MIKE GOMES
Argonauts.ca Staff
Players To Watch:
QB Kevin Glenn
RB Avon Cobourn
WR Chris Williams
SB Dave Stala
WR/KR Marcus Thigpen
DE Stevie Baggs
DE Justin Hickman
P/K Justin Medlock
Key Injuries:
C Marwan Hage
LB Ike Brown
Storylines:
– Can the Ticats put together back-to-back wins and build some consistency?
– Can they continue to get the ball into Marcus Thigpen’s hands?
– Can Hamilton cause even more seperation between them and the Argos for the East’s final playoff spot?
TORONTO—After 13 weeks the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ 2011 season is eerily similar to their 2010 campaign. For the second straight season, the Ticats are 6-6 heading into October.
The up and down season has seen the Ticats trade wins for losses; Hamilton is 5-2 at home and 1-4 on the road. The team holds a six point lead over the Argonauts for the East Division’s final playoff spot and, with only two home games remaining on the schedule, the Tiger-Cats need to be more consistent away from Ivor Wynne if they are to improve on last year’s semi-final defeat at the hands of the Argos.
On Saturday, the Tiger-Cats head to Toronto for the first time this season, looking to build off a 55-36 victory over the Calgary Stampeders in Moncton. The game will be the second matchup of the season for the southern Ontario rivals. Hamilton took the first meeting 37-32.
September was a tough month for the Ticats who played three games in 11 days. The team survived the stretch, splitting a home-and-home with Montreal before losing at home to Edmonton in week 12. After a nine-day layoff, Hamilton exploded for 55 points against Calgary, their best offensive output of the season.
In a move to get more playmakers on the field, Ticats head coach Marcel Bellefueille inserted running back/kick returner Marcus Thigpen in at receiver. Thigpen’s explosiveness was on display as he caught six passes for 139-yards and two touchdowns. In addition to his contributions on offence, Thigpen was named CFL Special Teams Player of the Week. He returned a missed field goal 118-yards for a touchdown and added three punt returns for 17-yards.
Quarterback Kevin Glenn looked very comfortable with his new offensive weapon, finishing the game 16-23 for 276-yards and three touchdowns. Glenn is currently tied for second in the CFL with 18 touchdown passes, and ranks sixth in yards with 2,915. His 96.6 efficiency rating is third best in the league among starting CFL quarterbacks. His favorite target this year has been Chris Williams. Playing in his first full season with Hamilton, Williams has 50 catches and ranks fifth in receiving yards (827) while adding four touchdowns.
The play of starting running back Avon Cobourne gives Hamilton one of the league’s most balanced attacks. Cobourne leads the league with 8 rushing touchdowns, is second in rushing attempts (151), and third in rushing yards (735).
Hamilton’s defence will need to stop Toronto running back Cory Boyd, who is coming off his best offensive output of the season. Boyd ran for 109-yards last week against Winnipeg but he will be up against two of the best linebackers in the CFL; Renauld Williams and Jamall Johnson. In 2011, the Ticats duo ranks fourth and fifth in tackles.
If the Ticats can stop Boyd early and make this a passing game, then fans should be on the lookout for defensive end Justin Hickman. After recording seven sacks in each of his first two CFL seasons, Hickman is second in the league with nine sacks through 12 games.