Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
“These are the games that you live for.”
That is how Henry Burris chose to describe the Eastern Final against the Toronto Argonauts – the first in 27 years between the two clubs – after the Tiger-Cats final day of practice on Friday.
“It’s definitely a present for all the hard work we’ve put in this year, we’ve earned the right to play in this game against the defending Grey Cup Champions,” he continued.
Just one win separated the two clubs at the end of the regular season, and the Ticats took the season series against their rivals 2-1, though that loss occurred in week one before this team had really established their identity.
“We’ve grown tremendously,” said linebacker Jamall Johnson, who also serves as the defensive captain. “We started the season rough with a lot of moving parts, a lot of rotation going on at each position. Throughout the second half of the season we’ve learned to play with each other and we have a lot of camaraderie going.”
While the Argonauts have the advantage of essentially two weeks rest ahead of the pivotal matchup, the Tiger-Cats have become one of the hottest teams in the CFL, winning five of their last six overall and the last two matchup with the Argonauts.
“I’m always confident, every game, that’s not going to change,” said Kent Austin. “I believe in our staff, I believe in our players, and I believe in the reasons why we got here.”
Despite what’s at stake in Sunday’s contest – a berth in the Grey Cup next weekend – Austin has been adamant in his assertion that the team’s preparation must stay consistent.
“They know what’s at stake.” Austin said of his players, many of whom are playing in just their second career CFL playoff game. “They know it’s one-and-done and the season’s over, but guess what, their season could have been over after going 1-4 if we didn’t turn it around. These guys have faced these situations all season long, and I’d be surprised if the guys don’t respond this week.”
Frankly, the Tiger-Cats have been playing meaningful football games for the last six weeks. Back-to-back series’ with the Argonauts and Alouettes in four of the final five games of the season meant every game had immense playoff implications.
“For us right now it’s all about giving ourselves the best chance to be successful,” said Burris. “It’s not about making the game bigger than it actually is. The team that’s going to win will be the same team that won during the regular season. The team that takes care of the ball, doesn’t take bad penalties, puts points on the board… that’s what the game boils down to once the emotions of the kickoff and those first few minutes wear off.”
A visibly anxious Jamall Johnson put it best during his scrum on Friday.
“There’s nothing much else to say, let’s play ball.”
