They Learned This Week: TiCats starting to be scary good!

After each week we recap the week that was in the CFL with a key lesson each team did (or at least I would hope they did) learn from the week that was…

BC – They still need to work on moving the ball just one yard forward.  – Another goal line offensive stand and another blown play as Lions QB Jarious Jackson threw up an INT early in the first quarter.  This was the third game in a row that the Lions have been on the goal line with three cracks at getting the ball into the end zone and yet walk away with nothing.  Jackson isn’t the answer for that kind of play.  The sooner Wally Buno realizes that, the better.

Calgary – Mike Bishop isn’t *that* good a QB. –  I’d kinda like to know what Stamps defensive coordinator Chris Jones was thinking by flaring his two defensive ends wider than normal against the Bombers.  Sure it was probably done in an effort to contain the scrambling ability of  Winnipeg QB Mike Bishop, but it left the defensive line way too venerable to the run as was demonstrated in the second half by Fred Reid and the Bombers offensive line.  Chances are, unless you’re playing the Eskimos, you’re going to be facing a mobile QB, so Jones would be wise not to make such a dramatic shift to his line next time.

Edmonton – You were beat by a good Tiger Cats team, no need to panic.  – I’m sure the fact the Eskimos opened up with a 12 point lead and blew it shortly after the second quarter started is a bit concerning, but the Eskimos could have easily walked away with the win had it not been for a couple of breaks that went Hamilton’s way.  Ricky Ray was very good and the two INTs he threw up were a result of him being hit.  They had a nice mix of running and passing in the game…  Prefontane was automatic…  Maybe the only area they need to work on is defense, but that will come in time as their young secondary gets better.

Hamilton – We may only be seeing just the beginning of a dominant TiCats offense.  – They have one of the best duos in the CFL with Arland Bruce and Prechae Rodrieguez…  Add DeAndra’ Cobb out of the backfield and Dave Stala as a third wide out option for QB Quinton Porter to throw to and you have the makings of a very scary offense that will be hard to stop.

Montreal – It’s not going to be as easy as it was against Toronto  – So how does a team that had it’s perfect run ended last week respond?  By having a nearly perfect game the next week!  Calvillo was five yards away from 400 passing, three Als wide outs had 80+ yards receiving, seven sacks on defense and of course the shutout – the first in the CFL in three seasons.  All of it would be impressive as hell if it wasn’t for the fact it came against Toronto.  Do that against Hamilton or Calgary or… well hell, any of the six other CFL teams, and then we’d be impressed!

Saskatchewan – Wes Cates isn’t quite 100% yet. – 11 carries for 38 yards.  That was the line for Cates on Friday night against the Lions.  Steven Jyles only had three rushes and yet still managed to out run him by 36 yards.  Now granted the Lions D was flying in that game and running against them was a huge chore, but you have to believe that Cates isn’t quite 100% yet.

Toronto – The offense this year isn’t any better than it was last year, in fact it may be worse!  – The Argos only have one offensive touchdown in their last two games.  The lone bright spot for the team has been the play of running back Jamal Robertson, but with no pass game and a bad offensive line that allowed seven sacks against Montreal there is no way he can carry the offense.  Unlike last year they don’t have a go-to weapon like Arland Bruce at wide out..  Speaking of Bruce, maybe he had a point about the coach needing to get the QB back on track huh?

Winnipeg – Fred Reid should really get the ball more in the first quarter.  – Reid only had four touches of the ball in the first half and rattled off runs of 4, 2, 8 and 3 yards.  Now part of that was due to the fact the Bombers were 2 and out in the first five drives they had, but can you imagine what would have been for that team has Reid been given a chance to run with the ball a little more in the first half?

TiCats just winning in the rain

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The recap from TSN.ca

The Turning Point: Many would point to the 40 yard run by TiCats running back DeAndra’ Cobb that helped set up QB Quinton Porter’s 1 yard dive into the end zone for the game winning points as the turning point, but Cobb’s run which was called a touchdown at first was subject to a booth review and it was shown that he was stopped short by about four feet.  This forced Hamilton to run another play (Porter’s TD dive) and more importantly took another 10 seconds off the game clock.  The Esks offense didn’t get the ball back until there was 42 seconds left when if the Cobb TD had been allowed to stand they would have gotten it with 55 or more seconds on the clock.  Ricky Ray did well to move the ball very quickly down the field and with 9 seconds left did have the ball at the 33 yard line but only had time for one more play.  If it had not been for the mandatory booth review that becomes automatic with three minutes left at the end of each half and the subsequent need to run another play, the Esks may have actually had time for two plays from the 33 yard line and a chance to get the answering TD to tie the game.

The game ball goes to: Hamilton QB Quinton Porter 25 out of 27 passing for 211 yards and 1 touchdown.  He also rushed 3 times for 17 yards, his final rush was the game winning touchdown dive with a minute left in the game.  He took care of the ball and even when his offense stalled a few times in the first quarter he did not get frustrated and start trying to force passes.

Random game thoughts: In six games, the TiCats have only given up 14 points in the 4th quarter.  Those 14 were against the BC Lions in week 2 – a game Hamilton still won  …  TiCats wideout Arland Bruce started being thrown to more in this game, he had 8 catches for 78 yards  …  Fred Stamps for the Eskimos also had a good day receiving with 7 catches for 150 yards  …  Efrem Hill started at wide receiver for the Esks in place of Maurice Mann who was a late scratch for Esks coach Richie Hall.  He had three catches in the game for 60 yards, the first two of those catches of the athletic one foot barley inbounds type  …  Edmonton kicker Noel Prefontane was 4 for 4 kicking field goals  …  Ricky Ray had a decent night going 23 out of 37 pass attempts for 335 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.  Both INTs took place on plays where he was hit while throwing.  …  The Eskimos made four trips into the redzone and only came away with one touchdown and three field goals.

Final grades
Eskimos Offense: B-
Eskimos Defense: C
Eskimos Special Teams: B-

TiCats Offense: B+
TiCats Defense: B+
TiCats Special Teams: B

They Learned This Week: Perfection is hard to come by!

So after each week we’re going to recap the week that was in the CFL with a quick hit for each team.   A key lesson each team did (or at least I would hope they did) learn from the week that was. Admittedly like any good idea, this one is stolen from the fine gentlemen over at The Two-Line Pass hockey blog and their very amusing weekly “What We Learned” feature. I don’t claim that this will be as amusing, it will be at least a good way to spend a Monday (or Tuesday when the holiday games hit) morning trying to sum up the week’s actions in a few lines…

BC – You can’t win if your defense is playing most of the third quarter. They had a lead at the half thanks to a late 2nd quarter ten point rally and came within a yard of opening scoring in the 2nd half but lost the ball on a fumble and then 88 yards and 14 plays and nearly nine minutes off the clock later the Ti-Cats had a touchdown.  That was punishment enough for the defense, but to make matters worse the Lions fumble the kickoff and the gassed defense is right back on the field.  They can hardly be blamed to giving up that late 3rd quarter TD.

Calgary – Conservative play calling when you’re only up by six with two minutes left (aka forever in the CFL) is a death sentence. You have the most athletic QB in the league, arguably the best wide receiving group in the league… and the best you can call is a regular run up the gut on a second and six?  Sure hindsight is always 20/20 and you could have thrown that ball only to have it intercepted or a wide pitch out or option play that resulted in a fumble, but at least we couldn’t accuse you of trying to eek out a win!

Edmonton – Ricky Ray isn’t a robot after all, he only has a robot like arm. You know you have a very solid rep as a stoned faced QB when TSN takes time to freeze the one frame of film where you can be seen smiling after a TD play.  Esks fans have complained at times about how little emotion Ray actually emotes and if that has been the reason behind the Esks slow start, but really Esks fans your starting QB could be Jimmy Kemp so quit complaining already!

Hamilton – Quinton Porter is going to be just fine. Any doubts that Porter wouldn’t be able to carry the load as the Ti-Cats starting QB should have been erased during that aforementioned 88 yard drive against the Lions in the 3rd quarter.  His overall numbers for that game wern’t mind boggling, but they were solid and at no point during that game was there a thought that backup Kevin Glenn should be brought in.  That in itself is a small victory and speaks well for the future of Porter as QB.

Montreal – A perfect season was simply a pipe dream. The last time a CFL team had less than five losses in a season was in 2007 when the Lions went 14-3-1.  Before that it was 1997 when a team last had less than five losses (Toronto went 15-3-0).  With as much parody in the CFL as there is and only one week off in the span of 19, it’s foolish to think a team can go 18 and 0 in a season, but yet some media started wondering after the Argos convincing 4-0 start if it was possible.  It isn’t.  I’m sure the Als themselves wern’t thinking that far ahead though and they should bounce back easily next week.

Saskatchewan – You’re the only team with more than nine home games a season. Thanks to the fact you play at least one – and in this season’s case two – games in Calgary where seemingly half of Saskatchewan moves to for the week, you get the support of at least half the sold out McMahon stadium crowd.  I’m not sure that even the Eskimos don’t get the kind of support in Calgary like your team does, and Edmonton fans are only three hours north.  (One and a half if you’re driving like a mad man or woman down the QE2 highway)

Toronto – Turnovers suck, but untimely penalties suck more! The Argos committed seven turnovers in Saturday’s game, yet they still had a chance to win at the end of the game only to commit the cardinal sin of taking a time count penalty before that field goal attempt while they still had a time out available to take!  Ideally the holder should have one eye on the clock and one on the upcoming snap, but even if he missed the chance to call a time out, where was the coach?!  It’s screw ups like that are the reason the Argos haven’t won at home in a full calender year.

Winnipeg – Bishop may not be the long term answer, but he’s a good stop gap solution. A week ago when the Blue Bombers signed QB Mike Bishop he was playing semi-pro ball in Texas.  five days later he’s leading his new team over one of his old teams and suddenly the Bombers situation on offense doesn’t look so dire.  Will he be around after this season?  Well if his history with the Argos and Riders is any indication, probably not.  But word has it he’s joined Winnipeg with a renewed sense of dedication to game study so maybe this time around is different?  The Bombers hope so!