Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
In 2012, the Tiger-Cats had one of the most prolific offences in the CFL. Quarterback Henry Burris set new team records for touchdowns and passing yards en route to his best ever season as a pro. But it takes two to tango in the passing game, meaning that all of those passes had to be landing in the arms of Tiger-Cat receivers.
Nine players in the Ticats offence caught at least 10 passes last year, and 10 caught at least one touchdown. Burris was able to spread the ball around, and the offence was better for it.
This season, Burris and the Ticats have picked up right where they left off.
Through three games in 2013, five Ticats receivers have over 100 total yards, while Burris’ six touchdown passes have gone to five different targets. In each game, a different player has led the team in receiving yards, and Burris has a pretty simple explanation for why.
“One of the things I said going into the season was that we have great skill players,” he said of the depth at receiver and running back. “When injuries occur, the depth we have has paid dividends, especially at receiver.”
And injuries have been a problem even in this young season for the Ticats. After catching 10 passes for 155 yards in the season opener, Andy Fantuz suffered a lower-body injury in practice, and is unlikely to suit up this weekend. Dave Stala is on the nine-game injured list, Onrea Jones has been sidelined since week one, and Ed Gant was confined to crutches after the week three win against the Blue Bombers.
If the injuries continue to pile up at this rate, the Ticats may run out of pass-catchers before the season is up. But one gets the feeling that even that wouldn’t stop Burris from completing passes, or this offence from putting points on the board.
“When different guys went down with injuries, we’ve had young guys able to step up and make plays,” said Burris. “We’re only talking about going into game four right now, but we’re going to need that throughout the entire season.”
Bakari Grant, whose 101 yards on Saturday led the Ticats, gives much of the credit for the team’s success to Coach Condell and the offensive system he has implemented this season.
“It’s definitely the game plan, the coaches seem to move the ball around well,” said Grant after practice Wednesday. “We have a lot of playmakers on offence, wherever we can find an advantage we try to take it.”
“It just shows the talent and the depth we have on this team,” he said. “We have no doubt that anyone can step up each week.”
Burris is once again on pace to lead the CFL in passing yards, and his receivers have been definite beneficiaries of playing with a future Hall of Famer. But the advantage has also worked the other way: the more reliable options Burris has, the easier his job becomes.
“Everybody knows the main guys on this team to watch, but we’ve had Greg Ellingson step up with a big game, Sam Giguere and Bakari Grant had a great week last week, and obviously Andy Fantuz had a big game in week one. It puts pressure on the defence not knowing who we’re going to every time. If you take one thing away, it opens something else. I know they’re going to get open, I just have to make the right read and get the ball to them.”
When a quarterback gushes to you about the trust and confidence he has in each and every one of his receivers, the offence is only going to be better for it. Burris has hit 11 different receivers so far in 2013, and if the injuries on offence continue, that number could continue to climb.
As for who will step up and lead the Ticats in week four, it’s anybody’s guess.
“I’d like every receiver to have 100 yards,” Burris laughed. “I could say this guy or that guy, but then it would be someone who comes out of nowhere.”
Luckily for the Ticats, with Burris at the helm and a wealth of talented receivers on the roster, that much is a guarantee.
