Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
If the Tiger-Cats weren’t familiar with the BC Lions before last week’s matchup, they certainly are now.
Entering the second straight game against their West Division counterparts, the Ticats have now spent the last two weeks dissecting every Lions’ play on film, which they’ll use in addition to the knowledge gained from facing them last weekend. That game was a loss – albeit a close one – and the ‘Cats enter this week’s home rematch confident in their ability to foil the Lions.
“Your preparation overlaps a little bit from week to week,” said rookie safety Courtney Stephen on back-to-back sets, which have comprised over half of the Ticats schedule this season. “And the loss does have that added flavour of revenge to it. A loss is a loss and we’re trying to get that back, get that retribution.”
Coach Kent Austin was notably optimistic following last week’s game, praising his team’s effort and work level, but he admitted Thursday that certain things will need to change in order to get a win on Saturday against a strong Lions team.
“When you’re playing a good football team you really need to not have any lapses in all three areas of the game,” said Austin following his team’s final practice on Thursday. “We’ve got to not give up the big play, make them earn everything they get. We just have to play a clean game and a complete game.”
Despite a slow start, the Ticats had a chance to win last week’s game until the very end, falling just three points short of a completed comeback.
Leading rusher C.J. Gable admits that a close loss can be frustrating for a team, but he feels that he and the Ticats are ready to come back this week and treat the fans in Guelph to a second straight home win.
“We know we could have had that game; if we eliminate a few mistakes that game is ours” said Gable. “We just have to forget about what happened last week, come back fresh, and execute the way we know we can.”
On the other hand, a loss that close can also help motivate a team looking to get back to their winning ways.
“Losing always sucks, but when it’s a close game you can picture those one or two plays when you should have zigged instead of zagged, or taken a left step instead of a right step,” said Stephen. “It’s not that we were outmatched skill-wise or scheme wise, it’s just about plays they made that we didn’t make.”
“It comes down to two things” he continued “Knowing what to expect, what you’re up against and what they do well, and being consistent, not taking a play off.”
A rookie who has impressed coaches with his play thus far in 2013, Stephen admits that he’s still got a lot to learn, though the experience he’s gained to date has been inaluable.
“Each time I get to play I learn so much,” he said. “I know I’m taking big strides forward, and each week I get another chance to prepare and get ready for a team. I have a few more notes on them, I’ve seen a few more hours of film now.”
Though the Ticats are in a relatively comfortable apot to position themselves for a playoff berth, a win against the Lions this week would move them closer to the top of the East Division.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “The Lions are a good team, and you’ve gotta love playing against good teams.”
