By: Justin Boone
jboone@ticats.ca
If there was one positive the Ticats can come away from Week One with, it’s the strong play of their QB Casey Printers. The former Most Outstanding Player looked like the signal caller the team thought they were getting last season when they signed him to a blockbuster contract.
Printers completed 71 percent of his passes against the Als, for 203 yards through the air, while adding another 33 yards on the ground. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his game was the confidence he showed in the pocket, sidestepping the pass rush and giving his receivers time to make plays downfield.
Of the six receivers who dressed last week, only two of them had played a down of regular season football in a Hamilton jersey, WR Jason French and WR Jo Jo Walker. That number will be cut in half this week, as Walker has been added to the Injured List. With a new crop of pass catchers, wide receivers coach Dennis Goldman has been the man trying to mold them as players and as a cohesive unit.
“We have a bunch of really good guys. Some very experienced, some just out of college, but it’s a good mix,” said the veteran coach. “We’ve definitely upgraded the talent level from last year at this time.”
The numbers back up Goldman’s claim. In last year’s first game, the Ticats receivers caught nine passes for a paltry 107 yards. In last week’s contest, their debut outing in 2008, they pulled in 15 catches for 203 yards.
While he may have struggled early, WR Scott Mitchell was the team’s most consistent threat with 72 yards receiving on five receptions. He represents a different type of
“When you’re an inside guy and you’re going over the middle, if you’re a shorter player the quarterback can’t see you. Scott is taller and Casey was able to find him in traffic,” explained Goldman.
Veteran WR Tony Miles, who had three catches for 37 yards a week ago, occupies the other slotback position. The 5’9, 171-pound receiver joked that it’s not about what the measuring tape says, it’s what you do on the field that counts.
“It’s how you play, big guys, small guys it boils down to making plays. It’s good to have a mix of different body types, but at the end of the day we have to go out there and make more plays in the receiving corps if we’re going to win games.”
Look for Miles to improve on his totals from Week One, as he faces some familiar faces in Toronto. Let’s hope the force is with him as he travels to the place he now refers to as the dark side.
The Breakdown
Casey Printers on Toronto’s defence…
“They’re experienced, very knowledgeable about playing the game. They play a three-man front, but they have a lot of multiple looks out of that, so we have to be really prepared to play them They also have a good blitz package, but we just have to e prepared about where we’re going with the ball pre-snap so that post snap we can just play.”
Zeke Moreno on Toronto’s offence…
“The key thing is they got some momentum with a victory under their belt, even though they may have struggled at times. They’re going with two quarterbacks it seems, so whoever has that momentum during the game is the guy they’re going to stick with. It’s one of those things where it comes down to what we do and not so much what they do, we need to play consistent football for 60 minutes.”
Under The Radar
DB – Rontarius Robinson – Tiger-Cats
After signing with the team just prior to the start of training camp, Robinson came in and played well in practice and the pre-season. He had two tackles in the first meeting with the Argos, and had five takedowns last week against Montreal. Expect to see number 18 in and around the ball when the Black and Gold defence is on the field.
WR – T.J. Acree – Argonauts
A tough-as-nails receiver, Acree will be looking to make catches over the middle, often battling against Robinson. The Boise State product stands 5’11, 174 pounds, but isn’t afraid to take a hit and coaches have taken notice to him, as he prepares to make his debut for the Boatmen on Thursday night.
Final Notes
– OL Marko Cavka will replace the injured OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux at left guard.
– Recently acquired WR O’Neil Wilson, DE Terrence Patrick, and DB Sean Manning will all be dressed for the game against Toronto. While Wilson and Manning are listed as backups, Patrick is expected to see significant playing time in his first game for the Tabbies.
– DB Lawrence Gordon is prepared to see plenty of action on his side of the field. After a less-than-stellar performance against Montreal, Gordon knows no matter who is behind centre for the Argos, they’ll be looking in his direction and he’s ready for the challenge.
