Each season in the CFL, contenders and pretenders are separated from one another based on how well they deal with injuries to their top playmakers. Over the last two seasons, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have had luck on their side while avoiding major injuries to the players who power their offense. However, Hamilton is now in need of answers at the quarterback position after losing starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell to a broken ankle that required surgery. The injury to Mitchell was addressed by Orlando Steinauer in a press release by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Before Bo Levi Mitchell was carted off the field with an ankle injury, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had control of the game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who also lost their quarterback, Zach Collaros, during the game. The loss of Mitchell opened the door for backup quarterbacks Tre Ford and Jake Dolegala to show that they had the ability to step in for Mitchell, but both quarterbacks failed to find a rhythm. That lack of continuity on the offensive side of the ball, plus a turnover by running back Larry Rountree III as Hamilton attempted to close out a home win, led to a slim 14-13 loss for the Tiger-Cats, who were trying to protect a lead due to turnovers.
The Shadow of the Bo Levi Mitchell Injury
The impact felt by the Tiger-Cats from Mitchell's injury would have been mitigated had Tre Ford or Jake Dolegala been able to step in and run the Hamilton passing attack with some level of precision. However, Ford had to continually settle for checkdown passes resulting in 3 completions on 7 attempts for 12 passing yards and an interception. In addition, Jake Dolegala failed to complete a pass which leaves the Tiger-Cats without a clear solution for which quarterback will operate a Tiger-Cats passing game that features one of the most talented group of receivers in the CFL in 2026.
Defensive Meltdown on the Ground in Crunch Time
With both the Blue Bombers and the Tiger-Cats losing their starting quarterbacks, both teams found themselves needing to lean heavily on their running game. Unfortunately, stopping the run has been a problem for a Tiger-Cats defensive front seven that has been working to improve since being beaten up in 2025. However, the new personnel that the Tiger-Cats have brought in onto the roster, including linebacker Wynton McManis, was not enough to stop the brute-force running style of Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira. Hamilton's inability to stop Oliveira in the 4th quarter allowed Winnipeg to do just enough to steal a 1-point victory at the Hammer.
Self-Inflicted Disciplinary Wounds
In addition to the loss of Bo Levi Mitchell due to his injury, the Tiger-Cats were also hurt by their lack of discipline down the back stretch of this game. Those wounds came the form of untimely penalties, missed opportunities in the passing game, and a fumble in the 4th quarter by Rountree as Hamilton was attempting to use the running game to grind out first downs to seal a narrow victory at home. While the whole of the Tiger-Cats mistakes ultimately led to another loss for Hamilton, the failure to close out the game with the running game directly impacted Hamilton's effort to pick up their third win in a row.
Missed Opportunities Looming Large
The Tiger-Cats' 2-2 start to the 2026 season is the best start the team has had since 2019. But realistically, the Tiger-Cats are just a few key plays away from starting the season with a 4-0 record. Arguably, the stage was set for the Tiger-Cats to open the season in Week 1 with a win over the Montreal Alouettes before the Alouettes returned an interception for a touchdown and Hamilton fumbled in overtime to set up a 3-point Montreal win. Then in Week 5, the Tiger-Cats were in a great position to ice the game against the Blue Bombers even with the loss of Mitchell, but the Tiger-Cats stumbled and bumbled their way to giving another lead late in a game at home. This week, the Tiger-Cats only have a few days to find answers to their problems before going on the road to face the defending Grey Cup champions in Saskatchewan.
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