The Tiger-Cats felt the urgency to win following an unexpected 0-2 start to the 2021 CFL season.
Hamilton entered Montreal playing their third straight road game to begin the schedule and third straight home-opener after visits to Winnipeg and Regina. Somehow the Ticats were the lone winless team in the three-down league entering Week 4 against the Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium.
“We needed to play better no matter what happened, a win is a win,” head coach Orlondo Steinauer said.
Frankie Williams provided what Steinauer called the “tone-setter” as the 2019 Most Outstanding Special Teams Player returned the opening kick-off 49 yards to put the offence in Als territory to start the game.
“It gives us a shot in the arm, we talk about it all the time, if we can get a short porch, we know we got points,” starting quarterback Dane Evans said.
Four plays later, Evans spotted the football perfectly down the sideline to rookie Steven Dunbar Jr. who made an over the shoulder catch for a 30-yard touchdown, the first major of his CFL career. Dunbar Jr. had an impressive debut in Canada with six receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown.
“I knew how his game was, we got a lot of reps in over the week, he stays after every practice for extra reps. The stage wasn’t too big for him, he came in prepared, played loose and had fun,” Evans said.
In his first start since the 107th Grey Cup, Evans completed 15-of-22 passes (68 percent) for 183 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. The 27-year-old started the game in place of Jeremiah Masoli after he suffered an injury to his ribs in Week 2 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, although he was dressed as the backup QB in La Belle Province.
“It was a great team win, we knew it was going to be a physical game. Don’t get it twisted, Montreal’s a great team, we came here we knew what our job was, it was a business trip, we treated it as such,” Evans said.
“It was a complete game, we got some turnovers, we didn’t turn the ball over, we still had too many penalties, but we got the win. We’ll be able to learn from it, it’s a lot easier to learn when you win, we’re just happy and thankful to get this W.”
The star of the 27-10 win was undoubtedly Williams. The returner and defensive back had a 49-yard kick-off return, 67-yard punt return and key fourth quarter interception — all three plays led directly to points for the Tabbies, 17 to be exact.
“That’s why he was the special teams player of the year last season. We need that from him, I know he’s busting his butt over there on defence too — he’s a freaking great corner. You can’t beat a W, especially after the start we had, it was tough,” Evans said.
“We played great complimentary football. We had some struggles with that in the past and we put it all together. We just kept working and we finally got us a win. We started off slow, but we’re starting to get it going now,” Williams said.
The Ticats improve to 1-2 with the Labour Classic match-up versus the Toronto Argonauts next on the docket. It will be Hamilton’s first home game since the 2019 East Final — 659 days between meaningful black and gold football at Tim Hortons Field.
