Hamilton Tiger-Cats Game #6
Visiting Team: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-2, 2nd in East division)
Home Team: Ottawa Redblacks (1-5, T-3rd in East division)
Date and Time: Sunday, July 20th at 7 pm EDT
Game Location: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, Ontario
Where to Watch: In Canada, TSN/RDS In US and International, CFL+
DraftKings Betting Line: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-1.5), Ottawa Redblacks (+1.5), O/U 54.5 points
Since starting the 2025 season with a 0-2 start, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have turned around their season with a three-game winning streak since their bye week in Week 3. That winning streak allowed the Tiger-Cats to pull into a tie for 1st place with the Montreal Alouettes in the East division. To start Week 7 of the CFL season, Montreal narrowly defeated the Toronto Argonauts by one point to pull ahead of the Tiger-Cats.
For the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-2), defeating the Ottawa Redblacks (1-5) 23-20 in Hamilton not only allowed them to climb to the top of the standings but also helped them shed their recent history of disastrous performances in the early part of the CFL season. This week, the Tiger-Cats will face the Redblacks again, and if they can defeat them again, they will pull back into a tie for first place with the Alouettes. While it would be easy to view Hamilton as the favorite in this game, it is essential to remember that Ottawa led Hamilton for the majority of the game last week before Hamilton pulled ahead in the 4th quarter.
Week 7 is a prove-it-or-lose-it or lose-it moment for the Tiger-Cats to prove that they are a legitimate contender, and to do that, the Tiger-Cats will need to be able to play like a championship team in Ottawa.
For the first time in several weeks, the CFL Injury Report for Week 7 shows that both the Tiger-Cats and Redblacks are coming into this game relatively healthy. That means that both Hamilton and Ottawa will have their full arsenal of playmakers on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. With that in mind, it is essential to recognize that to win this game, both teams must ensure their players understand situational football.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats Depth Chart
Ottawa Redblacks Depth Chart
Key to Victory #1: Shutdown the Redblacks Run Game
Last week, the Tiger-Cats’ ability to contain the Redblacks’ running game became very important down the stretch in their Week 6 matchup. While Ottawa led the game for the majority of the game, the Redblacks were not able to lean on their running game. That provided Hamilton the extra time needed on the offensive side of the ball to put together a series of plays in the fourth quarter so that the Tiger-Cats could bounce back and defeat the Redbacks. This week, the Tiger-Cats will once again need to contain the Redblacks’ running game if they plan on beating the Redblacks and continuing to remain tied at the top of the East division standings with the Montreal Alouettes.
Key to Victory #2: Lean on the Tiger-Cats Run Game
Last week, the Tiger-Cats’ ability to contain the Redblacks’ running game became very important down the stretch in their Week 6 matchup. While Ottawa led the game for the majority of the game, the Redblacks were not able to lean on their running game. That provided Hamilton the extra time needed on the offensive side of the ball to put together a series of plays in the fourth quarter so that the Tiger-Cats could bounce back and defeat the Redbacks. This week, the Tiger-Cats will once again need to contain the Redblacks’ running game if they plan on beating the Redblacks and continuing to remain tied at the top of the East division standings with the Montreal Alouettes.
Key to Victory #3: Protect Bo Levi Mitchell
During last week’s game, Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell ran the ball a few times in key situations to pick up first downs and help extend Tiger-Cats offensive drives. While it is possible for Mitchell to run the ball when necessary, no one will be confusing Mitchell with a dual-threat quarterback, and that means that protecting Mitchell is critical. That task once gained falls into the lap of the Tiger-Cats offensive line, and while they did allow two sacks last week, they have done a serviceable job at protecting Mitchell during the first third of the 2025 season.
Key to Victory #4: Force Ottawa to Turn the Ball Over
Winning games in the CFL this season is directly correlated with a team’s ability to force turnovers and convert those takeaways into points. Both the Tiger-Cats and the Redblacks have successfully forced turnovers this week, and the team that can win the turnover battle this week will have a significant advantage in this game. Last week, the Tiger-Cats’ defensive unit forced the Redblacks to turn the ball over three times with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. In contrast, the Tiger-Cats did not have any turnovers against Ottawa, and if Hamilton can repeat that performance, then becoming the top team in the CFL East division is a realistic outcome.
Key to Victory #5: Produce Explosive Plays
Both the Tiger-Cats and Redblacks have at least one explosive playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. For Ottawa, that player is wide receiver Eugene Lewis, who recorded 128 receiving yards on seven catches. Despite Lewis’s effort, the Redblacks failed to convert those explosive plays into points consistently. However, the Tiger-Cats’ explosive playmaker Kenny Lawler did score two touchdowns last week, along with catching six passes for 95 yards on six receptions. This week, the Tiger-Cats secondary will need to continue containing Ottawa receiver Eugene Lewis, and offensively, they will need to diversify their ability to set up Kenny Lawler for opportunities to make big plays down the stretch.
Game Prediction
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 32, Ottawa Redblacks 24
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