Pre-Game Breakdown: Ticats at Alouettes

Following their first bye week of the 2015 season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are off to Montreal to take on the Alouettes.
The Ticats (1-1) followed up a tight Week One loss with a huge win on the road in Winnipeg, doubling up the Bombers 52-26 and improving to 4-0 at Investors Group Field. The team was firing on all cylinders in the win, scoring touchdowns on offence, defence and special teams for the second straight week to open the season. The Cats have scored just three offensive touchdowns through two games (9th in CFL), yet their balanced performances have them atop the league for points scored per game (37.5).
The Alouettes (1-2) enter the game fresh off a slim road defeat by the Bombers (25-23). The Als have played well under rookie pivot Rakeem Cato since early season injuries took their top two quarterbacks out of the lineup, but that success has had just as much to do with the Tyrell Sutton-led running game and a strong defence that has allowed just 18.7 points per game. Montreal will enter the game looking to right the ship at .500 before heading into their own bye week in Week Five.

The Week Four showdown will kick off tonight at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET (TSN / 1150 CKOC).

TIGER-CATS HISTORY AGAINST MONTREAL

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Make Cato uncomfortable: Rakeem Cato has been solid in his first two career CFL games, completing 75% of his passes for 558 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Cato has been efficient and accurate in an offence with an ever-expanding playbook, extending the field last week after primarily utilizing short, quick passes in Week Two. Cato’s two interceptions in Week Three were both on plays where the young quarterback was under pressure and forced to create something out of a broken down play. The Ticats have produced consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks through two games, and a continuation of that will be key to slowing down Cato and the Als’ offence.
Protect the quarterback: Alouettes rush end John Bowman leads the CFL in sacks (3), while Corvey Irvin (2) is also a pass-rushing threat. The Ticats’ offensive line and running backs must give Collaros time to work through his progressions in Hamilton’s pass-heavy offence.

Slow down the run on first down: The Alouettes are the most balanced offence in the league on first down, running the ball on 48% of first downs. Tyrell Sutton has been a monster Montreal’s offence, eating up big chunks of yards on first down and putting the team into short second-down opportunities. The Ticats had the best run defence in the CFL in 2014 and have continued that success into 2015. Corralling the league’s current leading rusher will make it a lot harder on the Als to convert on second downs and sustain offensive drives.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Ted Laurent: Laurent is heading back home to play this week, and the Montreal native always gets excited for these opportunities. The Canadian all-star defensive tackle has been a force against the pass and the run in 2015, and he’ll be one of the keys to Hamilton success on Thursday night.

Emanuel Davis: The Alouettes boast two very talented slotback receivers, SJ Green and Nik Lewis, and Emanuel Davis is one of the players who’ll find himself tasked with shutting them down. Davis found the end-zone on a pick six two weeks ago, and his defensive abilities will again be called on to have an impact on the game this week.

Zach Collaros: With all the talk of quarterback injuries and emerging talent, the Ticats quarterback has gone under the radar this year, despite stringing together two strong games. Collaros has connected on 74.6% of his passes in 2015, while amassing 635 yards through the air. The Alouettes defence has been strong through three games, but they’ll have their hands full with the Ticats’ pivot.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME:

Battle of the returners: 
The Ticats and Alouettes boast two of the most talented punt and kick returners in the league in Brandon Banks and Stefan Logan.
Banks has scored on a punt return touchdown in each of the Ticats’ first two games this season, and he has a history of big return games against the Alouettes. Most significantly, Banks brought down the Als with two long punt return touchdowns in last year’s East Division Finals, booking the Ticats a berth in the Grey Cup.
Stefan Logan has been having quite the season himself, leading the league in all-purpose yards through three games (386). Logan excels on kickoff returns particularly, averaging 21.1 yards per; he also holds the longest kickoff return of the season so far at 43 yards.
The battle between these two speedy, shifty returners and their impact on the starting field position of each team could end up making a big difference on the outcome of the game.

TEAM CONNECTIONS:

Offensive guard Ryan Bomben played the first four seasons of his CFL career (2010-2014) as a member of the Alouettes offensive line, while Ed Gainey also spent two seasons in the burgundy and blue (2012-13).

Meanwhile, there are five former Ticats on the opposition’s roster: Samuel Giguere (47 games), Dobson Collins (4 games), Kyries Hebert (2 games), Dan Lefevour (4 games), Brandon Rutley (5 games).

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

Ted Laurent on the defensive game plan for the week: 

“I know Coach O, [and] how he’s strategic with the defence, we’ll be ready to go.”

Coach Orlondo Steinauer on if the divisional game has added importance:

“The biggest pressure games to me are the ones where you’re eliminated, and this isn’t an elimination game, but not to shy away from your comment, it is important.”

Arnaud Gascon-Nadon on playing in front of his friends and family in Montreal:

“It’s just one of those games you play against them, but you want to represent your city, your people, your family the best that you can. It’s about pride, it’s about doing well and getting a win over there.”