Kevin Glenn knows he didn't play a perfect game, but it was good enough to give the Winnipeg Blue Bombers their second victory of the season.
With the Bombers quarterback calling all but one or two plays in his first start in four games, running back Charles Roberts notched a pair of touchdowns and his first 100-yard game of the CFL season as Winnipeg downed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37-24 Thursday night. The win gave the teams identical 2-6 records.
"It's one of those things where it feels good after a win, calling your own plays," Glenn said. "But at the same time, I'm not going to say it was all great and dandy. There were times when we were in the huddle and it's like, 'Man, should I go with this one, should I go with that one?'
"You've just got to go with your gut when you're out there and just play with what you're playing."
Glenn, who had been benched the past three games in favour of Ryan Dinwiddie, completed 24 of 37 pass attempts for 285 yards, one TD and two interceptions.
Roberts finished with 145 yards on 23 carries and had seven catches for 37 yards.
Hamilton QB Richie Williams, replacing an injured Casey Printers, was 14-of-27 for 204 yards, no TDs and one interception. He also ran 13 times for 94 yards.
Ticat Terry Caulley handled most of the running in place of the injured Jesse Lumsden and rushed for two TDs and had 10 carries for 99 yards.
Winnipeg also got TDs off a five-yard catch by Derick Armstrong and a 45-yard interception return by defensive end Tom Canada.
Bombers kicker Alexis Serna booted field goals from 24 and 11, but missed from 32 and 35 yards and had boos rain down on him from the 25,484 fans at Canad Inns Stadium. He also had a 50-yard punt single.
Playing in his second game of the season, Bomber slotback Milt Stegall had three catches for 47 yards. He's 112 yards away from breaking Allen Pitts' CFL career receiving yardage record of 14,891 yards.
Hamilton linebacker Zeke Moreno took an interception 19 yards for a TD and Nick Setta added a 44-yard field goal.
"For the first time this year, really, we complemented each other, the offence and the defence," Bombers defensive tackle Doug Brown said.
'Hopefully turn the season around'
Both teams go into a bye week and don't play again until the Labour Day weekend. "At least we have the two weeks before Labour Day to get over all the negativity that's surrounded us for so long and really hammer down on the fine details and, hopefully, turn the season around while there's still an opportunity," Brown said.
The Bombers led 18-14 at half-time and 25-21 after three quarters.
The game featured seven turnovers, five by Hamilton. Winnipeg scored 17 points off the turnovers and the Tiger-Cats 14 points.
"We're not where we need to be defensively," Hamilton head coach Charlie Taaffe said. "Offensively, I thought we did some things, but you can't give up two turnovers, 14 points. Do the math on the score and we directly gave them 14 points on offence.
"It's a very frustrating night."
Winnipeg got its second TD of the game off a Ticat turnover. Williams fumbled on a QB sneak and Bombers linebacker Joe Lobendahn picked up the ball. He ran 84 yards before Caulley pulled him down at the one-yard line.
Roberts plunged over the goal line on the next play for his second TD of the night and fourth of the season to make it 14-7 at 1:41 of the second quarter.
Hamilton then turned the ball over on downs, leading to Serna's 24-yarder and a 17-7 lead midway through the second.
Glenn's second interception of the game, picked off by defensive back Chris Thompson, resulted in Caulley's second TD of the night.
The last TD of the game came after Bomber defensive end Gavin Walls tipped a Williams' pass into defensive end Tom Canada's hands and Canada ran 45 yards for the TD at 10:28.
