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Reilly throws 3 TD passes as Eskimos spoil Lions' home opener

REUTERS/Kevin Light

VANCOUVER - Mike Reilly completed three touchdown passes as the Edmonton Eskimos came back to beat the B.C. Lions 27-20 on Saturday in the first game of the CFL season for both teams.

The Eskimos overcame an early 14-0 deficit as Calvin McCarty, Fred Stamps and Adarius Bowman caught Reilly's touchdown passes. Grant Shaw provided their other points in the form of three converts and a pair of field goals.

Andrew Harris and D-Tre Player scored touchdowns for B.C., while Paul McCallum added two field goals.

Reilly, a former backup with the Lions, completed 22 of 35 passes for 229 yards.

The Eskimos are looking to reverse a 4-14 season in 2013 that was their worst in 50 years. The Lions are looking to make amends for a first-round playoff loss to Saskatchewan.

Lions quarterback Kevin Glenn got off to a strong start in his regular-season debut, completing two touchdown passes in the first quarter. But Glenn, who is replacing injured starter Travis Lulay, was undone by four interceptions. Glenn was 18 for 28 passing for 251 yards.

The Lions' first TD, a 55-yard pass-and-run play, came 1:58 into the game. Shortly after catching a pass near the Edmonton 40-yard line, Harris easily shook off rookie linebacker Dexter McCoil's tackle attempt, eluded a couple of other Eskimos and ran the ball along the sidelines into the end zone. It was only Glenn's third pass of the regular season.

After McCarty drew the Eskimos even with a nine-yard touchdown catch, the Lions had a fumble-return touchdown by linebacker Adam Bighill overturned on a video review.

Player, a rookie offensive lineman playing his first-ever CFL regular-season game, scored B.C.'s second touchdown while playing out of position late in the first quarter. After lining up as a tight end and being left wide open, he caught a two-yard pass from Glenn.

Shaw reduced Edmonton's deficit to 14-10 early in the second quarter as he kicked a 12-yard field goal. Midway through the second quarter, he booted a 42-yard field goal to pull the Eskimos within a point. Edmonton had to settle for the second three-pointer after B.C. rookie Josh Johnson sacked Reilly for a nine-yard loss.

But McCallum booted a 16-yard field goal late in the second quarter to give the Lions a 17-13 lead at half-time.

Glenn completed 10 of 13 pass attempts for 163 yards, while also throwing an interception, in the first half.

After a Bighill interception, the Lions threatened to score another touchdown with 6:20 left in the second quarter, but Aaron Grymes intercepted Glenn's pass intended for Shawn Gore deep in the end zone.

The Eskimos could not score off Grymes' interception, but McCoil's pick-off would eventually pay dividends on a drive that was aided by a successful fake field-goal. In crouch position, holder Matt Nichols, Edmonton's backup quarterback, flipped a three-yard pass to McCarty.

The trickery extended a scoring drive that culminated with Reilly's 17-yard pass to a wide-open Stamps in the corner of the B.C. end zone. Shaw's convert on the final play of the third quarter gave the Eskimos their first lead of the game, 20-17, with 15 minutes remaining.

The Eskimos increased their lead to 27-17 with just over five and a half minutes gone in the fourth quarter after Bowman, whose status for the game was questionable because of an undisclosed injury, hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Reilly. B.C.'s defensive coverage broke down again as Bowman was left uncovered on the play.

The Lions failed to get anywhere on their next offensive sequence because Eskimos defensive tackle Almondo Sewell sacked Glenn on back-to-back plays. McCallum's 46-yard field goal with 3:21 remaining in the fourth quarter reduced Edmonton's lead to 27-20.

The Lions then forced the Eskimos to punt. A Stefan Logan punt return and 32-yard reception by Harris managed to give B.C. the ball at the Edmonton 33-yard line. But a closely covered Ernest Jackson could not haul in Glenn's pass in the end zone and the attempt was incomplete.

Glenn then threw his fourth interception of the game, to Eric Samuels, spoiling any hope of a last-minute victory.

Notes: A moment of silence was held before the game for the three RCMP officers slain in New Brunswick earlier this month. … Former B.C. centre Angus Reid, who retired after a back injury kept him out of the entire 2013 season, conducted the coin toss. … Lions DB Dante Marsh played his 170th CFL career regular-season game. He has spent his entire career with B.C. … The Lions have 19 new players, including 14 first-year CFLers and five veterans. … After Harris scored the game's first touchdown, the public address announcer saluted former Vancouver Canuck Gino Odjick, who is suffering from a terminal disease that affects his heart. The crowd chanted "Gino! Gino!" in tribute.

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