Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Ticats.ca
Justin Dunk
While the explosions in the sky held off for the Ticats pre-season finale against the Alouettes, the Tiger-Cats did some exploding of their own on the field in a blowout 57-20 victory over their East Division rivals.
“The importance was to start playing a certain way, we wanted to play more aggressive, we wanted to play fast, play together and play physical and finally to lay a foundation for the season,” head coach Marcel Bellefeuille said.
After Justin Medlock put the Ticats on the board with a field goal from 12 yards out, Anthony Calvillo and company marched right down the field for a touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff Marcus Thigpen found a hole in the Alouette special teams coverage and burst through it, taking the kick return back to the house covering 100 yards.
Thigpen’s return set the tone for the Tiger-Cats on the night as they continued to light up the scoreboard and produce explosive plays over the course of the contest.
“Thigs got it started and I followed up. Bakari [Grant], Terry Grant, everybody… we just have a lot of playmakers on this team,” said rookie receiver and return man Chris Williams.
“That’s just what we preach everyday, when you have a chance to make a play make it.”
Williams got in on the scoring act by taking a Montreal punt back 91 yards at the 4:48 mark of the third frame for the Tiger-Cats second return score of the evening.
“We did a good job to set it up and it just worked,” Williams said about his punt return for a touchdown.
The speedy rookie showed that he is capable of providing the Ticats with another weapon in their arsenal.
“I see myself as an explosive playmaker for this team, any time I get a chance to make a play I try to do it to the best of my abilities,” Williams said.
The prospect of having Thigpen and Williams back deep for the Ticats is one that even the 5’9” speedster can’t fathom himself.
“You have to ask other teams what they’re going to do because that’s scary, honestly,” he said. “You’ve got two explosive guys back there and at any point can get loose and have the speed to take it all the way. That could be a luxury that this team has and hopefully we can take advantage of it.”
Fellow rookie Bakari Grant turned in his own big play by making a dazzling 62-yard reception, cutting back against the grain for additional yardage, to setup a Quinton Porter five-yard touchdown run on the last play of the third quarter.
“As a receiver I look forward to stretching the field,” Grant said. “Any chance you get to cut back, it’s a wide field and as much as I can use it I want to try to.”
After an low-key performance against Toronto last Saturday, the rangy 6’4” target made just two catches, but they went for 102 yards against Montreal.
“It’s a work in progress and that’s what the pre-season is for, is to make up for your mistakes and forget the last play and move forward,” Grant said
Point scoring was not just limited to the Ticats playmakers, both kickers were kept busy all game long. Medlock hit on all four of his field goal attempts and Eric Wilbur knocked three of his four attempts through the uprights.
“We were seven of eight kicking field goals. We really have an area of strength there now,” Bellefeuille said.
Porter finished another Ticats scoring drive in the fourth quarter on with an 8-yard strike to Marquay McDaniel. Then to cap off the scoring Terry Grant burst through a hole, in the dying minutes of the football game, for a 55-yard touchdown run, which could help him nail down the Ticats backup running back job.
“I wouldn’t say that without watching the tape,” Bellefeuille said. “Terry Grant did one thing, he showed that he can play in this league. He certainly showed that tonight with his quickness and explosiveness.”
