The Lions have been a dominant power at dwelling, however Hamilton is hungry and making an attempt to maintain their post-season hopes in play.
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Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. B.C. Lions
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Saturday, 4 p.m., B.C. Place
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TV: TSN. Radio: AM730
It’s the Battle of the Massive Cats No. 100 on Saturday night time at B.C. Place, when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats go to the B.C. Lions’ den.
Since inter-conference play started in 1961, the Leos and the Tabbies have performed 99 occasions, with B.C. holding a 56-40-3 edge, though it’s been a fair 7-7 cut up since 2014.
Hamilton is desperately making an attempt to remain within the playoff combine within the East, whereas the Lions try to catch Winnipeg for the West’s prime spot.
Right here’s 5 issues to look at for Saturday:
The place artwork thou, run recreation?
It appears so way back that the Lions had been as soon as a balanced, dual-threat workforce, averaging simply shy of 100 yards per recreation speeding this season.
However because the bye week, once they had been fourth general within the CFL, the bottom manufacturing has tailed off. Now? They sit final, at 78.1 per recreation.
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This isn’t a finger-pointing train; Taquan (Smoke) Mizzell had 117 yards on 22 carries towards Edmonton, however had his reps restricted by situational soccer within the different three video games he performed. B.C. fell behind massive towards each Winnipeg and Saskatchewan — he nonetheless had 50 on 10 carries within the 50-14 loss to the Bombers — and curiously solely obtained three carries within the fourth quarter of their 37-9 win over Calgary per week later.
B.C. has been bucking the general development within the CFL; in Weeks 1-8, runs accounted for 38 per cent general. That’s jumped to 44 per cent in Weeks Sep 11, in contrast with the Lions’ 25 per cent common.
“Clearly, while you’re enjoying from behind, it’s type of laborious to get the run recreation going,” stated Mizzell, who had seven carries for 15 yards towards Saskatchewan.
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“I’ve had good productive video games working the ball, however I needed to be dialed in on move (safety final week) — that’s simply as massive. Some video games are gonna go in a different way. Once we’re clicking on all cylinders, after we get a lead and now we have to run the ball, that’s after we’re gonna see these … numbers change with the run recreation.
“I felt like (the ‘Riders loss) was fairly wanted for us going ahead. You’d wish to win each recreation, however … we have to see what areas we’ve obtained to get higher in and you recognize to repair that as quickly as attainable.”
The Ticats, by the best way, concede 126 yards speeding per recreation, second-most within the league.
Talking of move professional
The Lions’ offensive line had a tough outing towards the ‘Riders final week, with quarterback Vernon Adams seeing close to fixed strain and getting sacked 5 occasions. It was the continuation of a current development: Greater than a 3rd (10) of their 29 sacks have come prior to now three video games.
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Whereas final week was additionally the primary time that the identical 5 offensive linemen hadn’t began collectively this 12 months, with Chris Schleuger stepping in for Jarrell Broxton, the highlight was pinned firmly on proper sort out Kent Perkins. He was the media’s favoured whipping boy, getting flagged 4 occasions together with as soon as on back-to-back performs, and was crushed for a sack on the Lions’ final non-Hail-Mary offensive snap.
The pundits might have been laborious on him, nevertheless it didn’t measure as much as his personal self-assessment.
“It was an off night time for me. I didn’t put my greatest model on the sphere that night time. I made errors I shouldn’t have made,” he stated. “One factor about me, I’m so extraordinarily laborious on myself. I’m utilizing that as motivation to maintain getting higher. I can’t let one recreation outline me as a participant. I really feel like that’s why lots of people fall off; they let issues linger and linger.
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“I made errors. I can’t be good, however what I can do is develop and be taught from this expertise. And that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Third-stringers can nonetheless tie you up
The Lions didn’t underestimate Roughriders starter Jake Dolegala earlier than the sport, and the three-touchdown efficiency from the third-string QB confirmed why they didn’t low cost him. Now they’re dealing with one other depth pivot in Hamilton’s Taylor Powell.
Pressed into service due to accidents to Bo-Levi Mitchell and Matthew Shiltz, he’ll make his third-straight begin however has but to crack the 300-yard mark or win a recreation. His lone landing on 102 move makes an attempt got here in Week 6 when he stepped in for the injured Shiltz within the third quarter towards Edmonton.
“On this league, you be taught actual fast that everyone’s right here for a cause,” stated B.C. security Quincy Mauger. “Identical to (Dolegala) did final week. We will’t harp on who’s enjoying, however extra so specializing in our scheme and what we are able to do higher as a defence, particular groups and offence to get again in that win column.”
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B.C. is undefeated on the Dome, and have but to concede a passing landing at B.C. Place, with Cody Fajardo’s Week 5 QB sneak for Montreal the one main conceded.
The Lions have conceded simply 37 factors at dwelling of their 4 wins. The following closest workforce? Toronto, at 82 in 4 video games.
“The weeks that now we have been scored on, there’s been some miscues, some miscommunication that we have to tighten up on,” stated Mauger. “Over time, groups adapt, and so now we have to adapt as effectively. And in order that’s what we’ve been specializing in … Simply harping on communication, making an attempt to lock in to ensure there’s no errors on the again finish, and we don’t have any touchdowns (towards) — particularly at dwelling.”
Tame Tiger-Cats
Hamilton’s offence has sputtered in 2023, even when Mitchell was below centre. They’ve a CFL-low 13 offensive touchdowns, common the second-fewest factors (16.9) and achieved the ignominious feat of being the primary workforce that the Elks beat after 13 straight losses.
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They loaded up with free brokers this 12 months, bringing within the likes of Mitchell, James Butler and Joel Figueroa, with the plan to play within the Gray Cup that Hamilton will host this 12 months. However they’re only one loss forward of the Ottawa Redblacks within the East, and have a assassin’s row of a schedule forward.
After B.C., they play the first-place Argos twice in addition to a go to to the West-leading Bombers. Even their Week 13 go to to Ottawa is not any reprieve — it comes on a brief week for them, and the Redblacks will are available off a bye.
However the Ticats can’t afford to even take into consideration that, having misplaced three of their final 4 video games. Head coach Orlondo Steinauer is just desirous about Saturday.
“It’s the following recreation. It’s actually what it’s,” he stated. “In the event you begin wanting previous that, you’re not giving sufficient power and a spotlight to the sport at hand. I believe we’ve finished an honest job of specializing in that; we simply must put collectively 4 full quarters, play some complementary and situational soccer, and discover a strategy to provide you with a win.”
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Loss leaders
We’ve already established the Lions are robust to beat at dwelling — their six-game dwelling streak is the longest since a 12-game run in 2012-13.
It’s the three street losses that stick of their craw. Two of them — the losses to Toronto and Saskatchewan — the Lions had been in each contests till late. If Keon Hatcher’s fingers had been an inch longer, they could have even left Mosaic Stadium with a victory final week. And the blowout loss to Winnipeg got here after a snoozy week of observe, a psychological nap that prolonged into the primary quarter at IG Subject, when some TD punches to the face woke them up.
These losses had been all, to a sure diploma, self-inflicted — or at the very least self-assisted — as B.C. has given up probably the most away factors (150) whereas concurrently scoring probably the most (149).
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Contemplating their dwelling domination, it’s shocking there are 5 groups forward of the Lions in dwelling factors, and even the very fact the Ticats quit probably the most factors per recreation within the CFL, Mauger doesn’t envision any type of B.C. blowout this weekend.
“It’s gonna be a four-quarter recreation,” he stated. “They obtained some weapons on the market, and I’ve performed with a few them. J.B. (Butler), Terry Godwin … I do know these gamers are hungry. We will’t take something as a right.”
ODDS AND ENDS: B.C. hasn’t misplaced of their Gunmetal Gray uniforms this 12 months … Adams has had 300 yards passing in back-to-back video games, and 5 general this 12 months — matching his career-high in 2019 — however has by no means had one towards Hamilton … The file for tackles by a Canadian was set in 2021 by B.C.’s Jordan Williams, however Ben Hladik would possibly be capable of catch him. His 50 via 10 video games has him on tempo for 90, and he’s been trending upwards, averaging 6.7 his final seven video games … Talking of excellent Canadians, Mathieu Betts continues to be on tempo to interrupt the file for sacks in a season by a Canuck. Brent Johnson set the mark with 17 in 2005, which was matched by Winnipeg’s Jamaal Westerman in 2015, and Betts has 11 via his first 10 video games.
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B.C. Lions intent on serving James Butler a loss in his return to B.C. Place
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B.C. Lions prepared for Mosaic insanity and Roughriders’ sack assault
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