Ticats remain perfect with rout of Alouettes
Hamilton improves to 3-0 as Masoli throws for 400-plus yards
Another week, another dominant offensive performance from Jeremiah Masoli and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
But it wasn't a clean performance. Masoli was intercepted three times and late in the first half Hamilton turned the ball over on downs after failing on three chances from Montreal's one-yard line.
"We want to win, obviously that's the goal and we're satisfied with that," Masoli said. "But I know there's a lot of stuff we need to clean up.
"We're just blessed on offence that we have such a great defence, such great special teams. Special teams put us in good field position most of the night and the defence did its thing."
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But so did the offence as Masoli finished 25-of-31 passing for 417 yards. He threw for 338 yards and three TDs and ran for another last week against Toronto.
Brandon Banks (seven catches, 152 yards) and Bralon Addison (eight catches, 121 yards) were both outstanding. Banks also thrilled the announced Tim Hortons Field gathering of 22,407 with a 30-yard touchdown run while Addison narrowly missed throwing a TD strike on an option pass.
And then there was running back Sean Thomas Erlington. The Montreal native had five receptions for 102 yards with a TD and two-point convert while rushing for 47 yards on nine carries .He ran for 109 yards on 12 carries last week against Toronto.
"He's a Swiss army knife, he can do it all, literally," Masoli said of Thomas Erlington. "He might not be able to throw that well but we might let him throw it just because.
"He's awesome. I've been saying for a while he's a true pro."
Thomas Erlington has certainly caught the eye of Orlondo Steinauer, who remains unbeaten as a rookie CFL head coach.
"He's consistent," Steinauer said. "You hope when given an opportunity you take advantage of it and he's made the most of an opportunity.
"He made some quality runs, some key runs. It's not the amount of yards sometimes it's how and when you get them."
Hamilton (3-0) opened a season with three straight wins for the first time since 2004 although the club proceeded to fall to 3-5 that year. But Steinauer said coaching off victories beats the alternative.
"It [being 3-0] feels good, I'm not going to lie but it's hard to enjoy," Steinauer said. "We're going to be playing again in six days and my mindset is already that way.
"I'll tell you this, it's got to be better than 0-3. I'm not going to complain anytime we win a football game. I'm not going to lie, winning is fun."