Matt Cauz
CFL.ca
I think the best way to summarize the Argonauts 16-13 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is that it was an ugly game, it was quite often a tedious game, yet despite all of that it was really entertaining. It is kind of like the movie Face Off – both had so many flaws, both made you wonder why you were watching it, yet you stuck around to the end, and secretly you kind of enjoyed it.
Oh sure you can say the first half set back offensive football about five decades, but if you are a fan of big hits and form tackles well the first 30 minutes wasn’t all bad. And if a punting battle is your thing, the first half was like The Godfather meets Citizen Kane.
A couple mini highlights before we move on to the second half:
(1) The impact/non-impact of Chad Owens. Yes statistically Owens wasn’t much of a factor, but that’s only because there isn’t a statistic for most bad punts or short kick-offs executed because the opposing team is scarred like hell to put the ball into that guys hands.
(2) Kevin Eiben’s tackle on DeAndra’ Cobb on the Tiger-Cats’ second possession. Eiben squared up and stopped Cobb short of the first down, an impressive tackle considering all of the open field. Markeith Knowlton had a similar tackle on Chad Owens in the second quarter.
Argonaut running back Cory Boyd received a healthy dose of hits from the Hamilton Tiger-Cat linebackers all game long.
(3) Speaking of Tiger-Cats linebackers, I can always watch those guys. From Otis Floyd smacking around Cleo Lemon to Jamall Johnson’s constant battles with Corey Boyd you can see how these guys are the heart and soul of the Tiger-Cat defence.
(4) Ricky Foley was all over the field. Forget about his hit injuring Kevin Glenn. I want to talk about his tackle on Cobb early in the second quarter. On a second and 20 Foley was part of a three man rush on Glenn, who had dumped it off to Cobb. With plenty of real estate and no Argonauts in sight it looked like Cobb had a chance for a first down when he was suddenly tackled from behind by Foley. Classic case of a hustle play from a defensive lineman who went from the Tiger-Cat backfield to the secondary to prevent a first down conversion. Of course his taunting of Kevin Glenn, calling him a sucky baby while making the rubbing the eyes motion may have been even more entertaining. Big fan of the old school taunts!
(5) Rob Black’s use of the term “pressurized”.
(6) Learning that Paul Osbaldiston believes Hamilton is the toughest venue to kick field goals. Considering Paul spent about 17 seasons in Hamilton, I think his opinions may be a bit biased.
(7) Rod Black’s use of the term “The Score Zone” … sounds almost dirty.
The second half was all about Toronto’s defence and Cory Boyd. Hamilton managed just 35 yards in the third quarter while turning the ball over twice. They improved their yardage total in the final quarter but only scored seven points as Kevin Glenn threw two interceptions.
What made Toronto’s defensive performance so impressive was they had so little support from their offence. It’s easy to hold teams down when you are playing with a lead or get plenty of time to rest, but for all of Boyd’s brilliance, the Argonauts punted 12 times and were held to 270 yards.
Toronto won because they shut down DeAndra’ Cobb, they forced Hamilton into multiple second down and longs and most importantly they didn’t panic. This was a team filled with guys making their first playoff start yet they didn’t get down even when Cleo Lemon threw up yet another classic endzone interception with just under six minutes left in the third quarter. That could have been a momentum changer, but Hamilton couldn’t capitalize.
And now for a bit of praise for Toronto’s offence.
Toronto’s best offensive drive of the season didn’t result in a touchdown. It ended with Noel Prefontaine’s 12th punt of the game. Go back to just under five minutes left after Eric Wilbur’s picture perfect coffin corner kick had Toronto pinned back at their own three yard line barely holding on to a three point lead. I’m guessing most people were expecting Toronto to concede a safety, especially when it was second and eight. But then a funny thing happened. Lemon twice found Jeremaine Copeland to convert second and longs. Mixed in with those passes, Boyd ran for the hardest 36 yards you’ll ever see as Toronto gained four first downs and chewed up about three minutes of clock.
The runs by Boyd were certainly not a thing of beauty, but there is something just so impressive about watching a team run the ball when everyone in the stadium knows what you are going to do yet you still manage to churn out first downs.
Throw in Kevin Glenn’s surgical final drive that was one tipped pass away from at least a Sandro DeAngelis field goal attempt to tie the game and I think it’s fair to say it was an entertaining playoff upset game.
So what’s next for Hamilton this off-season?
They are set at the skill positions. You can win a Grey Cup with Kevin Glenn and the offensive line was the best at keeping their quarterbacks safe in 2010. Where they need help is clearly in the secondary. Despite ranking third in QB sacks, the team was dead last against the pass giving up a league high 302 yards per game. Even with their second straight home playoff loses I hope the front office doesn’t make too many changes. The team feels really close to being a legitimate Grey Cup contender.
Going into next week’s game, Toronto knows they have played Montreal tough this season. They are one Mark Estelle endzone interception away from going into this game with a three game winning streak against Montreal. Of course, I think we all learned that winning three straight versus an opponent does not exactly guarantee a victory.
WESTERN SEMI-FINAL
Important note: The next couple paragraphs are what I wrote before the beginning of the final, crazy Travis Lulay last second touchdown drive. I’ll be honest – I thought Saskatchewan had this game won.
B.C. receiver Geroy Simon fails to hang onto the ball in the endzone. A turning point in the game according to Matt Cauz.
The theme of this game was near misses. The Lions had so many chances to upset the Roughriders and they just couldn’t capitalize.
For me, the biggest play of the first half was Geroy Simon’s dropped touchdown pass near the end of the half. Simon was wide open yet the ball went off his hands. The next play was a holding penalty and the B.C. Lions had to settle for a field goal. Instead of going into the half down 20-7, the Roughriders were facing a more manageable 16-7 deficit.
Throw in the last second drop by Emmanuel Arceneaux that would have given B.C. another chance to score and Saskatchewan was lucky to be down only by nine considering how poorly Darian Durant had played in the first half. Just think how much more pressure would have been on the Riders if they had been trailing by 13.
Opportunity still kept knocking for the Lions in the second half but they couldn’t open the door. Durant and company begun the second half similar to the way they played the first: sloppy.
A brilliant call on second and nothing had Andy Fantuz streaking down the field wide open, so naturally Durant missed him badly. Yeah they converted the third down, but the drive would soon end with yet another sack by Keron Williams. B.C. had momentum on its side; all they needed to do was seize the opportunity.
Here are some of the following lines of thought that had to get tossed:
(1) Keron Williams’ brilliance, especially applying pressure with just three men rushing Durant.
(2) Kudos to the Roughriders for winning with zero contributions from Chris Getzlaf and Andy Fantuz (Ed. Note: Fantuz scored the two-point convert in the first overtime).
(3) How predictable the onslaught of points scored by Saskatchewan late in the third quarter and into the fourth. I was going to write something clever about how you can’t keep a team as talented as the Riders down for an entire game as their talent would eventually shine.
Blah, blah, blah.
What an unbelievable game! Really, I don’t feel like breaking down the rest of the game. I just want to gush about the star-in-the-making in Travis Lulay. His last four games with the Lions basically in a do-or-die playoff scenario Lulay passed for 1,169 yards with five touchdowns and chipped in another 162 yards on the ground. The Lions went 3-1 during that span.
Then there was that final drive where Lulay calmly directed the team from their own 27-yard line to the Saskatchewan 29. Now that touchdown pass to Emmanuel Arceneaux was not your typical Hail Mary where it’s a dicey mix of 90% luck & 10% skill. Lulay put the ball right where it had to be and Arceneaux simply out rebounded several Rider DBs that were either out of position or just too short to make a play.
B.C. receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux out jumps a group of Riders for the game-tying touchdown with no time left in the 4th quarter.
Speaking of Arceneaux, if it is true he may try to take his talents south of the border, then the Lions have to throw the maximum amount of money they can to sign him. He was the best player on the field in the Lions playoff clinching win against Hamilton and was the Lions’ leading receiver on this night.
On the flip side, Saskatchewan did what they have done so often the past two years, they found a way to win. This is not to call them a scrappy team that keeps games close and finds a way to pull it out late. They have far too much talent be painted with that brush.
We’ve seen the Riders get down by double digits and win many times. We’ve seen them not win on the stat sheet, yet come away with the victory. And we’ve seen Darian Durant look completely out of sync, yet at the end of the game his team has won and his numbers end up being better than you would imagine.
On a day where Durant started slow, his offensive line gave up five sacks and Fantuz and Chris Getzlaf finished with three receptions for 22 yards, yet he still threw for over 300 yards, had three touchdowns and most importantly he did not turn the ball over.
The BC Lions were the Jason Voorhees of the CFL in 2010. You just couldn’t kill them. They start 1-7, well might as well write them off. They’re down by seven with no time left and are still 29 yards away from the endzone; no way can they survive that. Fine they manage to keep surviving, but they’re not going to get the two-point conversion after being pushed back to their 10-yard line and the Riders had about six defenders in Lulay’s face.
Each time the camp counselor thinks that crazy machete wielding goalie is dead… Nope. Instead Geroy Simon somehow comes up with the catch – a testament to concentration – to force a double overtime.
Well in the end Saskatchewan did manage to slay the beast and finally put an end to the Lions wild ride. I can’t wait to see them in 2011. Here’s hoping Lulay continues to progress.
As for the Riders, well they kind of remind me of that crazy talented NBA rookie, the one with ‘a ton of upside’. They will amaze you with incredible feats that no one else can do, but conversely, they will confuse the hell out of you by long stretches of disjointed play.
If I’m the Stampeders, I would be more than a little afraid. If Durant can continue to play turnover free ball there is no team they can’t beat.
I’m just hoping for another round of double overtime playoff games.
All right I’m done gushing … for now.
