Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
The Tiger-Cats are looking to add a few variables to their side of the equation, and remove others from the Argonauts end for tomorrow’s rematch in Toronto.
One such element is the Black and Gold’s running game, which paid dividends in the first half of Monday’s Labour Day Classic.
Rookie rusher Chevon Walker enjoyed great success from scrimmage in that opening thirty minutes, en route to a total of 91 yards at the interval. He was used sparingly in the second half, but demonstrated the threat that could once again be posed to the Argonaut front on the ground.
Ticat quarterback Henry Burris confirms that his offence will aim to put both dimensions to full use tomorrow afternoon as they look to pay back Labour Day’s defeat.
“Our offence believes in the two-headed monster,” said Burris. “You pick your poison: if you try to take away the run, we have skilled players who can make plays in the receiving corps, and if you try to take away the pass, we have a great running game led by a great offensive line.”
Burris rarely employed his own scrambling abilities on Labour Day, but the quarterback indicates that he will look to do to so tomorrow if given the chance. His priority, however, will remain to get the ball into the hands of his receivers.
“That’s something that I’m trying to make effective when the opportunity presents itself,” said the quarterback. “Of course, I’m not looking to run first myself. I’m going to try to let my guys get open and read through the coverages, to give them the opportunity to make plays.”
Running with some level of effectiveness tomorrow will be important – whatever form it takes – to keep Toronto’s vaunted pass defenders wary and off balance.
“You’ve got to keep them honest – as well as those linebackers – because those guys really fly around and they made a lot of key plays for them on Monday,” said Burris of the Argonauts’ ball hawks.
“But having seen their looks and with things being a lot fresher, we’ll be ready to make the necessary adjustments to go against those looks if we see them again.”
Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, the Tiger-Cats are focused on ratcheting up the pressure on Ricky Ray in tomorrow’s rematch.
Middle linebacker Rey Williams – the vocal leader of the Ticats’ defensive unit – believes that his team’s increasing ability to pester opposing quarterbacks in recent weeks can be traced to a crucial change in approach.
Where the team long relied on its line alone to generate pressure, play-calling tweaks are getting the Ticats’ linebackers more involved in the pass rush process.
“We were depending on the front four to get up there and get rushes, but it’s hard,” explains Williams. “There are five guys, five offensive linemen and they’re chipping. So you’ve got to send pressure.”
“We have sent pressure in the past couple of weeks and we’ve gotten some pressure out of it. J.J. (Jamall Johnson) has had a couple sacks, some hurries and rushes. I’ve had some quarterback hurries. So we’re getting there and we’re building.”
“[Coach Creehan] is putting some more blitz packages together for us and that’s what we like. We’re an aggressive defence – especially me and [Johnson] – and that’s what we do well, we blitz well.”
Ricky Ray’s mid-range passing proved fatal for the Tiger-Cats on Labour Day, and Williams argued that countering it tomorrow is a two-pronged challenge.
“You’ve got to get him moving in the pocket and running – get him flustered – so that he doesn’t throw the perfect ball,” says Williams of Ray.
“When they catch it, we’ve got to get everybody to the ball: linemen, linebackers, corners from the opposite side of the field. We’ve got to party at the ball.”
The Ticats’ defence has come agonizingly close to a winning formula in recent weeks. But losses are losses, and Williams knows that the patience of Hamilton’s fans is waning.
“We’re so close. We really are,” stresses the linebacker.
“We have some young guys on our side of the ball who are still learning to play in this league – coverages and stuff like that – and we’ve got some injuries with Markeith (Knowlton) and Bo (Smith) down. I think that’s hurting us right now, the inexperience.”
“But there are no excuses. We’ve got to find a way to improve and get the stop.”
Williams is convinced that his group will see that improvement tomorrow, but the Tiger-Cats will need solid contributions from all three units if they are to succeed against the Argos.
“It’s a team game, so we need the offence’s help and the special teams’ help and then we’ve got to do our part.”
