Pre-Game Breakdown: Ticats vs. Lions

The Tiger-Cats (4-2) will play in front of yet another sell-out crowd at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday night, as the visiting BC Lions (3-3) arrive in town looking to hand the Cats their first ever loss at Tim Hortons Field.
Last week, the Ticats cruised past the Bombers, opening up a 21-0 first-quarter lead and never looking back, winning the game 38-8. Hamilton’s defence was the main storyline of the game, with Emanuel Davis coming away with two pick sixes, marking the first time a Ticats player has done so since 1957. On top of Davis’ ball-hawking, the team came away with seven sacks on the Winnipeg quarterbacks, catapulting into second place in the CFL in that category. Zach Collaros ripped off his third straight game with three touchdown passes, finding Bakari Grant, Terrence Toliver and Ryan Bomben in the end zone on Sunday. The special teams got in on the action last week as well, coming up with big plays on a blocked punt and a kickoff recovery, both of which set the team up for scores.
The Lions come into this week’s game following a narrow 26-23 win over the West Division leading Edmonton Eskimos. The Eskimos didn’t score a single point in the second half, as the Lions came from behind, scoring 16 second-half points. Andrew Harris stole the spotlight in the game, amassing 175 yards from scrimmage in the contest. The Lions have allowed the most offence to opposing teams this season (413.5 yards per game), allowing over 300 passing yards per game and almost 70% completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks.
Tonight’s home game against the Lions will kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET. To catch all the action from home, tune into TSN or 1150 CKOC and be sure to tune into the GameDay Live stream on Ticats.ca for the most in-depth coverage of the game. Pre-game streaming on Ticats.ca will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET.

TIGER-CATS HISTORY AGAINST BC

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Contain Andrew Harris: The BC Lions running back has gained over 100 yards on the ground in consecutive games, and he leads the league in yards from scrimmage (807) and touchdowns (6). Harris is a game-changing player, but the Ticats defence has the ability to shut him down if they’re on their A-game. The run defence has allowed just 71 yards rushing per game this season, and continuing that trend will be key to slowing down the Lions offence.
Prevent a quick start: In 2015, the Lions lead the league in first-possession points, scoring 24 points on their first drives this season. In six games, the team has scored on the first drive of each one, including three touchdowns. Preventing the team from getting the first points on the board and getting the Tim Hortons Field crowd into the game early is important for the Ticats, who have excelled in the first quarter at home this season.
Continue special teams dominance: The Tiger-Cats have had an affinity for big plays on special teams this year, turning the tide of last week’s game with two massive first-quarter plays. Brandon Banks has not had a return TD since Week 2, but he’s had two called back due to penalties and remains as dangerous as ever. Banks and the special teams units have proven they can change the outcome of games, and their contributions will be important this week, as always.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Tiquan Underwood: Underwood will make his first start since Week 4, replacing the team’s leading receiver, Bakari Grant in the Ticats lineup. Grant, who leads the team with 389 receiving yards through six games, will miss the game due to injury, and it will be up to Underwood to fill in the gap. The rookie receiver has 10 receptions for 111 yards in his three games this season.

Justin Hickman: Hickman was relatively quiet until last week, when he exploded for three sacks against the Bombers. Last week’s explosion could be just what the 2011 sack leader needs to get the ball rolling in 2015. The Lions offensive line has allowed just five sacks all season, but the Ticats defensive line has been a force as of late, and they could be the ones to open the floodgates against BC’s o-line.

Zach Collaros: It goes without saying that Collaros is a player worth watching in every game. Collaros has been particularly good in the last three games, throwing for three touchdowns in each game. In his second year as the Ticats starter, Collaros has been much more comfortable in the offence, making smart decisions and throwing the ball very well. Against the league’s worst passing defence, the Ticats quarterback should be able to do some serious damage.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME:

Ticats defensive line vs. Lions offensive line
The battle in the trenches will be integral to the outcome of tonight’s game, as two of the best lines in 2015 go head to head.
The BC Lions offensive line has been solid this season, pushing Andrew Harris to a respectable 5.7 yards per carry and allowing just five sacks through six games.
On the other side of the ball, the Ticats defensive line has been dominant, anchoring down against the run and getting to the quarterback with ferocity. Through six games, the team has allowed just 4.7 yards per carry to opposing running backs, in no small part to strong penetration from the defensive line.
Last week, the trio of Ted Laurent, Eric Norwood and Justin Hickman racked up a combined seven sacks, more than the Lions line has allowed all season. The keys to the game will be to anchor down against the run, and maintain containment on Lions quarterback Travis Lulay, who has the ability to get out of the pocket and gain yards on the ground.

TEAM CONNECTIONS:

The Ticats do not have any players who’ve spent time with the Lions, while just one player on the Lions active roster spent time in Hamilton. Chris Rwabukamba was a fourth round draft choice of the Ticats, playing two seasons with the team. Lions receiver Austin Collie, who was born in Hamilton and whose dad played for the Ticats, will play his first career game in Hamilton on Saturday night.