Jul 15, 2007, 3:05 GMT
Hamilton, ON - Anthony Calvillo completed 27-of-37 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns as the Montreal Alouettes topped the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 29-20, in a Week 3 matchup at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Calvillo became the fourth quarterback in league history to break the 50,000 yard passing mark, reaching the milestone in the second quarter.
Ben Cahoon caught 10 balls for 89 yards for the Alouettes (1-2), who won their first game of the 2007 season. Kerry Watkins added seven receptions for 99 yards and one touchdown, while Danny Desriveaux and Mike Imoh also registered TD catches.
Jason Maas was largely ineffective, throwing for 211 yards on 15-of-28 completions with one score and a pick for the Tiger-Cats (0-3), who fell into last place in the East Division. Timmy Chang subbed late, and threw for 92 yards on 4-of-11 completions and a touchdown.
Talman Gardner had eight receptions for 143 yards and one score, Brock Ralph had four catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, and Nick Setta made two of his three field-goal attempts.
Working with a nine-point lead, the Als kept the pressure on and boosted their lead to 26-10 on their opening drive of the second half on Desriveaux's 19- yard TD reception.
With Chang behind center in the fourth, the Ticats responded with a score on Ralph's 71-yard touchdown reception with 9:20 remaining to make it 26-17.
Setta hit a 27-yarder with just over five minutes to play to bring Hamilton within 26-20, but the Als held on over the Ticats' final possessions and sealed the victory when Damon Duval made a 27-yard field goal with 11 seconds to go.
Calvillo went to work on the Als' first drive, throwing his first TD pass of the season, a 27-yarder to Watkins for an early 7-0 lead. After completing all three passes for 55 yards on the drive, he was just 12 yards away from the milestone.
After holding Hamilton scoreless on its first drive, the Als got the ball back at their own five-yard-line. Two plays later, Calvillo broke the 50,000 yard plateau on a 13-yard completion to Watkins.
Two series later, the Als took a 14-0 lead on a drive bridging the first and second quarters, capped by Imoh's five-yard catch-and-run score. With the pass, Calvillo also passed Doug Flutie for fifth on the all-time touchdown pass list.
On the following series, Maas hooked up with Gardner on a 67-yard strike down the left side which accounted for the Ticats' first touchdown of the season and brought the home team within 14-7, but their next drive was derailed when Maas was tackled in the end zone for a Montreal safety and a 16-7 game.
Both teams then exchanged field goals as Duval hit a 27-yarder with 5:18 left in the half and the Als were up 19-7, then Setta's make from 39 yards brought the Ticats within 19-10.
Setta missed from 51 yards on the final play of the half, and the Als took a nine-point lead into the break.
Game Notes
Current Toronto QB Damon Allen, Danny McManus and Ron Lancaster were the first three to eclipse 50,000 yards passing, and Allen holds the current CFL record with 72,019...Alouettes head coach Jim Popp is only 3-5 since taking over for Don Matthews last season...Calvillo was 19-of-22 for 216 yards and two TD passes in the first half alone...Hamilton has scored a league-worst 34 points...In Week 4, Montreal hosts Winnipeg on July 19, while Hamilton travels to Vancouver to face the B.C. Lions also on the 19th.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
Your Talkback on this Story