Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
The Tiger-Cats knew that they would need to get their offensive machinery up and running at full capacity if they were to beat the Alouettes.
In a 39-24 win on Saturday night, the home side did just that, exploding for 32 points in the opening half before riding the wave of their substantial lead to victory.
The Tiger-Cats were given an early opportunity to pounce when linebacker Rey Williams intercepted an Anthony Calvillo pass and scampered 53 yards to Montreal’s 8-yard line. Presented with an instant means to punish the Alouettes, Henry Burris and his offence took full advantage.
Burris found sophomore receiver Bakari Grant on his very first play under centre for a touchdown, putting Montreal firmly on the back foot and setting the precedent for what would quickly become an offensive onslaught.
Hamilton’s next drive would amount to a longer march, but would end with the same result when Daryl Stephenson reeled in Burris’ rollout pass from a yard out. The Tiger-Cats’ offence had been given the ball twice and amassed 14 points to Montreal’s goose egg.
Burris stressed that the early momentum was crucial, and effectively set the tone for the remainder of the Saturday night contest.
“It’s always big to get momentum on your side and hold it,” said the Tiger-Cat quarterback. To set the table early on like that and get momentum on our side and get the crowd into it was big. For us to put a touchdown on the board and follow it with another, and really put the pressure on Montreal was big as well.”
Chris Williams – who dazzled the league a week ago with two returns for touchdowns against the Argonauts – nearly added to his legend with six and a half minutes remaining in the second quarter. Instead, he reminded fans and media pundits alike that he is in fact human.
Williams embarked on what seemed destined to be his fourth return touchdown of the season, a feat that would have matched the Tiger-Cat single-season record in that category. But with all possible tacklers hopelessly trailing in his wake, the young returner did the unthinkable.
He turned around. So confident of the result, Williams began trotting backwards into what he presumed would be the promised land. Instead, he was caught by one of the spurned Alouettes and dropped on the 1-yard line.
Luckily for the Tiger-Cats and their star, Chevon Walker would cross the goal line on the ensuing play and save Williams the ultimate blush.
Hamilton coach George Cortez points out that while the play was an obvious error on his receiver’s part, the team did not suffer for it.
“We scored a touchdown and got the same number of points. I’m sure that he regrets it more than anybody because he wasn’t the one that got the touchdown. I think he understands that it wasn’t very smart.”
With Walker sealing yet another major, the Tiger-Cats were clearly in the driver’s seat. The rookie running back would haul in another touchdown to add to his already impressive tally late in the half, and suddenly the home side was ahead by 22 points.
Despite their deficit, very few would expect the Alouettes to lie down and wave the white flag at the half, and sure enough, Montreal showed signs of life in the third frame.
With the Black and Gold slowing on the offensive side of the ball, Anthony Calvillo showed his legendary credentials, marching his team downfield on consecutive extended drives. Converting both for a touchdown, the Alouettes had trimmed the Tiger-Cats’ lead to a dangerous 8-point margin at 32-24.
But much as it did last week, the Black and Gold’s defensive squad leapt into action when it was most needed to stem the tide of momentum.
Hamilton had added another touchdown through the connection of Burris and receiver Andy Fantuz to extend the gap to 15 points, but with roughly 10 minutes remaining in the final frame, Montreal found themselves in an enviable position.
Beginning a drive on their 54-yard line, Anthony Calvillo seemed primed to make a late push when he met the familiar roadblock of Jamall Johnson. The veteran Tiger-Cat linebacker polished off a play begun by lineman Brandon Boudreaux to notch an emotional sack that energized a seemingly anxious Ivor Wynne crowd.
Reversing Montreal’s course by eight yards, the sack made what was a dangerous position unsalvageable for the Alouettes, and placed momentum firmly back in Ticat hands.
Johnson spoke of the crucial play as an act of atonement, as he had felt victimized on a previous Alouette touchdown.
“I made a mistake on a play earlier, where I was covering the fullback and looking into the backfield and he got into the end zone and scored a touchdown,” explained the linebacker.
“So it felt good to come back and make a play to make up for that and get the crowd back into it. Brandon Boudreaux got in there first and I was able to come in and finish him off.”
The game was hardly a foregone conclusion as Johnson celebrated, but time was quickly becoming an enemy of the Alouettes.
With the offence doing its part to run down the game clock, the Tiger-Cats’ defensive backfield in particular shone late. Calvillo’s recourse was to the air, but the future Hall of Famer would find no more joy there on this night.
The home side conceded no more, and an impressive win went into the books as the Tiger-Cats climbed to .500. In the wake of the victory, Cortez praised what his offence had achieved through four quarters, but cautioned that his team was not yet a finished product.
“We played very well on offence in the first half. There’s no doubt about it,” said the Tiger-Cat coach. “We worked on a lot of different things this week and got an opportunity to use a few things in the right situations.
“I think we’re a long way from knowing what kind of team that we are. We’ve played four games in an eighteen game season. I know that I learn more about our players as we go along. I’m sure that they learn more about how they fit into what we’re trying to accomplish and what it is that we’re trying to accomplish. Obviously there’s been progress.”
What transpired on Saturday could most certainly be called progress. The Tiger-Cats made their frightening potential very clear at the Alouettes’ expense.
One can only imagine where that potential might lead them next.
