By: Justin Boone
For a team that prides itself on a blue-collar style of football, the Tiger-Cats have made strides early this season to get back to tradition.
As they prepare to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who boast the league’s best defence, Hamilton will look to establish their running game, which has carried them through the first two weeks of the year.
Led by the tandem of veteran RB Jesse Lumsden and rookie RB Tre Smith, the Tabbies are atop the CFL in almost every rushing category; most yards rushing, most times rushed, average gain per rush, to name a few.
If that isn’t enough, the Black and Gold have three of the top nine leading rushers with Lumsden (1st), Tre Smith (5th), and Casey Printers (9th), a testament to the ingenuity of offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille, a former Roughrider himself.
In three seasons as Saskatchewan’s offensive coordinator, Bellefeuille helped the Riders gain over 7,000 rushing yards and led the league in rushing from 2003-2005. Now he pits his savvy against his old club, and their top ranked defence, allowing the fewest points per game (13.5) and the fewest yards per game (265).
A lot of the onus will be put on the Cats offensive line to nullify the Riders aggressive defence. It would be unjust to talk about the success the Ticats offence has had on the ground without mentioning the Cats O-line, a group that receives far less fanfare than the men carrying the football behind them.
“Offensively I think we’re moving in the right direction,” said head coach Charlie Taaffe.
“Last week, we were able to run the football with the offensive line really gelling and Jesse of course back in full form now,” he explained. “I wouldn’t say we’ve shocked the world yet at this point with our passing game, but we are managing the offence and being efficient at what we’re doing.”
Efficiency and consistency will be key under the sun at ivor Wynne Stadium Saturday afternoon, as the Black and Gold attempt to string together back-to-back wins for the first time since September of 2006.
The Breakdown
Jesse Lumsden on Saskatchewan’s defence…
“They’re the defending Grey Cup Champs, so you have to prepare hard for them, you have to be smart. They’re aggressive and they do a good job pursuing the ball. They also have a real good safety in Scott Gordon. Their front seven can fly around. They’re a fast team, so we just have to play faster, harder and be smarter.”
Darrell Adams on Saskatchewan’s offence…
“They’re going to come in here with a swagger, with the attitude that we’re the Cats we’re not supposed to win many games. So we have to go out there and prove ourselves. It’s about us executing. We’re just trying to take the attitude to get after the quarterback, and play the pass first then react to the run. We have the mentality that we can get the job done with a four-man front or a three-man front, and not have to rely on our blitz scheme as much to get pressure on the QB. That’s our plan right now, to focus on us and not worry so much about what they’re doing.”
Under The Radar
RT – Charles Thomas – Tiger-Cats
After sitting out 2007, Thomas has returned to the CFL and won a starting role in the Cats offence. He has played well and helped the team continue its dominance in the run game from a year ago. This week he faces his former team the Roughriders, where he played from 2003-2006.
DE – John Chick – Saskatchewan
It would have been fun to put WR T.J. Acree here for the second week in row after he was traded from Toronto to Saskatchewan this week, but Chick is a playmaker on the Riders’ D-line who quietly gets after the quarterback and disrupts offences. He has five tackles and one sack and should provide a good challenge for the Tabbies offensive line.
Final Notes
– WR Chris Bauman is set to make his first appearance of the 2008 season. He will be the fifth receiver in five-receiver packages.
– The Tabbies have fallen to the Saskatchewan in each of their last eight attempts. The last time the Ticats defeated the Riders, they secured their only victory of the 2003 season, in overtime, on September 12, 2003 – 1,765 days ago.
– With QB Marcus Crandell out due to injury, QB Darian Durant steps in to the starting role. Coach Taaffe is familiar with Durant from his days as offensive coordinator at Maryland, when Durant was playing at North Carolina.
– With Montreal losing to Calgary on Thursday night, a Ticats win Saturday would give them a share of first place in the entire CFL.
