TICATS’ DEFENCE LACKS BITE IN LOSS
Even with new Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive co-ordinator Casey Creehan’s booming voice — stretching through April’s mini-camp into June’s training camp — imploring his charges to “Get to the ball!” Hamilton’s pressure defence was always its weaker half heading into Friday night’s season opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
It was generally accepted, no matter the personnel questions on Hamilton’s defensive line and defensive secondary, that the Ticats’ dynamic pass offence, with quarterback Henry Burris under centre, would need to set a fast enough pace to gloss over any bad tackles.
But after Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant threw his fourth touchdown pass, the third to slotback Weston Dressler, at the end of the third quarter to seal a 43-16 Roughriders’ win, that assumption was completely erased. Creehan and head coach George Cortez have much work to do.
It was evident from the start, when Dressler, who finished with 13 catches for 180 yards, ran around and through Hamilton’s defence, which showed little inclination to bring down the 5-foot-7 dynamo. Dressler finished the initial nine-play, 86-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown catch.
Two field goals from Luca Congi started Hamilton’s offence, before Dressler struck again, making a 56-yard catchand-run play with a little more than five minutes to go in the second quarter to set up receiver Chris Getzlaf for a 26yard scoring pass to extend Roughriders lead to 14-6.
The Ticats’ offence had too many weapons not to cause some damage to a Roughriders’ defence trying to rebuild after a finishing last in nearly every category in 2011. Rookie running back Chevon Walker responded immediately after Getzlaf ’s score with an 89-yard touchdown run he started with a stumble. Walker finished with six carries for 133 yards. Burris’s 284 passing yards took him past Doug Flutie for sixth on the CFL’s all-time passing list, but the Ticats passing game never got into a rhythm. Chris Williams, the 2011 CFL rookie of year, did finish with nine catches for 109 yards. Facing his old team for the first time, slotback Andy Fantuz had five catches for 49 yards.
On the first Riders’ possession after halftime, Durant, who completed 25 of 34 passes for 390 yards, hit receiver Rob Bagg, Getzalf, and finally Dressler for a 22-yard score just 80 seconds into quarter, and Hamilton had no answer.
Hamilton veteran linebackers Rey Williams and Jamall Johnson combined for 14 tackles, with Williams getting a sack, but all around Hamilton’s tackling was clumsy.
Congi and Saskatchewan kicker Chris Milo exchanged field goals before Durant found Dressler at the end of the third quarter to make the lead 33-16. Another field goal from Milo and a 13-yard rushing touchdown from running back Kory Sheets, who finished with 12 carries for 80 yards, just padded the Roughriders’ stats.