Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
The Alouettes may be a welcome sight for a Tiger-Cat team looking to rebound this week.
After all, the last time that these two sides met in Week 4, the hometown Ticats put on an offensive clinic en route to a 39-24 victory. Henry Burris enjoyed an almost spotless night under centre, completing 27 of 30 passes for four touchdowns and 360 yards.
But as they size up their second meeting of the season, the Tiger-Cats insist that the passage of five weeks has turned both teams into completely different animals.
“Good things happened back then, but a lot has changed,” said Burris of the impending match up with the Alouettes. “We’ve lost a couple of games and Montreal has been on a bit of a streak where they’ve won a couple of tough games. They’ve got a lot of momentum coming into this one, and we’ve got to make sure that we get more consistent.”
Chris Williams echoed his quarterback and pointed out that a football season is a constant process of growth and evolution.
“The game plan changes every week,” said the sophomore receiver. “People do different things and they grow as teams. We’re growing as a team and trying to get better, and they’re trying to get better too. Things definitely change, personnel changes, fronts change. Everything changes.”
Burris sees Montreal’s evolution playing out in their recent run, which has seen the Alouettes win back-to-back games and catapult themselves back into a tie for first place in the East Division.
“You’re going to make some [adjustments], because they’re showing some different wrinkles up front defensively and also on the back end,” says the quarterback. “That’s allowed them to have the success that they’ve been having. They’ve been flying around and having a great time. They’ve learned from their misfortunes of early on.
“We definitely have made some adjustments, but we’re also keeping some of the same things that succeeded in game one.”
The Tiger-Cats approach Thursday’s contest looking to improve their fortunes from recent weeks. While they find themselves on the road once again, the Black and Gold have found some stability in their schedule. A third consecutive Thursday game brings with it a familiar practice format.
“We know what to expect as far as how our days are going to go,” said Williams of the schedule. “We can come in and work, and we’ve got Saturday off. It’s been nice to have that week getting prepared and know exactly when you’ve got to be in.”
The Tiger-Cats aren’t lacking for motivation as they head toward Thursday’s clash. Williams encapsulates the prevailing feeling among his teammates as he speaks eagerly of returning to the playing field to right the wrongs of previous games.
“When you feel like you did things that could have been good enough to win and you killed yourself with mental errors, it stings a little bit more,” said the receiver. “We’re definitely looking to get back on the field and correct those things.”
Williams is well aware that the Alouettes will likely be looking to exact some revenge on Thursday for the loss they suffered in Week 4. A Montreal defence that allowed 39 points on that occasion is undoubtedly still smarting, and the Tiger-Cat receiver expects nothing less.
“I’m sure that they want to do better than they did last time,” said Williams of the Alouette defenders. “That’s every game though. Guys don’t want to go out there and give up anything. When they do, they’re upset about it, and I’m sure they’ll do their best to prevent us from scoring.”
Whether Montreal can do so, and to what extent these two teams have moved forward, will dictate the result when they meet on Thursday night.
