Ticats.ca Staff
The Tiger-Cats will meet the expansion Ottawa REDBLACKS for the first time in their 2014 home opener at Ron Joyce Stadium (7 PM/ AM900 CHML / TSN) on Saturday night.
After opening the season with three straight road trips, the Tiger-Cats look to use their home-field advantage to notch their first win of the season. Ottawa arrives in Hamilton coming off the club’s first win following a 18-17 victory over the Toronto Argonauts by way of kicker Brett Maher’s six field goals.
TIGER-CATS HISTORY vs. OTTAWA
Saturday’s matchup will be the first of the three meetings between the Ticats and REDBLACKS in 2014. The last time the Tiger-Cats played a CFL club from Ottawa was on October 21, 2005, which resulted in the Ticats walking away with a 40-32 victory at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Here’s a look at the Ticats history vs. Ottawa teams:
| WINS | LOSSES | TIES | PTS FOR | PTS AGAINST | |
| ALL-TIME | 95 | 69 | 0 | 3,626 | 3,474 |
| LAST 10 (TOTAL) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 276 | 258 |
| LAST 10 (vs. OTT at home) | 4 | 6 | 0 | 243 | 282 |
| IN 2005: | 1 | 2 | 0 | 73 | 103 |
HEAD-TO-HEAD
| HAMILTON TIGER-CATS DEFENCE | CHEVON WALKER OTTAWA REDBLACKS |
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Through the Tiger-Cats first three games, the defence has statistically been one the CFL’s best. In last week’s 10-7 loss to Calgary, the Ticats defence forced the Stampeders to punt on 10 of their 14 possessions while forcing a fumble on another. Since giving up 158 rushing yards to Saskatchewan running back Anthony Allen in week one, the Tiger-Cats have limited the production of opposing running backs to a total of 88 yards on 24 carries – an average of just 3.6 yards per carry. Additionally, Orlondo Steinauer’s unit has given up 6.1 yards per pass and have only allowed one receiver to record more than 56 yards in a game – Fred Stamps (74). |
On Saturday night, Ottawa REDBLACKS running back Chevon Walker will make his return to Hamilton. Walker, selected by Ottawa in the first round December’s CFL Expansion Draft, previously spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In three games with the REDBLACKS, Walker has compiled 214 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries while hauling in seven receptions for 64 yards and a major through the air. His three touchdowns account for 75% of Ottawa’s team total this year. Last week vs. Toronto, he was led to his lowest rushing yard total of 2014 with 64 yards. |
HANDY ANDY
Tiger-Cats receiver Andy Fantuz was effective in his 2014 debut vs. Calgary last week, hauling in seven passes for 59 yards. Ticats.ca went back to find the number of 5+ reception Fantuz has had in his career and since joining the Ticats in 2012. Here’s a look at his numbers…
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LB Marcellus Bowman: In week 4, Ticats linebacker Marcellus Bowman led the team with nine defensive tackles, the second best single-game tackle total of his career . Saturday night’s game against Ottawa will be his third start as a Tiger-Cat… can he top his week four performance?
QB Dan LeFevour: Ticats head coach Kent Austin announced that quarterback Dan LeFevour will be at the helm of the team’s offence on Saturday night. LeFevour, who will get his first CFL start on Saturday, has completed 17-of-22 passing attempts (77.3%) for 146 yards this season after posting 394 passing yards and 317 rushing yards in 2013.
WR/KR Brandon Banks: Receiver and return specialist Brandon Banks compiled 164 combine-yards in week four vs. Calgary. Banks is currently ranked second the CFL in average punt return yards (10.9) and third in average kickoff return yards (23.3) among returners with more than five returns.
GAME NOTES
- Hamilton’s turnover ratio of -6, is currently ranked last in the CFL. However, this stat is misleading, as eight of their 12 giveaways have been late in the game when trailing or forced to gamble on 3rd down. In first halves, the Tiger-Cats’ turnover atio is EVEN with only three turnovers.
- It has been 637 days since the Tiger-Cats played a regular season game in Hamilton and 3200 days since the Ticats faced a team from Ottawa.
- The Tiger-Cats defence leads all East division teams in several defensive categories, including points per game (23), yards per game (294), passing yards per game (197), fewest touchdowns (5) and fewest first downs (58).
- Marc Beswick is eight special teams tackles away from tying Rob Hitchcock’s team record of 122 special teams tackles.
