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Uncategorized June 27, 2013

Pre-Game Breakdown: Ticats at Argos

Ticats.ca Staff

After almost eight long months, the Tiger-Cats return to action when they take on their longtime rivals, the Toronto Argonauts, at the Rogers Centre on Friday night.  This will be the first of three meetings between the Black and Gold and the Double Blue this season.   

Friday’s game marks the beginning of the Kent Austin era in TigerTown, after the former Argos’ quarterback and offensive coordinator was named Head Coach, General Manager and Vice President of the Tiger-Cats in December of 2012.  The last time Austin put on the headset in the CFL was on November 25, 2007, when he led the Saskatchewan Roughriders to the 95th Grey Cup in Toronto.

The restoration of the historic rivalry will also mark the Toronto return of two members of the Argos’ 2012 championship squad: defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer, assistant defensive backs coach James Stanley and defensive back Evan McCollough. 

Both teams are coming off undefeated pre-season runs, with each team knocking off the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

TIGER-CATS HISTORY vs. TORONTO

The rivalry is 215 games strong, with the Black and Gold emerging victorious in 57% of those meetings.

  WINS LOSSES TIES PTS FOR PTS AGAINST
ALL-TIME  123 90 2 4,714 4,554
LAST 10 (TOTAL) 6 4   291 253
LAST 10 (in TOR) 5 5   262 238
IN 2012: 1 3   137 148

 
HEAD-TO-HEAD

JAMALL JOHNSON
TIGER-CATS LINEBACKER		   CHAD KACKERT
ARGONAUTS RUNNING BACK
JJ Jamall Johnson will begin his fifth season in Black and Gold (ninth in the CFL) on Friday but will play the first game of his career at middle linebacker after spending his career patrolling the weak side of the field. In his four seasons in Hamilton, he has posted 361 defensive tackles.

Despite missing the final four games of 2012 due to injury, Johnson still managed to finish the season ranked 12th in defensive tackles in the league.

In 11 previous appearances against the Argos, Johnson has compiled 50 defensive tackles.

In his new role as the man in the middle, the Ticats will lean on Johnson to prohibit the double blue’s ground game. 

  CKArgonauts RB Chad Kackert enters his third season in the CFL but only his second as a starter. Last season, Kackert was handed the keys to the Argos backfield in August and would go on to rush for 641 yards and five touchdowns while adding 21 receptions for 212 yards as a starter.

In two appearances vs. the Ticats in 2012, Kackert posted 216 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 24 carries. 

Kackert exhibited his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield in his final game against the Tiger-Cats on September 8, as he set a career-high in receiving with six receptions for 67 yards.

Friday night will mark the first time that Kackert will be in the opening day lineup as a starter.  

 

PIVOT-AL COMPETITION

Friday’s game will see two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks share the field…

Burris_Ray

PLAYERS TO WATCH

RB/KR Lindsey Lamar
Lindsey Lamar put himself on the map during the preseason by racking up 435 combined yards in just two games. Lamar showcased his speed as a return man with two punt return touchdowns while displaying his versatility as a running back in offensive coordinator Tommy Condell’s hybrid attack. Lamar will serve as the Ticats lead kickoff returner on Friday.

WR Greg Ellingson
Rookie receiver Greg Ellingson has found his place in the Ticats offence as a reliable target for quarterback Henry Burris. Ellingson, who signed with the Tiger-Cats on May 30 after spending seven games with Arena Football League’s Tampa Bay Storm, had four catches for 129 yards and a touchdown in the pre-season.

LB Jamall Johnson
As one of the Ticats most experienced players on the defensive side of the ball, veteran linebacker Jamall Johnson takes on a new task in 2013, making the transition to middle linebacker. In four seasons in Black and Gold, Johnson has registered a total of 361 defensive tackles and 16 quarterback sacks. The transition will showcase his ability to play between the tackles as well as sideline to sideline.

GAME NOTES

  •  As a head coach, Kent Austin heads into Toronto with a 2-0 record in the Rogers Centre, with one of those wins coming in the Saskatchewan Roughriders 24-10 win over the Argonauts on August 10, 2007.  Austin’s other Rogers Centre victory came in the Riders 2007 Grey Cup championship win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
  • Since 1950, the Ticats have opened the season against the Argos on 11 previous occasions, sporting a 5-6 record in those contests.
  • In 19 previous starts against Toronto, Ticats QB Henry Burris has averaged 257.6 passing yards per game.
  • In 2012, Ticats receiver Andy Fantuz finished second in the league converting 29 receptions on second down for a first down.

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