Since the Hamilton Tiger-Cats lost starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell to a major ankle injury, the Tiger-Cats have looked like a team without a plan. In Week 7, the Tiger-Cats made enough improvements to hold off the Argonauts and pull ahead as the 2nd-place team in the East Division with a narrow 24-23 win. While the Tiger-Cats did a great job of bouncing back from difficult losses the last few weeks, Hamilton must build on the things that they did well against the Argonauts in Week 8 as they have a chance to close the gap on the 1st-place Montreal Alouettes.
A big factor in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats getting back on the winning side of the scoreboard was head coach Scott Milanovich's decision to give Canadian quarterback Tre Ford his first start with Hamilton. In previous games, the Tiger-Cats had lacked confidence in Ford because of his dual-threat approach to quarterback play. Instead, Hamilton chose to go with pocket-passer Jake Dolegala, but after Dolegala demonstrated that he had major deficiencies, Ford was able to take over in Week 7, and his mobility became a major catalyst for the Tiger-Cats' success offensively.
In addition to Ford playing well, the Tiger-Cats receivers were able to make a few big plays down the stretch, along with running back Larry Rountree III showing that he can help provide balance for Hamilton's offense. Along with improved play on offense, the Tiger-Cats stepped up in key situations and on defense. Ultimately, the Tiger-Cats' willingness to hang on to a win they earned paid off when the Toronto Argonauts missed a game-winning field goal as time expired.
Resiliency and Navigating "Clutch" Moments
Several times this season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have struggled to play their best football in situations where they are in a position to win a close game. The first of those situations occurred in Week 1, when they blew a 2nd-half lead and allowed the Montreal Alouettes to edge out a three-point win; the second occurred when they lost 14-13 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after taking a 2nd-half lead once again.
If the Tiger-Cats had been able to make just a few more plays in those games, Hamilton would potentially be 5-1 and sitting at the top of the East division. However, they are still in a good position after defeating the Argonauts by making the next play in the big moments of this week's game. Even on the Argonauts' last drive of the game, the Tiger-Cats kept the Toronto passing game in front of them, forcing Toronto to settle for a field goal they ultimately missed, giving Hamilton the win.
QB Tre Ford Provided Dual-Threat Spark
A big difference in the Tiger-Cats' offensive performance this week against the Argonauts was Tre Ford's ability to put the Toronto defenders in conflict due to his ability to run the ball. Ford ended the game with over 200 yards passing and over 100 rushing yards, and while he did not play a flawless game, his ability to run the ball helped create opportunities for the Tiger-Cats' wide receivers. Previously, when Jake Dolegala led the Tiger-Cats' offensive attack against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Dolegala could not provide a legitimate deep threat for the Roughriders' defensive backfield or run the ball to put Saskatchewan in any form of conflict.
Going forward, Ford's ability to pull the pin and pick up five or ten yards whenever he seems to have teams keying on the passing game gives the Tiger-Cats a big edge. On the other hand, committing to Ford means the Tiger-Cats will need to make further adjustments to their game plan to give Ford the best opportunity to succeed. When and if Bo Levi Mitchell can return, the Tiger-Cats should be able to adapt to a quarterback who is a pocket passer; therefore, it is hard to make a case against Ford starting another game this week as the Tiger-Cats travel to face the Montreal Alouettes.
Quick-Strike Magic to WR Kenny Lawler
A big difference in the Tiger-Cats' offensive performance this week against the Argonauts was Tre Ford's ability to put the Toronto defenders in conflict due to his ability to run the ball. Ford ended the game with over 200 yards passing and over 100 rushing yards, and while he did not play a flawless game, his ability to run the ball helped create opportunities for the Tiger-Cats' wide receivers. Previously, when Jake Dolegala led the Tiger-Cats' offensive attack against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Dolegala could not provide a legitimate deep threat for the Roughriders' defensive backfield or run the ball to put Saskatchewan in any form of conflict.
Going forward, Ford's ability to pull the pin and pick up five or ten yards whenever he seems to have teams keying on the passing game gives the Tiger-Cats a big edge. On the other hand, committing to Ford means the Tiger-Cats will need to make further adjustments to their game plan to give Ford the best opportunity to succeed. When and if Bo Levi Mitchell can return, the Tiger-Cats should be able to adapt to a pocket passer; therefore, it is hard to make a case against Ford starting another game this week as the Tiger-Cats travel to Montreal to face the Alouettes.
Hamilton Stepped Up Defensively in the Turning Points
Along with big improvements on the offensive side of the ball, the Tiger-Cats also stepped up defensively at key times, allowing Hamilton to maintain control of the game. Specifically, Jamal Peters' interception against the Argonauts allowed the Tiger-Cats not only to get an important stop but also to flip the field, setting them up for success offensively. With the ability for the Tiger-Cats offense and defense to feed off one another's success, Hamilton can build and maximize momentum to pull ahead of their opponents.
This week, the Tiger-Cats will need to once again put all aspects of their game plan together, with the Tiger-Cats and Tre Ford being able to grind out first downs and keep the ball out of the Alouettes' hands, and defensively force the Alouettes to commit turnovers, giving Hamilton a short field to put up more points on the scoreboard. If Hamilton can achieve that level of cooperative success across all three phases of the game, they will have a chance to close the gap on the Alouettes in the East Division standings.
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