For the first time in team history, it saw four receivers go over 1,000 yards, while Burris led the CFL with 5,703 passing yards. On Sunday, it helped decide a championship.
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Burris’s 93-yard TD strike to Greg Ellingson with just over a minute remaining earned the Redblacks a thrilling 35-28 home win over Hamilton in the East Division final, securing Ottawa its first Grey Cup berth since ’81.
It was a defensive struggle in the second quarter, with Chris Milo increasing the Redblacks’ lead with a field goal before Reilly connected with Akeem Shavers for a two-yard touchdown before the half.
It capped a remarkable comeback for the Eskimos. Then after a Patrick Watkins interception of a wobbly deep ball thrown by Burris, the Eskimos turned that into a 23 yard Reilly to Adarius Bowman touchdown to cut the RedBlacks lead to just 3 points heading to the second quarter. That meant the two cornerbacks did not necessarily start on the outside edge of Edmonton’s defence for most of the first quarter, although the Esks started to change up their coverage in the second quarter. He tossed up a couple of balls that were dangerously close to being intercepted, and the RedBlacks were kept from the end zone, having to settle for a Chris Milo field goal. The Eskimos had righted themselves.
But their chainsaw wasn’t welcome at Investors Group Field, where the second-year Redblacks were to take on the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday in the CFL championship game. He has now lost two of the last Grey Cups as the starting quarterback. “It hurts a lot”. But obviously heartbroken, disappointed, all those things.
“I know Edmonton deserve it too because they’ve been waiting so long for that Grey Cup but Ottawa is here so sorry Edmonton!”
The Eskimos did it all on the drive leading up to the field goal chance, including completing a big pass on second and long and successfully converting a fake punt.
But the momentum shifted in Edmonton’s favour. Ottawa then missed one as well, getting just one point to lead by two.
Lynch, the former Northern Illinois star in his rookie season with Eskimos, scored on a third-down play in a 20-degree chill.
There would be no miracle comeback for the Redblacks this time.
When Edmonton’s offence finally got the ball, they were a little slow to warm up. Ottawa (12-6) finished atop the Eastern conference after winning just two games in its inaugural 2014 season while Edmonton (14-4) finished tied with Calgary for the league’s best record but secured top spot in the standings after winning the season series with the Stampeders.
Chris Jones was the only coach to not have a successful challenge during the regular season.
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Notes: Attendance was announced at 36,634…
