Banks' punt-return TD helps Ti-Cats end 2-game skid

Brandon Banks provided the beauty and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' pass-rush was beastly during a 31-7 road win against the depleted Montreal Alouettes on Friday.

Defensive end Adrian Tracy had two sacks and two forced fumbles to help Hamilton (2-2) snap a two-game losing streak. John Chick also contributed two sacks toward the Tiger-Cats' total of eight. With each offensive line struggling with pass protection, neither Hamilton's Jeremiah Masoli or Montreal's Rakeem Cato was able to produce much offence in front of a quiet crowd at Percival Molson Stadium.

Montreal (1-2), which has already lost No. 1 receiver S.J. Green (right knee, season), feature back Tyrell Sutton (knee), and wide receiver Kenny Stafford (toe) this season, gained only 293 yards. Wide receiver Duron Carter was limited to three receptions for 50 yards in his first game since his controversial sideline collision with Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell on June 30.

Banks, AKA Speedy B, provided instant offence with an 86-yard punt-return touchdown 3:13 into the third quarter. Banks fielded a directional punt outside the yard numbers and ran east-west to set up his blocks, before cutting by Alouettes tacklers Martin Bedard and Jean-Samuel Blanc and sprinting into the open field.

In Week 3, Banks had a 121-yard touchdown on a missed field-goal return.

Neither team ran a play inside the opponent's 20-yard line until Tiger-Cats running back C.J. Gable scored his first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard run with 3:14 left in the third. A strip-sack by Tracy and a fumble recovery gave Hamilton a short field. Gable had a 29-yard reception before two Montreal penalties on the same play put Hamilton inside the 10-yard line.

Hamilton's Brett Maher was 5-for-5 on field goals, including a career-long 56-yarder on the last play of the first half. Masoli was 18-of-26 for 203 yards with one interception.

Montreal's Boris Bede was 2-for-3 with a single. Cato was 18-of-25 for 203 yards in place of Kevin Glenn, who was scratched with an eye infection. Second-year wide receiver B.J. Cunningham made six receptions for a team-high 63 yards.

Confusion on Montreal's sideline helped Hamilton go ahead 5-4 at the end of a stultifying first half. A penalty for attempting to a challenge a play that was not reviewable led to the Alouettes conceding a safety from their 6-yard line with 40 seconds remaining in the half. A delay of game penalty backed up the ensuing kickoff to Montreal's 15-yard line, rather than the 25. The field-position boost helped Masoli navigate Hamilton into range for Maher to make the long kick.

It was the second time this season Alouettes head coach-GM Jim Popp has taken a penalty for an illegal coach's challenge.

The Tiger-Cats visit the Edmonton Eskimos (2-1) in Week 5. Montreal is also on the road with an East Division matchup against the Toronto Argonauts (2-2) on July 25.