Jul 14, 2007, 3:20 GMT
Winnipeg, MB - Kevin Glenn's end zone pass to O'Neil Wilson fell incomplete as time expired, and the Edmonton Eskimos held off the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 19-15.
Edmonton (1-1-1) receiver Kamau Peterson hauled in a nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ricky Ray that gave the Eskimos a 19-15 lead with 2:45 remaining in the game.
The catch was challenged by Bombers head coach Doug Berry, but officials ruled Peterson was inbounds and the call stood.
Winnipeg (1-1-1), though, answered with a eight-play drive that featured a catch, forced fumble and subsequent recovery by Charles Roberts. A play later, Terrence Edwards dropped what would have been the game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone, and on third-and-one, Glenn's toss-up was batted down as Edmonton hung on for the victory.
Ray completed 25-of-40 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns, and Peterson caught five passes for 56 yards and a score for Edmonton. T.J. Acree also caught three passes for 25 yards and a score, while Ron McClendon carried seven times for 57 yards and caught eight passes for 50 yards.
Sean Fleming booted a field goal and two singles for the rest of the Eskimos' scoring.
Blue Bombers receiver Milt Stegall had five catches for 61 yards, but once again failed to become the CFL's all-time touchdown scorer. Stegall remains stuck on 137 touchdowns, tied with former running backs Mike Pringle and George Reed.
Glenn finished 27-of-41 with one touchdown and one interception and 294 yards for Winnipeg. Jon Oosterhuis caught one pass, good for a touchdown, and Troy Westwood added a pair of field goals for the Blue Bombers.
Winnipeg scored a safety early in the first quarter and Edmonton got on the board on Fleming's 31-yard single at 9:01 in the same quarter.
The Eskimos followed with an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive that culminated on Ray's five-yard touchdown pass to Acree with 24 seconds left in the quarter that made it 8-2.
The teams then traded field goals in the second, as Fleming booted an 18- yarder with 12:45 left and Westwood connected from 32 yards out with 1:28 remaining in the half.
Following an Edmonton fumble, Westwood also added a 19-yarder with no time left on the clock to cut the margin to 11-8.
The offense sputtered for both sides in the third, as Fleming's 40-yard single with 3:28 left accounted for the only score and gave Edmonton a four-point cushion.
Three straight carries by Roberts, including bursts of 16 and 20 yards, set up the go-ahead score by Winnepeg in the fourth. Glenn's five-yard pass to Oosterhuis capped the 12-play, 101-yard drive that gave the Blue Bombers a 15-12 lead with 6:08 remaining in the contest.
Game Notes
The game was a sellout, with a capacity crowd of 29,533...Winnipeg lost slotback Chris Brazzell (calf), defensive lineman Gavin Walls (shoulder), long snapper Chris Cvetkovic (elbow) and defensive end/long snapper Brian Guebert (hamstring) during the game...Edmonton defensive back Jonte Buhl broke his wrist and offensive lineman Dan Comiskey injured his calf.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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