| Tiger-Cats (4-4) @ Toronto Argonauts (5-3) Regular Season Game 9 Monday, September 6 @ 2:30 p.m. Ivor Wynne Stadium – Hamilton, Ontario |
BROADCAST INFORMATION
| TV BROADCAST: |
National broadcast on TSN |
| Play by play: Rod Black / Colour: Duane Forde |
|
| RADIO BROADCAST: | AM 900 CHML, simulcast on Y108 (Listen Live) |
| Play by play: Rick Zamperin / Colour: John ‘Coach Sal’ Salavantis / Sideline Reporter: Matt Holmes |
THE MATCH-UP
Monday’s game will be the second of three regular season meetings between the Tiger-Cats and the Argonauts in the 2010 season. The Ticats used a strong fourth quarter comeback to defeat the Argonauts, 16-12, in the first meeting between the two teams two weeks ago. The Tiger-Cats can win the season series and retain the Ballard Trophy with a win on Monday. The match-up will be the 208th meeting between the two teams since 1950, with the Ticats holding a 118-85-2-2 advantage in the all time series.
The Tiger-Cats and Argonauts have met 41 times on Labour Day since 1950. The Tiger-Cats have had a lot of success against the Argos on Labour Day, holding a 27-13-1 advantage. Overall, the Tiger-Cats are 42-15-3 on Labour Day since 1950. The Tiger-Cats are 5-4-1 against the Argonauts in the last 10 Labour Day Classics.
The Tiger-Cats will look for their first four game winning streak since 1998 on Monday. The Tiger-Cats have won their last three games against East Division opponents, in the process securing a tiebreaker against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. A win on Monday will also give the Tiger-Cats a tiebreaker over the Argonauts. The Argonauts will look to avoid losing two games in a row for the first time this season. So far in 2010, the Argos have reeled off at least two straight victories after each loss.
This will be the second meeting between head coaches Marcel Bellefeuille and Jim Barker. Bellefeuille has a career record of 14-20 as a CFL head coach in the regular season and holds a 3-2 record against the Argonauts. Barker has a career record of 19-25 as a CFL head coach in the regular season and holds a 3-3 record against the Ticats.
2010 STATISTICAL RANKINGS
 |
 |
|
|
Total Offence Per Game |
367.9 (5th) | 327.1 (7th) |
| Rushing Offence Per Game | 83.6 (8th) | 128.6 (4th) |
| Passing Offence Per Game | 314.1 (2nd) | 220.1 (8th) |
| Total Defence Per Game | 388.2 (6th) | 439.3 (8th) |
| Rushing Defence Per Game | 129.5 (6th) | 126.4 (5th) |
| Passing Defence Per Game | 276.9 (4th) | 324.5 (8th) |
| Points Per Game | 25.1 (5th) | 23.9 (6th) |
| Opponents Points Per Game | 26.9 (T-4th) | 26.9 (T-4th) |
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kevin Glenn / QB / Hamilton
Glenn is on pace to have one of the best seasons a Ticats quarterback has ever had. He is currently on pace to set franchise records in both passing yards and touchdowns. More importantly for this game, Glenn is playing in Ivor Wynne Stadium where he has torched opposing defences. Glenn is averaging over 350 yards passing per game at Ivor Wynne Stadium this season. With the league’s eighth ranked pass defence is town, Glenn could rebound from two weeks ago and put up big numbers.
DeAndra’ Cobb / RB / Hamilton
Cobb has been more effective in the Ticats offence over the last two games, largely because he’s getting the ball more. In the first six games of the 2010 season, Cobb averaged 10.3 carries per game for 41.5 yards per game. But in the last two games, Cobb has had over 20 touches and the Ticats have won both games. Cobb has averaged 21 carries per game for 92.5 yards per game over the last two gamezs. Look for the Ticats to get Cobb the ball more often in this game and down the stretch this season.
Chad Owens / WR / Toronto
Owens is the league leader in all purpose yards this season with 1,291 yards. Owens has shown he can break kick and punt returns and has shown big play ability as a receiver. He also showed off his arm two weeks ago, throwing a deep pass on a reverse to Ryan Christian. If the Tiger-Cats can contain Owens and force Cleo Lemon to look for other receivers who don’t have the same type of big play ability, the Tiger-Cats defence should be able to limit the Argonauts.
Cory Boyd / RB / Toronto
Boyd is the league’s leading rusher so far this season, piling up 792 yards over the first eight weeks of the season. Boyd has rushed for over 100 yards in four of the Argonauts eight games this season and the Argos are 4-0 in those games. The Argos are 1-3 when Boyd rushes for less than 100 yards, including a loss in the game two weeks ago when the Ticats held Boyd to 81 yards on 16 carries. If the Tiger-Cats can keep Boyd contained on first down, it will put the Argonauts in tough second down situations all game long.
KEY MATCH-UP
Tiger-Cats Sold-Out Crowd vs. Argonauts Offence
The key match-up in this game in a little unorthodox, but it is the Argos Offence against a sold-out Ivor Wynne Stadium crowd. The loud and vocal crowd at Ivor Wynne Stadium has made it difficult on opponents in the past, especially in last year’s playoff game against the B.C. Lions. The Lions were called for six false start penalties and one time count violation, in large part due to the Tiger-Cats crowd. The crowd could have a similar impact in this game, forcing the Argonauts to start drives at first and 15, or eliminate good first down gain by being called for false starts on second down. The Argonauts attempted to practice with artificial noise this week, so it will be interesting to see if that will help them tomorrow afternoon at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
