Bombers picked apart by Glenn, Bruce

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats still have a terribly imbalanced offence, but if Kevin Glenn is going to throw for more than 350 yards, it may not be much of a problem.

Hamilton converted a huge turnover into the go-ahead touchdown pass with just under seven minutes left in a 29-22 home victory Saturday over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Glenn threw his third touchdown pass of the game to Dave Stala from 15 yards out to put the Ticats ahead 26-22, having earlier thrown scoring passes to Matt Carter and Arland Bruce in the first half.

Bruce followed up a record-tying 16 catches in a game last week by hauling in 11 passes for 197 yards from Glenn.

"When you're struggling, you need your big-time players to make big-time plays," Hamilton coach Marcel Bellefeuille said of Bruce. "He's not only a good player, he's a good leader."

Bruce, who only caught seven balls in the previous two games against Winnipeg, could have put up even better numbers. He dropped two catchable passes, including a potential long gain in the third that helped change the momentum of the game for a time.

The aerial show made up for the fact that Hamilton (2-4) once again could not consistently incorporate a ground attack. De'Andra Cobb managed 47 yards on 11 carries.

The Stala touchdown came after Winnipeg quarterback Steven Jyles fumbled the ball without contact in his own end, with Otis Floyd recovering the ball.

Jyles had helped the Bombers fight back from a 10-point deficit with second-half touchdown passes to Terence Edwards and former Ticat Adarius Bowman.

Winnipeg (2-4) had the ball inside the Hamilton 10-yard line on the final play of the game, but Aaron Hargreaves sacked Jyles.

"They came with intensity," said Jyles. "We hurt ourselves because we didn't execute."

The teams were playing the third of four games in the first seven weeks of the CFL season. The scheduling quirk continues on Friday when the Ticats visit Winnipeg.

Winnipeg — with since-injured Buck Pierce at the helm — beat Hamilton in the first meeting of the season and held Glenn in check.

But Glenn has come back with a vengeance against his old team, completing 53 of 77 passes for six touchdowns in the two games since.

The Bombers also saw kicker Alexis Serna make just one of three field goal attempts to hurt their cause.

Sandro DeAngelis, who struggled in the first few games this season, made all three of his field goal attempts for Hamilton.

The former Stampeder said it's taken time to adjust to the winds of his new home stadium.

"What's tough about Ivor Wynne is that it swirls like you wouldn't believe," he said. "The flags on the scoreboard and on each side of the stadium are blowing in different directions."

The Bombers moved the ball fairly well over the game's first 20 minutes but only had a 7-3 lead to show for it after a field goal, two singles, and a conceded safety by Hamilton.

Hamilton was stagnating offensively. It only gained three rushing yards in the first quarter, and all three completions in nine passing attempts by that point were to Bruce.

The Ticats turned it on midway through the quarter. Bruce beat Alex Suber in coverage and made an over-the-shoulder catch for 50 yards.

The play set up the first CFL touchdown for Carter.

Jyles fumbled the ball and nearly threw an interception on the same play on the next Winnipeg drive, and Hamilton quickly regained the offensive momentum.

Glenn took advantage of Winnipeg defender Brandon Stewart, who was beaten by Nicolson on a 34-yard gain. Bruce got the major on the next play, which made the score 17-7 with 55 seconds left in the half.

Clint Kent got between Glenn and Bruce for a key interception in the third, which seemed to help spark the Blue Bombers.

They began to put Hamilton off balance with play action calls on offence. Fred Reid burst through for a 43-yard rush deep into Hamilton territory.

Reid has racked up 280 yards on 33 carries against the Ticats this season.

Jyles then faked to Reid and then threw in the end zone to Terence Edwards, who just hung on to the ball for the three-yard score. Winnipeg trailed 17-15.

After a DeAngelis field goal, the Bombers regained the lead.

Bowman hauled in a Jyles bomb and then deked a couple of Ticats for a 54- yard gain. He followed it up on the ensuing play by fighting off Dylan Barker for a 21-yard TD catch on the final play of the third.

Jyles scrambled for 32 yards, briefly leaving with a leg injury suffered without taking a hit.

When he returned on the next possession he coughed up a ball in the pocket before rearing back to throw, with Floyd recovering on Winnipeg's 25.

Stala scored and on Hamilton's next drive but the Ticats missed a two-point conversion attempt. Stala later found a seam amid three Winnipeg defenders for a key completion to set up the final DeAngelis field goal.

Hamilton somehow allowed Brock Ralph of the Bombers plenty of real estate to make a 49-yard reception to the three-yard line with 15 seconds left.

Winnipeg again tried to fake a handoff, but with the game on the line, it fooled no one. By the time Jyles set up to throw, Hargreaves was there to upend the quarterback.

Jyles finished 24-of-35 for 349 yards.