Eskimos beat Blue Bombers 24-23 with last-second field goal

Sean Whyte booted a 53-yard field goal as time expired to give the Edmonton Eskimos a 24-23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday.

The victory extended Edmonton's winning streak to four games and lifted its record to 10-4.

Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly completed 30-of-42 pass attempts for 298 yards with two interceptions and one TD.

Kenny Stafford had a 55-yard touchdown reception for Edmonton and Adarius Bowman grabbed a pass for the two-point convert following a TD run from Reilly. Whyte made field goals from 18 and 26 yards.

Troy Stoudermire scored a 78-yard touchdown on a punt return for Winnipeg (4-10), receiver Nick Moore caught a five-yard TD pass from Matt Nichols, and Cameron Marshall had a two-yard TD run. Nichols was 22-of-39 for 320 yards with no picks and one TD.

After missing four field goals in the game, Bombers kicker Lirim Hajrullahu was good on a 45-yard attempt with 1:02 remaining to give Winnipeg a 23-21 lead.

Edmonton had a 21-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, but a 22-yard catch by Moore helped set up Marshall's two-yard TD run at 6:06 that made it 21-20 for the Esks. Hajrullahu attempted the convert, but it hit the right post.

Hajrullahu had missed three of his field-goal attempts from 45, 44 and 43 yards up to that point, but got a single point on one of them.

He added a fourth miss from 40 yards with under five minutes left in the game when the ball hit the left post to preserve Edmonton's 21-20 lead.

With two minutes left, Bombers defensive back Johnny Adams intercepted Reilly and Winnipeg took over at their own 26-yard line.

Winnipeg was facing third down with three yards to go, but a catch by Rory Kohlert was reviewed and ruled incomplete. The Bombers then challenged defensive pass interference by Esks defensive lineman Odell Willis and it was good, giving them the first down that kept the drive alive for the ping-pong finish.

Winnipeg led 7-6 after the first quarter, but Edmonton took a 13-7 lead into halftime.

Stoudermire's TD ended an inept first quarter for the Bombers. First, Whyte's game-opening kickoff hit Stoudermire in the facemask and the ball bounced, with Esks linebacker Korey Jones touching it last.

The Eskimos took over at Winnipeg's 25-yard line, but the Bombers' defence stymied Reilly and Whyte hit his 18-yarder at 2:00. He added a 26-yarder at 9:16 to make it 6-0.

Bomber fans were booing their team's offence in the opening quarter, a span in which Nichols was 0-of-7 for pass completions as time was winding down.

Stoudermire then punted back for the major as time expired. Hajrullahu's convert made it 7-6.

Reilly led a nine-play, 105-yard drive late in the second quarter, throwing the TD strike to Stafford at 12:33. Whyte booted the converted and it was 13-7.

Hajrullahu missed his 44-yard attempt as time expired on the second quarter.

Early in the third quarter, Bombers wide receiver Clarence Denmark hauled in a 50-yard pass from Nichols, but Hajrullahu missed from 43 yards and got a single to make it 13-8 at 3:31.

Winnipeg regained the lead on Moore's five-yard TD catch at 8:34 of the third. A two-point convert attempt by Walker failed, but the Bombers led 14-13.

Reilly's quarterback plunge for the one-yard major ended a 13-play, 81-yard drive at 1:54 of the fourth quarter. Bowman was good on the two-point convert with a three-yard catch for the 21-14 score.