I’m
having some trouble writing this week’s article. Not because I don’t know what
to say, but because it’s difficult to reach my keyboard when I’m floating three
feet off the ground.
If last
week’s game against the Alouettes was a lethal virus, infecting all those who
witnessed it with pessimism and anxiety, then Thursday’s game in Toronto was
the vaccine. No doubt excruciatingly boring to all but the brotherhood of
longsuffering Tiger-cat fans, it was a godsend to those of us who needed it
most.
Now, I
refuse to fall into the trap I have in the past, and predict that all will be
well now for the black and gold, and we will all live happily ever after. But
this game showed the players, the coaches, and most importantly, the fans that
those problems which have plagued them in the past can all be overcome.
They
don’t need to give up a hundred penalty yards per game, as they were flagged
just five times for 61 yards. If Casey Printers’ throwaway pass in the second
quarter had travelled just a couple more yards before going out of bounds, they
would have had just four penalties for 35 yards. They can play disciplined
football, so they should do so.
They
don’t have to settle for three yard passes on second and long. Even against the
Argos’ feared defence, against whom most offences use a “take what they’ll give
you” approach, the Cats repeatedly made catches in first down territory. The
reason the Argo defence is so feared is that teams, fearing the defence,
constantly throw short passes underneath, and are unable to move the ball
downfield. When teams ignore their fear and attack the Argo defence, they show,
as Hamilton did, that that defence is just as vulnerable as any other. The Cats
showed that they can attack a defence and get first downs, and they should do
so.
They can
catch. Casey Printers is completing over 70% of his passes, second only to
Anthony Calvillo, and has an average completion of around twelve yards. Though
the running game was dominant, the Cats were able to complete passes against
Toronto, and even pushed the ball deep a few times. All this in spite of the
fact that their receiving corps has been dismissed by many as inexperienced, or
as too slow. I think they’ve shown everyone that they can make catches, and
they should continue to do so.
They can
pressure the quarterback. Kerry Joseph was sacked three times, putting Hamilton
near the top of the list in that stat after week 2. Even when he wasn’t being
taken down, he was held to 196 yards passing, just 25 more than Hamilton who,
unlike Toronto, has a running attack. This was one of their weak spots last
year, and now that they know that they can pressure the quarterback, they
should do so.
Hamilton
already knew that they had a great quarterback and a great running back. They
needed them to remain healthy, and they still do. But Lumsden isn’t showing any
signs of weakness in his shoulder after off-season surgery, and Printers is
running around and delivering the ball like the MVP he was a few years ago.
They need to continue doing this, and while 311 yards rushing may be too much
to ask, the fear that running game puts into future opponents will open up their
options through the air.
Next on
the schedule is the Saskatchewan Roughriders. They don’t play the 3-4 style of
defence that the Argos do, but prefer a more traditional formation with four
linemen and three linebackers. It is more difficult to establish a running game
against that formation, since by its very nature it allows fewer holes in the
first line of defence. But if the Riders try to bring a lot of pressure, with
the right offensive strategy, it can be almost as good.
This game
is being played at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Now that they have this big win behind
them, the Cats can promote the game by emphasizing what happened on Thursday.
It is important that they let the public know that the team can win, that they
are vastly improved, that last week’s game was an aberration, they should do
so. And it’s important for us as fans to buy tickets, fill the stadium and
cheer them on.
We should do so.