The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have not won a Grey Cup since 1999, but this season they are positioned to end their championship drought. Despite several missed opportunities in the past, the Tiger-Cats are once again poised for a promising run at the CFL’s biggest prize.
Hamilton is now two wins away from fulfilling the hopes of their fans. However, their history of falling short in similar situations looms over this campaign. Despite a season marked by inconsistencies, the Tiger-Cats clinched the East Division and earned a playoff bye after defeating the Ottawa Redblacks.
The Tiger-Cats’ fate this season has hinged on their approach each game. When they adapt, they win; when they force plays, they falter. To win the East Finals and move toward ending the Grey Cup drought, Hamilton must play efficiently and capitalize on their opportunity against the Montreal Alouettes’.
Mitchell Must Finish the Job
Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is consistently among the CFL’s best, having thrown for over 5,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Yet, he still needs to prove he can lead the Tiger-Cats to a championship. While Mitchell has prior Grey Cup wins and holds a considerable edge in post-season success over Montreal’s Davis Alexander, questions remain about his ability to deliver for Hamilton.
For the Tiger-Cats to beat Montreal, Mitchell must make quick decisions and move the ball early. Montreal’s front seven will look to shut down running back Greg Bell and force Hamilton into a one-dimensional offense. Hamilton must help Mitchell find a rhythm with quick passes and capitalize on Montreal’s early adjustments.
Montreal’s Davis Alexander to Play Under Pressure
Defensively, the Tiger-Cats have relied on the ability of their defensive secondary and defensive line to work together and shut down their opponents’ offensive game plan each week. Hamilton is built to shut down the high-powered passing games in the CFL. When the Tiger-Cats face Montreal’s quarterback, Davis Alexander, they need to play their best game.
Davis Alexander holds the distinction of being undefeated as the starting quarterback of the Montreal Alouettes this season. However, Alexander has weaknesses that the Tiger-Cats need to exploit early and often during their East Finals matchup. The key to this game will be the ability of the Tiger-Cats’ defensive line to pressure Alexander and make him play on the run. If Hamilton can get Alexander out of the pocket, then they will have a good opportunity to confuse Alexander and create some turnovers.
The Tiger-Cats Must Win the Turnover Battle
Stopping the Montreal Alouettes’ high-power offensive attack will be a big challenge for Hamilton’s defensive unit. But one way that the Tiger-Cats can level the playing field between themselves and Montreal is to force the Alouettes to turn the ball over. If Hamilton can pressure Montreal’s quarterback, then it is likely that he will make some bad throws. Then it will be up to the Hamilton All-CFL defensive backfield to take the ball away from Montreal.
One aspect where Hamilton needs to excel is forcing turnovers, which will give them a better chance to limit Montreal’s running game. That will be a daunting task if Montreal running back Stevie Scott III is able to continue where he left off last week against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Hamilton’s best bet is to force Montreal’s running backs to fumble the ball, allowing the Tiger-Cats to compensate for their shortcomings in stopping their opponent’s running game.
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