CFL
To see the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats contest the 102nd Grey Cup isn’t really a huge surprise; at least when you take a look at the big picture. The Stampeders have been the league’s best team from start to finish this season, and more than deserve to be where they are. Had you told me this is where Hamilton was going to be in June, I would have been very much on board. Despite a horrid start to the season, the Tiger-Cats were the East Division’s best team down the stretch, and are all that and more now.
Demon exorcised?
When the Calgary Stampeders reached the 100th Grey Cup in 2012, the whispers of their playoff disappointments were certainly there. As they play for the title two years later, those whispers have turned into a palpable conversation. But you wonder if Sunday’s 43-18 win over the Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Final might relieve a lot of the pressure.
Yes, there’s another game to win on Sunday, and by no means is their matchup with Hamilton going to be easy. But for Calgary, I really believe getting that first win was the biggest mental hurdle.
The Stamps finished 14-4 in the regular season one year ago and failed miserably in the Western Final against the Riders. That 35-13 setback was as disappointing a loss as this group, and primarily its veteran core, has ever suffered. It fueled the Stampeders all season long, and the lessons they learned in that loss were applied throughout the final weeks of the season leading up to their playoff bye.
The 2014 Calgary Stampeders have been truly locked in on one thing since training camp, and that’s Sunday’s game in Vancouver. Nothing else is going to satisfy them, and it’s why regular season wins were shrugged off as necessary steps and nothing more all year long. There’s no question their mission remains incomplete.
But the biggest mental hurdle this team needed to clear is now behind it. When the Stampeders square off against the Tiger-Cats on Sunday, they’ll do it without a huge monkey on their back. That’s a good thing, because they’re going to need to be totally burden free to beat a very good Hamilton team.
Due appreciation
Kent Austin must really like November. Let’s put into perspective what the Head Coach of the Tiger-Cats has done in his three years as a CFL Head Coach. In 2007, he took the Saskatchewan Roughriders to their first Grey Cup title in almost 20 years. After leaving the league for the NCAA, he returned in 2013 and took Hamilton back to the Grey Cup game, eventually falling to the Riders. Now, one year later, he’s back again.
Just let that sink in for a little bit. Three years as a CFL Head Coach, two different teams, and three Grey Cup appearances. In even an eight, now nine team league that’s a statistical anomaly. Plain and simple, the guy knows how to coach, and he deserves some real credit.
The 2014 season might be the year that really highlights just how good he really is, though. At no time in either the 2007 or the 2013 season did Austin face the adversity the Tiger-Cats did this season.
As you well know by now, Hamilton started the season rather poorly, not unlike the rest of the East Division. Hamilton was 1-6-and 2-7 before finishing the year 7-2. The Ticats lost quarterback Zach Collaros in Week 2, had an offensive line that looked eons away from being competitive, and they looked lost defensively. But Austin made sure his team stayed the course — a course that, as it turns out, led back to the only destination the guy knows in this league.
Questions answered
Despite the Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Eskimos losing this weekend, the 2014 season has to be considered successful for both teams. One team was pretty consistent all year long, while the other had to put together an immaculate second half. However, one thing both Montreal and Edmonton shared this year was at quarterback. Both teams solidified who their guy is going to be for 2015, and hopefully much longer.
For Edmonton, we were pretty sure Mike Reilly was going to be their guy after his 2013 campaign. But with all kinds of turnover this past off-season, including at Head Coach, there were still some questions to be answered. Most importantly, how would Reilly handle coming into a season as the predetermined number one for the first time?
That question was answered pretty emphatically, because Reilly was outstanding. Despite starting three fewer games than his first season with Edmonton, Reilly upped his completion rate by almost three percentage points, lowered his interception rate, and ran for seven more touchdowns. He’s a no doubt CFL impact maker.
Jonathan Crompton is a slightly different story in Montreal. After being behind Reilly on the depth chart last season, Crompton joined the Alouettes looking for a shot. It took a little while as the Als stumbled along using Troy Smith and Alex Brink, but eventually, Crompton got the ball. And he never gave it back.
This offseason now becomes an important one for Crompton. He’s got an opportunity to come into 2015 training camp an even better quarterback. We all know the guy has a rocket for an arm and has big play ability. But if he can improve his accuracy and decision making under fire, the sky really is the limit. These are things that all young quarterbacks need to work on, but if they can improve for Crompton, they can help turn him into a top end guy in this league.
Wondering eyes
I’m curious as to how close Wally Buono will be paying attention to Sunday’s Grey Cup in his stadium. The General Manager of the BC Lions made the biggest off-field news this past week, firing Head Coach Mike Benevides. Now, as he searches for a replacement, there’s a couple targets he might have his eye on come Sunday.
| See the Stamps and Ticats live in the 102nd Grey Cup Championship |
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 The Ticats and Stamps have played in recent Grey Cups, but haven’t recently tasted a championship. On Sunday, they’ll clash for a chance to win the 102nd Grey Cup Championship.
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Orlondo Steinauer has developed quite the resume. Hamilton’s defensive coordinator has been highly thought ever since he made his coaching debut with Toronto in 2011. Since joining the Tiger-Cats in 2013, however, we’ve seen his stock get even higher
Much like the aforementioned Austin, 2014 has been a banner year for Steinauer. The improvement we saw from them defensively was dramatic, to the point where they look downright scary heading into Sunday.
Steinauer did the best with what he had early, and did a nice job playing to the strengths of certain players, namely defensive tackle Ted Laurent. But I really liked the way he worked in late additions like Linden Gaydosh and Justin Hickman on the defensive line. Sometimes additions that late in the season don’t work out, but they really did help Hamilton clinch the East Division.
Then there’s Calgary offensive coordinator Dave Dickenson. The former Lions quarterback was a hot commodity this past offseason, but decided to forego potential head coaching duties elsewhere to stay with the Stampeders. That may be exactly the same way he goes about things this year, too, but it doesn’t mean he won’t be courted.
The thing that impresses me most about Dickenson is his ability to tailor game plans to any situation. Knowing the injuries his offence suffered this year, they really didn’t ever miss a beat, and a large part of this is Dickenson’s schemes. He is as meticulous as it comes when it comes to preparation, and it showed once again in 2014.
In the end, both Steinauer and Dickenson may very well remain where they are in 2015. Dickenson is likely Calgary’s succession plan at Head Coach whenever John Hufnagel decides to leave the sidelines and move to a front office only job. Steinauer may like the fit in Hamilton better than a potential opportunity in BC.
One thing you can be sure of, however, is that both guys will be contacted by Buono.
