ran twice for eight yards. The third-year pro said he wasn't phased going into the contest because he prepares weekly as if he's the starter.
"[Being backup quarterback] is the most unique job in the world," he said. "You never know when or if you're going to play but you've got to prepare every time like you're going to play.
Evans said if Masoli's injury is serious, he's prepared to be Hamilton's starter.
"Like I said, you've got to prepare every week," he said. "I've been preparing every week like it's my team even though it's clearly Jeremiah's.
Hamilton's rushing TDs were the first allowed this season by Winnipeg (5-1). Quarterback Matt Nichols was 29-of-48 passing for 261 yards with one TD and three interceptions, after coming into the contest having thrown just one.
Still, Winnipeg made it interesting with Justin Medlock's 18-yard field goal at 12:11 of the fourth to cut Hamilton's lead to 23-15. The Bombers got the ball at their 17-yard line with 57 seconds remaining but turned the ball over on downs on Adrian Tracy's third-down sack at the visitors' 20-yard line with 19 seconds left.
"Our motto is, 'Watch film, make corrections, move on,' " said Winnipeg linebacker Adam Bighill, who had two tackles in his first game back after missing three due to injury. "That will happen [Saturday].
"You need to be able to learn from these kinds of situations and it's always easier to learn from pain than success."