Ticats would rather take a bye on bye weeks
THE STORYLINE:
The Tiger-Cats defeated the Eskimos 38-21 at Edmonton in their second game of the season, holding Mike Reilly to 286 passing yards, 88 of those off an early strike to Duke Williams. But the Esks were burdened by injuries at the time and are healthier now. They’ve won four of their last five, the inverse of Hamilton’s one win in the last five. The Ticats, to a man, know they have to regain the home field advantage they have misplaced two years ago. They’re 1-2 at home this season and have won just three times in their past 17 home games.
Hamilton is coming off its second bye week and after its first bye returned to the field to lose against Saskatchewan at home. In their last seven games following a bye, they’re 1-6 and dating back to 2011, they’re 3-9, a .250 winning percentage that is the worst in the CFL over that period, and less than half the league success average.
The air should be full of footballs Thursday night. Edmonton leads the league in passing yardage per game; Hamilton is third. Four of the top five receivers in the league — Edmonton’s Williams and Derel Walker and Hamilton’s Brandon Banks and Jalen Saunders — will be in action. “We’ve got a system that produces a lot of yards,” says Hamilton quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. “We just have to finish our drives — that’s been the point in practice all week.”
KEY ROSTER NOTES FROM HAMILTON
Receiver Jalen Saunders is considered a game-day decision, but he’ll likely play. Then, the only one of the preferred 24 Tiger-Cat starters not in the lineup would be defensive halfback Richard Leonard. Mariel Cooper replaces him at field side halfback in his second start of the year.
KEY ROSTER NOTES FROM EDMONTON
Two faces familiar to Ticats fans are back in the Eskimos lineup. C.J. Gable missed last week’s game, but will play Thursday, and that’s significant for both teams because the key to limiting Mike Reilly’s effectiveness is getting hard pressure on him. Throughout his career, Gable has been one of the best backfield blockers in the league. Receiver Sam Giguere, who played for Hamilton from 2012 to ’14 was recently released but was re-signed to the active roster this week.
NUMBERS TO CRUNCH ON
2 — The number of Eskimos among the CFL’s top two receivers. Duke Williams stands first with 831 yards, and Derel Walker second at 816. If they finish the season that way, it will be Edmonton’s second such 1-2 finish in three years. Only six times in the last 60 years has one team had the CFL’s top two receivers, and three of those were Edmonton teams.
11 — Current Wall of Honour members will be on hand to watch Joe Montford be inducted onto the Wall.
13 — Successful field goals in a row by Edmonton kicker Sean Whyte. He’s now ranked No. 2 all time in career field goal percentage at 86.2.
16 — The number of family members who will be at Tim Hortons Field to help Joe Montford celebrate his induction onto the Wall of Honour.
22 — The number of consecutive games in which Ticat Brandon Banks has caught at least one pass. Since he became an everyday receiver 18 games ago,
he leads the CFL with 1,677 yards.
35 — Percentage of stops Hamilton’s defence has made against opposing offences in the red zone, No. 1 in the league. They’ve also forced the most red zone turnovers, with six.
53 — Joe Montford
99 — The Ticats jersey number
of legendary Bernie Custis, which will be worn on T-shirts by team staff and nonroster players on the sidelines at Thursday’s game as part of the CFL’s Diversity is Strength campaign.