Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca
Boy, did the Hamilton Tiger-Cats need that 39-36 overtime win in Ottawa on Friday night. Needing a win to keep their division title hopes alive, the Ticats outlasted the REDBLACKS in an offensive shootout that saw them erase a 15-point halftime deficit. I was quite impressed with Hamilton for a second straight week, but it got me thinking: why have these efforts been so scattered this season?
As confusing as it gets
There have been times this season when I’ve come away from a Tiger-Cats game impressed and comparing them to the really good teams of the last three years. Unfortunately, there have also been times when I’ve come away thinking to myself “these guys are a shadow of their former selves”. It’s that inconsistency that must be driving fans in the Hammer nuts.
Of course I’m well aware the Tiger-Cats have gotten only eight games from their starting quarterback this year, so let’s get that out of the way first. The absence of Zach Collaros has been a contributor to Hamilton’s inconsistency and it would be ignorant of me to dismiss its impact. However, I’d also have my head in the sand by saying it’s the only thing at work.
But it’s not like Jeremiah Masoli has been terrible. In fact, Masoli has given his team a chance to win more often than not this season and he’s turned himself into a solid backup piece in this league. No, he doesn’t run an offence quite as proficiently as Collaros, but the dropoff isn’t anywhere near as big as it could have been.
That last paragraph actually sums up my confusion with Hamilton’s 2016 season fairly well. On the whole, the Ticats have gotten really solid individual contributions. In the bigger picture, we’ve seen this offence look totally proficient and the defence have games where it looks like one of the CFL’s best. The problem is, though, it just hasn’t been put together at the same time as often as Hamilton would like.
BUY WEEK 19 TICKETS
» Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET: Edmonton at Hamilton
» Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET: Ottawa at Winnipeg
» Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET: BC at Saskatchewan
» Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET: Calgary at Montreal
Defensively, Hamilton is fifth in total points allowed, second in sacks and second in interceptions while the Ticats also boast the fourth-highest scoring offence in the league, second-highest through the air. In saying that, though, the Tiger-Cats sit a disappointing 7-9 on the season. If you looked only at the numbers without watching them this season, you’d have trouble computing how this all makes sense.
In reality, though, Hamilton hasn’t had a lot of games where everything has worked well together. On some occasions, like Week 10 and 14, we’ve seen solid Tiger-Cats defensive performances spoiled by inefficient offences. Then there are games like those in Week 8 and 17, where impressive offensive displays don’t get the job done.
On the one hand, the wild ups and downs of Hamilton’s season are a scary thing heading into the playoffs. If one side of the ball has a down day, the Ticats are probably losing come the post-season. On the flip side, though, it still gives you hope, because we know when they put everything together, the Tiger-Cats are extremely dangerous.
With how this season has gone, crossing your fingers for the latter of those two scenarios come the post-season is probably your best bet. Trying to guess what you’re going to get from the Tiger-Cats is just too tough to do.
Finding a fit
Earlier this week on Berg vs. Ferg, we debated the merits of signing recently released receiver Duron Carter for 2017. I lobbied to take a chance on one of the more polarizing players in this league and my stance hasn’t changed a few days later. So, let’s assume someone does bring him into the fold; where’s a good fit for him?
Before we delve any further into that, I’ll reset my reasoning. Carter carries with him a fair bit of baggage and doing due diligence before signing him is a must. Some of the incidents he’s been a part of in the past can’t be ignored and I would never suggest as such. However, his raw talent can’t be ignored either and that’s what tips the scales for me.
Carter is one of the league’s best receivers and from a football perspective, bringing him in is a no-brainer. Furthermore, I think a change of scenery will do him good, specifically after the wakeup call he likely received upon his release in Montreal. We’ve seen all kinds of players mature and leave things in the past, so why can’t Carter? I cited Jerome Messam as an example, and there are plenty of others.
Vernon Adams looks downfield in his first career start (The Canadian Press)
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So, with that all said, the first fit that jumps to mind for Carter is Saskatchewan. From a football perspective, I really like how the two sides could complement one another. From a Riders standpoint, Carter would instantly become a top target alongside the emerging Naaman Roosevelt and Ricky Collins. Saskatchewan is somewhat thin when it comes to its aerial arsenal, so Carter would be a nice addition in that sense.
I like the fit for Carter, too. As Ferg pointed out in his counter to my argument, Carter is a receiver who thrives most when his targets are high and is significantly less effective when they’re not. The Riders can give him those targets for the reasons stated above. From an on-field perspective, it makes a ton of sense to me.
Off the field is just as important, however. Joining a team with Chris Jones at the top might be exactly what Carter needs. Say what you want about Jones but he’s a general and he keeps players accountable. That might be just what the doctor ordered in this scenario. Plus, with the fishbowl that is football in Regina, Carter has a whole other group to stay accountable to as well: Rider Nation.
I think you could make the argument Carter could fit on a few other teams, too: BC comes to mind for similar reasons as Saskatchewan. But with all of the factors weighed out, I think the Riders make the most sense. Let’s see if we’re anywhere close over the next few months!
Much needed
Speaking of the Lions, their 32-25 win over the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday couldn’t have come at a more crucial time. After two straight close losses to Winnipeg, I worried whether BC was going to be able to recover. It did and looked good doing it against a red hot Eskimos team.
I worried because of how hard the Lions fought in two huge games against the Bombers, only to come up short. In both games with Winnipeg, the Lions had a chance to win only to fall short by the slimmest of margins. In one game it was a failed third-and-one conversion while the other saw a fourth quarter lead evapourate in the blink of an eye.
Losses like that are crushing and can be tough to recover from. Well, give the Lions credit, because they recovered in a really impressive way.
You can point to the obvious positives for BC on Saturday very easily. Jonathon Jennings was dialed in, Emmanuel Arceneaux had another banner game and the ground game was on point led by Jeremiah Johnson. But it was something a little less obvious that really stuck out to me.
Emmanuel Arceneaux was a major factor in the Lions’ Week 18 win (The Canadian Press)
Up 18-5 at halftime, I wasn’t the only one thinking “here we go again” as the Eskimos scored 14 third-quarter points to get within a touchdown. The Lions, though, didn’t let that though creep into their minds.
After Edmonton finally got its first possession of the fourth quarter following a BC field goal, the home team quickly forced a huge two-and-out followed by a seven-play drive culminating in another field goal. It was timely execution when they needed it the most that ended up winning the day for the Lions.
With two more games to go this season, BC is tied with Winnipeg for second in the division with the Bombers holding the tiebreak. With a dogfight on their hands to finish the year, Saturday’s win should have the Lions in the right frame of mind.
Quick hit
We mentioned Jerome Messam a little earlier and he’s worthy of mentioning again. Is he going to win the quietest rushing title in recent memory? With 111 more yards against Toronto on Friday, Messam now has an edge of almost 400 yards to second place. He’s been the league’s best and most consistent runner from start to finish, so if his rushing title is going to be a quiet one, allow this to help change that a little bit. He’s having one heck of a dominant season.
