Jones, Ticats look to capitalize on tail end of back-to-back

CFL.ca Staff

HAMILTON — Round Two.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are back home at Tim Hortons Field getting set for the second game of a back-to-back series with the BC Lions after the first meeting slipped away from the Tabbies.

Returning home following a final few minutes that saw the BC Lions capitalize on a controversial decision by June Jones, who elected to punt rather than going for what would have been a 44-yard field goal attempt. Jonathon Jennings and the Lions surged down the field and with nine seconds remaining on the clock and sitting at their own 51-yard line, Jennings managed to connect with Shaq Johnson for 39 yards, then hit Bryan Burnham in the end zone for a touchdown.

Still down by two, however, the Lions managed to complete a two-point conversion to tie the game up, sending the game to the first overtime game this season, of which the Leos eventually managed to win 35-32.

Despite the loss to the Lions in Week 15, Jeremiah Masoli managed to finish the game without an interception, something he’s only managed now three times this season. (The Canadian Press)

It’s a final nine seconds of regulation that is highly unlikely of ever happening again, let alone happening at all.

One bright outlook on Saturday’s game would be the fact that Jeremiah Masoli and the offence didn’t turn the ball over to the league’s leading defence when it comes to interceptions. Despite his success through the air, Masoli has only managed to come out of a game with a zero in the interception category on just three occasions this season.

Yet, for the Ticats, it was a costly game to have slipped away with just five games remaining in the season, two of which coming against the East Division-leading Ottawa REDBLACKS.

But weeks before that, the Ticats sit in search of a response to last week’s loss.

“I’m sure BC has a plan for that just like we do,” said head coach June Jones on Tuesday. “But it’ll be 85 per cent I’m sure of the same coverages. They’ll have some changes but they won’t be plentiful, I’m sure.”

The Ticats have been dealing with injuries as of late, including wide receiver Terrence Toliver who is currently under concussion protocol according to Jones. Defensively, Jamal Westerman is day-to-day with a sprained ankle and Jason Neill is doubtful to play on Saturday, as he is dealing with a pulled hamstring. On the bright side of the injuries, the Ticats’ leading receiver in Brandon Banks was back practising this week after he had missed the last two games with a groin injury.

As for the situation with Toliver, Jones says it could open up a few possibilities which could very well include the activation of veteran receiver Marquay McDaniel from Hamilton’s practice roster.

“We have the luxury of having some depth,” Jones said.

Back-to-back series, although new to Jones in his first full season with the Ticats and in the Canadian Football League, isn’t anything new to the former NFL coach, who spoke of how during his time south of the border he also had a few instances in which he had to prepare for the same opponent the following week.

“Asking me if I recall anything from it, pretty much the team’s don’t change,” Jones stated. “They stay consistent to what they’ve been doing. They may have a new blitz, but as far as the base package… in football, you can’t change everything.”

By having a back-to-back with the Lions, it also doesn’t give the Ticats fellow felines much time to alter up their game plan in a way you might see more so in matchups that are on either end of the league’s regular season schedule.

“Jerry’s evaluated it pretty well,” Jones said regarding game film both he and Ticats’ defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville have studied following last week’s loss. “We feel like we have a good plan in place to try to do better with what we didn’t do in the game. I thought we had enough two-and-outs. I thought the tail-end of the game we gave them a couple of plays that you shouldn’t. From that standpoint, if we get those things correct I think we’re pretty solid.”

Heading into last week’s tilt, the Ticats’ coaching staff was very aware of the experience Jonathon Jennings brought, despite not receiving much playing time this season as a result of backing up Travis Lulay. Unfortunately, an injury to Lulay pushed Jennings into the starting role, and into the scope of the Ticats’ defensive game plan.

“He’s pretty much what I remembered from him,” Jones said of Jennings. “He had a little time last year to get in there and go, and he had started in the league before so whenever you have a quarterback who has started in the league they always have a chance of being productive. It’s not like a rookie going in there.

Jennings finished the game last week throwing for 347 yards against the Ticats defence and adding three touchdowns through the air.

Hamilton will be hoping to capitalize on the film from last week in hopes of containing Jennings and the rest of the Lions offence this week at Tim Hortons Field. A win this week would aid in bridging the gap between the ‘Cats and the REDBLACKS in the East Division standings, as Ottawa spends Week 16 on a bye.

Game time for Saturday’s back-to-back conclusion is set for 4:00 p.m. ET.

With files from Ticats.ca

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