TORONTO -- This time when the Toronto Argonauts mounted their rally, Henry Burris and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had an effective answer.
[b]Davante Adams Super Bowl Jersey[/b] . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. Toronto (9-5) had won its previous four games -- all on the road -- and each time rallied for the victory. After falling behind 22-6 at halftime, the Argos showed their resiliency, pulling to within 23-19 early in the fourth. But Burris responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive he capped by finding an open Grant for a 30-19 Hamilton lead before 28,467 spectators with the Rogers Centre roof closed. It was Torontos second-largest crowd of the season behind the 29,852 that watched the defending Grey Cup champions open their season by overcoming a nine-point deficit to down the Ticats 39-34. Burris then took Hamilton 49 yards on 11 plays as Brett Lauthers 29-yard field goal at 14:44 cemented the win. Burris finished 19-of-31 passing for 274 yards with the two TDs and an interception as the Ticats (7-7) bounced back from last weekends dismal 35-11 home loss to Calgary. "We were embarrassed last week," Burris said. "That was huge for us to be able to get those drives going and move the ball downfield, especially in the fourth quarter where theyve been known to be the kings in the fourth quarter. "It was good to see us be that team in the fourth quarter. Thats an area weve struggled in, especially against the great teams in terms of closing out wins. It was good to see us come out and seal the deal." Toronto (9-5) suffered its second straight home loss. The Argos made their first Rogers Centre appearance since a 20-9 setback to Montreal on Sept. 3, the contest after starter Ricky Ray suffered a shoulder injury in a home defeat to Calgary. Ray returned to the lineup as the No. 3 quarterback behind starter Zach Collaros and backup Trevor Harris. Collaros was 21-of-32 passing for 277 yards, no TDs and one interception. Hamilton pulled to within four points of front-running Toronto in the East Division standings, with the two rivals capping their home-and-home series Oct. 14 at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont. Ticats linebacker Brandon Isaac made his first appearance against the Argos after being released by them earlier this season. Isaac was a thorn in the side of his former team, registering two sacks and five tackles. An emotional and vocal player on the field, Isaac said Thursday he was looking forward to talking smack with his former teammates but resisted that temptation on the field. "I thought about it and I didnt want to be a butt hole," he said. "I just wanted to show my professionalism that its bigger than me. "They made a decision, theyve got to live with that decision as well as I did. It was a tough pill to swallow however with this win Im over it. I can move forward and move in a direction with this organization. However, it was also apparent the pain of being released still lingers within Isaac. "I felt kind of betrayed, I felt really let down," Isaac said. "I felt like if they had a problem with me they couldve come and addressed me and I wouldve done my best to do better but I wasnt given that opportunity. "I was let go to the wolves and Hamilton took me in and we were able to come in and win a big game. I was given an opportunity that allowed me to do what I do. Im a blitzing linebacker . . . I know how to do that and I was able to make plays for this team." After a dismal opening half, Toronto opened the third with a smart nine-play, 80-yard march that culminated with Swayze Waters nine-yard field goal. The Argos then got the ball at the Hamilton one-yard line when Curtis Steele blocked Josh Bartels punt that Marcus Ball recovered. Collaross one-yard TD run at 6:37 cut the Ticats lead to 22-16. After Lauthers single off a missed 42-yard field goal try, Waters pulled Toronto to within 23-19 with a 42-yard boot at 4:05 of the fourth. But the Argos also didnt help themselves with eight second-half penalties for 80 yards. Overall, they were flagged 12 times for 110 yards. "Just a sloppy performance," Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich said. "We were undisciplined in terms of penalties, there was certainly a lot more on our guys." Collaros, who dropped to 4-2 as Torontos starter since Rays injury, said Hamiltons defence featured many different wrinkles the Argos werent expecting. "They showed a lot of things we didnt see on film . . . they did a good job of mixing up coverages and looks," Collaros said. "You cant win with field goals, especially against a good team like Hamilton." Milanovich was non-commital when asked if Ray would play in the rematch. "Its still to be determined," he said. "Id like to see him get a little bit better. "Great if its next week (when Ray returns) but Zach has done a great job. He didnt lose us the game tonight." Hamilton tied the season series with Toronto at 1-1. Burris planned to savour the victory but said it really wont mean much if the Ticats cant sweep the home-and-home set in Guelph. "We havent won back-to-back games this season and if theres any time we need to do that its right now," he said. "This is a great test for us at the right time and if we really want it, heres our opportunity." But Ticats head coach Kent Austin said Fridays win could be an important one heading down the stretch. "Its just a real testament to the guys digging in and wanting to be good and not letting this game slip away," he said. Luke Tasker, C.J Gable and Dan LeFevour had Hamiltons touchdowns. Lauther booted the converts, a field goal and single while Bartel also had a single. Waters kicked four field goals and a convert for the Argos. NOTES -- Burris moved past the late Ron Lancaster into fourth in all-time passing yards with a 34-yard completion to Dobson Collins in the first . . . Toronto receiver John Chiles, who has a team-high eight TD grabs, didnt play due to a cut on his hand that required 10 stitches to close. But receiver Chad Owens, the CFLs outstanding player last year, returned to the lineup after missing four games with a rib injury . . . Special-teams standout Marc Beswick was among Hamiltons pre-game scratches. Receiver Romby Bryant was one of Torontos four scratches . . . Isaac, offensive lineman Joel Reinders and defensive back Evan McCullough all earned Grey Cup rings with Toronto last season but are all now Ticats . . . Hamilton offensive lineman Tim ONeill appeared in his 100th CFL game.
[b]Rashan Gary Super Bowl Jersey[/b] . On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line.
[b]ZaDarius Smith Super Bowl Jersey[/b] . -- Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford made it through a third straight practice without any setbacks and expects to play in Oaklands regular-season finale against San Diego.DURHAM, N.C. -- Nobody expected Vermont to give No. 6 Duke much of a scare. Yet the Catamounts found a way to score seemingly at will against a program built on defence, and they came perhaps a moment shy of pulling the biggest upset of the young season. Duke needed a free throw from Rodney Hood with 5 seconds left and one final defensive stand to hold off Vermonts upset bid and beat the Catamounts 91-90 on Sunday night. Hector Harold scored 24 points and Clancy Rugg finished with 20 for Vermont (1-5). The America East favourites lost their fourth straight, dressed only nine healthy players but gave Duke all it could handle with by far its best shooting performance of the season. They "came into Duke with no pressure on us, and we played like there was no pressure on us," coach John Becker said. "Maybe this is a lesson learned for our guys." Vermont shot 64.8 per cent -- by far, its best performance of the season and the worst defensive showing by Duke. "We compete and play defence every game and every day at practice," Becker said. "Tonight, the ball went through the basket, and we were able to hang around with a really good team." Candon Rusins four-point play with 10.4 seconds left for Vermont tied it at 90. Hood brought the ball downcourt, drove the lane and drew contact from Rugg. Hood bounced his first free throw off the rim, then swished the second. Sandro Carissimo hurried the Catamounts downcourt and found Rusin in the corner, but he couldnt get a shot off before the buzzer. "We didnt win this game," Hood said. "We kind of deserved to lose the game, and we got lucky." Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said the Catamounts "were terrific." "And we were awful," he added. Jabari Parker scored 26 pooints in his sixth straight 20-point performance.
[b]Elgton Jenkins Super Bowl Jersey[/b]. Hood finished with 22 for Duke (5-1), which extended its nonconference winning streak at Cameron Indoor Stadium to 106 games. Barely. "We played like a team that thought we would just show up and win," Krzyzewski said. "Thats how you get beat." Andre Dawkins scored 16 points and Quinn Cook added 14 for the Blue Devils. Cook broke a tie with a 3-pointer with just under 2 minutes left that made it 86-83. They stretched their lead to 88-84 on Rasheed Sulaimons free throw with 40.8 seconds to play before Carissimo made it a two-point game with his tip-in with 29 seconds remaining. Cook seemingly gave Duke a cushion when his two free throws with 19.4 seconds left made it 90-86 -- but when Sulaimon fouled Rusin on his deep 3-pointer, the Catamounts had another chance. Carissimo finished with 16 points and Luke Apfeld had 10 for Vermont, which fell to 3-17 against ACC schools and is winless against all of them except for Boston College. Yet the Catamounts looked plenty capable of taking advantage of a ripe Duke team that struggled all night to stop them. "Were not connected on the defensive end," Hood said. When the Blue Devils built a 61-49 lead on Parkers steal and fast-break dunk with 15 1/2 minutes left, that looked like the spark that would get the sluggish Duke defence going. Instead, Vermont reeled off 10 straight points after that as part of a 13-2 run. Harolds three-point play pulled the Catamounts to 63-62 with just over 11 minutes left. Carissimos free throw with 7:50 left tied it at 71. Harolds 3 from the key about a minute later put Vermont up 74-73 -- its first lead since early in the first half -- and neither team led by more than four points the rest of the way. ' ' '
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