TICATS LOOKING POISED TO MAKE CHARGE AT EAST
While the Toronto Argonauts were trying to nibble at positives following the Labour Day Classic on Monday, there was plenty more meat on the bone for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Not only did the Ticats sidestep some obstacles to beat the Argos decisively, they demonstrated they are ready to make some legitimate noise in the Canadian Football League’s East Division and make a run for the division title, which the Ticats have not won since 2014.
“When you win a game like this, it’s really easy to say, ‘Look how good we can be if we can fix just this and this,’ ” receiver Luke Tasker said after Hamilton’s 42-28 victory at Tim Hortons Field. “(There were) a couple of turnovers and penalties and still we won.
“I think we can win a lot more games if we continue to fix the little things.”
Consider that two of the Argos’ touchdowns came off turnovers — an interception thrown by Jeremiah Masoli in the second quarter and a fumble return by Alden Darby in the third quarter. Erase those Hamilton miscues and it’s a laughable Ticats victory.
Where Argos head coach Marc Trestman said afterward that his team “showed some backbone,” it was the home side that has sturdier feelings about itself.
“There have been some ups and downs, really, the whole year, but the last two weeks we are doing what you need to do and that is finishing games,” said Hamilton head coach June Jones, taking note of a one-point win against Edmonton a week earlier.
“We’ve finished two games in a row and that’s what we haven’t done since I have been here (Jones took over from Kent Austin a year ago).
That feeling that happened last week (versus the Eskimos) is contagious, so when we had bad things happen, (such as) the fumble, that’s a 14-point swing that they take back for a touchdown and we overcame it.”
Heading into the back half of the home-and-home set with the Argos at BMO Field on Saturday, the Ticats (5-5) have the Ottawa Redblacks, who lead the East with a 6-4 record, in their sights. It appears the Argos and the Montreal Alouettes will battle it out with each other to avoid the East basement, and though it’s true that plenty of football remains on the post-Labour Day CFL schedule, the Ticats, with Masoli guiding them, have the potential to pull away.
Ottawa, which plays in B.C. against the Lions on Friday night, and Hamilton will play each other twice in October.
“It’s huge,” Tasker said of the potential of sweeping the Argos. “We’re in a good place to put ourselves in a position for the playoffs.”
Said Jones: “You can’t lose (division) home games. It’s like a double whammy, you know? Had Toronto beat us, it’s like losing twice. Now we have to go on the road and steal one (on Saturday).”
INSIDE THE TEN
The block thrown by Brandon Banks on Alden Darby, helping Tasker go 56 yards for a touchdown against Toronto, was bound to be highlighted once the coaching staff reviewed game film. “It was really good,” Jones said. “We have been after (the receivers) for a long time to run until they hear the whistle, because up here I notice the receivers on running plays just kind of run down the field and get in somebody’s way. I told them to watch the scoreboard while you’re running so you can see the guy following you right down the field. It worked on that one.” … A loss of Jalen Saunders for any length of time would be a blow for the Ticats, as the second-year receiver is sixth in the CFL with 739 receiving yards, representing the second-most among Ticats after Banks’ 880. Saunders went down with a right knee injury in the second quarter, and the extent of his trouble should be known on Wednesday. “When he was yelling that he felt his knee pop, it just hit me so hard because he works so hard and I know what he means to this team,” Banks said. “Definitely a big loss.” … Tasker had a careerhigh 156 receiving yards against Edmonton and followed that with 143 versus Toronto … The Argos continue to be on the wrong end of the time of possession. They had the football for 25 minutes, 20 seconds on Monday to the Ticats’ 34 minutes, 40 seconds, marking the ninth time in 10 games the opposing offence has had the ball more than Toronto … Simoni Lawrence had two tackles, giving the Hamilton linebacker a 91-game stretch with at least one … Until Monday, Masoli was the only CFL quarterback who was leading his team in rushing yards. That changed thanks to the performance of running back Alex Green, whose season-best 115 yards gave him 356 on the season (in four games), 20 more than what Masoli has amassed. It’s crucial, of course, for the Ticats to have another viable option on offence as the season turns into the second half, and Green, who ran for 104 yards in the Ticats’ previous game, appears set to provide as much.