August 10, 2016

Berg vs. Ferg: Does Collaros make the Ticats beasts of the East?

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

Every week of the 2016 season, CFL.ca columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson will debate over one of the league’s most contentious storylines. In Week 8 we ask the question: with Zach Collaros back in the huddle, are the Hamilton Tiger-Cats the team to beat in the East?

Most of us will agree pretty easily that Zach Collaros is a difference-maker in the Canadian Football League. The question is to what degree?

The Ticats fought to a 3-3 record without their top quarterback at the helm, who’s been sidelined since last September with a torn ACL. Collaros has missed nine regular season games since then (a span over which the Ticats have gone 5-7) while Jeremiah Masoli has kept Hamilton competitive in the meantime.

But while Collaros, last year the likely top candidate for Most Outstanding Player before his season-ending injury, is an almost definite upgrade over Masoli, how much better does he make the Ticats?

On one hand, the Ticats have gone 16-9 and appeared in a Grey Cup in two years with Collaros as a starter compared to 6-11 and no Grey Cup in games without him. With a top-ranked defence and a well-coached team led by Kent Austin and Orlondo Steinauer, Hamilton hardly resembles on paper its current third-place standing in the East behind both Ottawa and Toronto.

The other argument is that we’re expecting too much from Collaros. The 27-year-old hasn’t played a down of football in almost 11 months, and now he’s being asked to come in and propel a team from .500 and third-place to contender. Fair or not, that’s how good Collaros was last season — those are the expectations.

And so we cut to the chase — are the Ticats the favourite to win the East? Steinberg and Ferguson debate in the latest Berg vs. Ferg.

BERG VS. FERG: WEEK 7 RESULTS

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TOTAL

Ferguson – 331 (65%)

Steinberg – 181 (35%)

Ferguson – 180 (51%)

Steinberg – 172 (49%)

Ferguson – 511 (59%)

Steinberg – 353 (41%)

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

Mike Reilly threw for under 300 yards for the first time in 2016 in Week 7 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

Last week, Berg and Ferg debated over whether Mike Reilly will break Doug Flutie’s single-season passing yards record. 59 per cent sided with Ferguson that he won’t.

» View Week 7 Berg vs. Ferg

FERG (2-1): COLLAROS TIPS THE SCALES

Marshall_Ferguson_2016

Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh

The return of Zach Collaros absolutely makes the Hamilton Tiger-Cats the favourite to win the East.

Zach coming back is about much more than statistics and wins. In regaining Collaros, the Tiger-Cats instantly become a much more well-rounded team.

One of the CFL’s top rated defences is suddenly backed by one of the more explosive passing attacks of 2015 before Collaros suffered his knee injury. And while the passing attack should increase the scoring punch and put the defence in better situations moving forward, Collaros has also shown an elite ability to convert on second down and long.

By converting at a higher percentage than Jeremiah Masoli, the Tiger-Cats’ league worst time of possession standing should be improved which will put an already stellar defence into better, well-rested situations.

TICATS WITH AND WITHOUT COLLAROS IN 2015

WITH WITHOUT
RECORD 8-4 2-4
POINTS (AVG) 34.2 20.0
PASSING YARDS (AVG) 306.8 244.3

 

The other underrated aspect of Collaros’ return which will make the Tiger-Cats a favourite to win the Eastern Division is the consistency and confidence he brings to the Black and Gold.

Jeremiah Masoli did a lot of things very well as a stand-in starter. Being consistent was not one of them. Masoli’s ups and downs from game to game, half to half, even quarter to quarter were equivalent to a two-seater cessna riding through a Manitoba lightning storm.

Collaros’ career as a CFL starter has been defined by three things: A relatively high completion percentage; a special ability to convert in second down situations; and effective trips to the red zone. All areas in which the Tiger-Cats could use some help; all things that aid the consistency of an offence looking to find a rhythm for longer than a quarter or two.

The combination of Zach’s effect on all phases of the Tiger-Cats’ roster along with the dependable consistency he adds by returning should place the Tiger-Cats among the most realistic threats to take the Eastern Division.

BERG (1-2): ONE PLAYER ISN’T ENOUGH IN THE EAST

Pat_Steinberg_2016

Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg

The return of Zach Collaros to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats lineup is nothing but positive. Getting one of the league’s best and most exciting quarterbacks back in the fold after missing his team’s first six games is huge and something to look forward to.

As good as Collaros is, though, I don’t believe his return alone will transform the 3-3 Ticats into an automatic division winner.

I say that first and foremost because Hamilton has had more issues than just at quarterback this season. Jeremiah Masoli hasn’t been at Collaros’ level to this point, but he also hasn’t lost his team games either. While they’ve had a few solid outings and boast some nice stats, the Tiger-Cats have been far too inconsistent on the defensive side of the ball. While the return of Collaros should help decrease how much time Hamilton’s defence spends on the field, it isn’t going to solve that unit’s issues with consistency, either.

What impact will Collaros have?
» A question for every team in The Weekly Say

Then there’s the matter of the competition. Even if Hamilton has Collaros in the fold, the Ottawa REDBLACKS are at the top of the East Division mountain. They boast the league’s reigning MOP in Henry Burris and, prior to his injury, the best quarterback we’ve seen play in 2016 in Trevor Harris. Add on the CFL’s most elite group of receivers and a very underrated group defensively and you can see why Ottawa played for the Grey Cup last November. Getting Collaros back will help move the Tiger-Cats closer, but right now the REDBLACKS are the team to beat.

It’s impossible to dispute the fact Hamilton will get better with Collaros coming back. We’re talking about one of the league’s best players in the game’s most important position. Thanks to some of his team’s issues otherwise and its competition in the division, though, I don’t see Collaros’ return being a magic elixir.

DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!

While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?

You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh. While the discussion never ends, polls close on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m ET.

The winner will be revealed on social and in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.

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