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Uncategorized November 17, 2013

Pre-Game Breakdown: Eastern Final

Ticats.ca Staff

27 seasons have come and gone since the last time the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts have gone head-to-head for the Eastern crown.

On Sunday, that streak comes to an end.

For only the eighth time since 1950, the two storied rivals will meet at the Rogers Centre for the right to represent the East in this year’s Grey Cup in Regina.

The Tiger-Cats are coming off an emotional victory against the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final, with Dan LeFevour scoring on a two-yard plunge in overtime to advance. Battling the cold, wind, and rain, the Ticats didn’t hold the lead until the last minute of the fourth quarter.  Having won the season series against the Argos, Hamilton will be a confident bunch heading to Toronto.

On the other hand, the Argonauts will be well-rested and well-prepared to take on the Cats, having secured a first-round bye in the playoffs after finishing in first place in the East Divsion. Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is back at full strength and coming off of one of the best seasons of his career, but the Argonauts will be without 2012 Grey Cup MVP Chad Kackert, who suffered a broken ankle in practice last week.

The rivalry between the Argonauts and the Tiger-Cats is one of the most storied in professional sports, and the two teams will add to the lore with another historical matchup this weekend.

 

TIGER-CATS HISTORY vs. TORONTO ARGONAUTS

  WINS LOSSES TIES PTS FOR PTS AGAINST
ALL-TIME  125 91 2 4,782 4,612
LAST 10 (TOTAL) 5 5 0  304 301
LAST 10 (in Toronto) 5 5 0  275 248
2013 2 1 0  91 76
EASTERN FINALS 3 4 0 248 257

 HEAD-TO-HEAD:

HENRY BURRIS
TIGER-CATS QUARTERBACK		   RICKY RAY
ARGONAUTS QUARTERBACK
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Tiger-Cats QB Henry Burris led the CFL in passing yards for the second-consecutive season with 4,927 yards while throwing for 24 touchdowns while setting a new Ticats record with a completion percentage of 65.8%.

In last week’s Eastern Semi-Final, Burris yet again managed the Ticats aerial attack going 23-of-36 for 204 yards and a touchdown.

In three games vs. Toronto this season, the Ticats Most Outstanding Player has compiled a total of 985 yards and six touchdowns – an average of 328.3 yards per game.

Dating back to week 19 of 2012, Burris has thrown for 270+ yards in his last three trips to the Rogers Centre.

 

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What Ricky Ray has accomplished in 2013 is nothing short of remarkable.

The East Division’s Most Outstanding Player, Ray broke Dave Dickenson’s records for completion percentage in a season (77.2%) and quarterback efficiency rating (126.4) in a 2013 season during which he missed a lengthy stretch due to injury.

Additionally, the 11-year veteran posted an incredible touchdown-to-interception ratio, tossing 21 touchdowns with only two picks.

In two starts vs. Hamilton this season, Ray completed 73.5 percent of his passes for a total of 671 yards and six touchdowns. 


REVISITING THE RIVALRY IN 2013: 

Like any other year, the Battle of Ontario has lived up to the hype in 2013. Take a look how each game between the storied rivals played out this season…

June 30 – Argonauts 39, Tiger-Cats 34

October 4 – Tiger-Cats 33, Argonauts 19

October 14 – Tiger-Cats 24, Argonauts 18

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LB Simoni Lawrence 
Simoni Lawrence stands as one of the most important Ticats acquisitions of the 2013 off-season. Finishing the regular season with the third-most tackle on the team despite playing just 12 games, Lawrence has been responsible for plenty of impact plays, including three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a sack. Last week in the Eastern Semi-Final vs. Montreal, Lawrence had a game high seven tackles and was named the CFL’s Defensive Player of the Week. 

DB Emanuel Davis
Another in a long list of Tiger-Cats rookies who have made an impact in their first CFL campaign, Emanuel Davis went from being a late-camp cut to one of the most important defensive backs on the field for Hamilton. Davis ranked second on the Ticats in pass knockdowns and sixth in tackles in the regular season, while adding three forced fumbles. The East Carolina product recorded an interception and a fumble recovery in last week’s Eastern Semi-Final. In the Tiger-Cats last visit to the Rogers Centre in week 15, Davis accounted for seven defensive tackles

RB C.J. Gable
The East Division’s Most Outstanding Rookie seems to be at his best when facing the Double Blue. After touching the ball just eight times for a total of 53 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 vs. Toronto, C.J. Gable went on to record
40 touches for 272 yards and two touchdowns in the Ticats home-and-home set with Toronto in October. In three games with Toronto, he has compiled 325 yards and four touchdowns, by far his best per-game average against any one team this season. 

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

  • Sunday’s game in Toronto will mark only the eighth time since 1950 that the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts have met in the Eastern Final. Hamilton has taken the last two games between the two teams in the Eastern Final – 1984 (14-13 in Toronto) & 1986 (59-56 in a two-game Eastern Final series).
  • Since becoming the Tiger-Cats in 1950, Hamilton has a record of 18-15 in their 33 appearances in the Eastern Final.
  • Tiger-Cats quarterback Henry Burris completed 70-of-106 passing attempts (67.9%) for a total of 985 yards and six touchdowns in three games vs. Toronto. Burris has averaged 328.3 yards passing per game.
  • In his only appearance against the Argonuats this season, Greg Ellingson hauled in six receptions for 122 yards in his CFL debut.
  • Former Argonauts linebacker Brandon Isaac has recorded eight tackles and two sacks vs. Toronto this season. In his return to Toronto in week 15, he recorded five tackles and two sacks.
  • In each meeting with Toronto this season, the Tiger-Cats have amassed 400+ net yards – 408 in week 1, 522 in week 15 and 464 in week 16.
  • Canadian receiver Andy Fantuz registered 17 catches for 231 yards and a touchdown against Toronto this season. In week 1, Fantuz amassed a season-high 10 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown at the Rogers Centre to open the season.
  • The Tiger-Cats average time of possession was 31:09 through 18 regular season games. In three games vs. Toronto, the Ticats controlled the ball for a minimum of 32:00 – 32:37 in week 1, 35:08 in week 15 and 37:21 in week 16.

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