It’s not the first time a Grey Cup team has had to do without a touchdown celebration.
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The Eskimos went on to score the go-ahead touchdown and ultimately capture their first Grey Cup since 2005, downing the Ottawa RedBlacks 26-20 at a sold out Investors Group Field on Sunday night. 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 based after winning the season series with the Stampeders.
For Henry Burris and Mike Reilly, it’s time to play the 103rd Grey Cup.
Defensive back Jerrell Gavins (No. 24, Boise State) is inactive for this game.
After deliberating for a bit, Jones tossed the challenge flag.
“I wanted to get it for my family, the guys in this locker-room, and for the city of Ottawa. So that’s how it transpired”.
Lynch scored on a 1-yard run on third down with less than four minutes remaining on his only carry of the game.
Reilly orchestrated an eight-play, 88-yard drive just before the half, capping it with a short touchdown pass to Akeem Shavers with less than 10 seconds left on the clock. They looked set to retake the lead after a successful fake punt moved them into Ottawa territory but Whyte clanked a 35-yarder of the right upright and the Redblacks to a one-point advantage into the fourth. It’s fun. We kind of laugh about it now that we’re in the Grey Cup and those teams aren’t. Because we were not built to do this once. “You know what, they’re good players and I’m sure whatever ball the CFL deems to put out there that we’ll be able to handle it. If you think about it, they all have to kick the same balls”.
On the season, Lynch was 3 for 4 passing with 14 yards and a touchdown and had 40 rushes for 156 yards and five touchdowns.
It was an excellent tactical battle between the coaching staffs, as the RedBlacks switched between man and zone coverage throughout the contest and the Eskimos increased their pressure on Burris as the game progressed. Reilly also ran for 66 yards.
Whyte had been Mr. Automatic since joining the Eskimos for the Labour Day game in Calgary, hitting 27 of 29 field goals through the West Division final, but missed two of his first three attempts Sunday. The Grey Cup Festival Santa Claus Parade starts on Portage Avenue at the University of Winnipeg and heads down Portage to Main Street where it turned south down Main, ending at William Stephenson Way.
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“To thank them for everything throughout the entire season, making Ottawa a great place to call home, especially on game days, and everything, just to say thanks to the security guards, the people who truly matter”, says Burris. Now the question remains how long he’ll remain with reports the Saskatchewan Roughriders will ask permission to speak with Jones about their vacant head coach and GM positions.
