Pre-Game Breakdown: Ticats at Argos

The Tiger-Cats (7-3) and Argonauts (6-4) will face off for the second time in four days, as the Ticats take a trip down the QEW to finish off the season series in Toronto.
Monday’s Labour Day Classic was a second straight blowout by the Ticats, as they topped the Argos 42-12 at Tim Hortons Field. Zach Collaros led the Ticats offence to scores on their first five offensive drives of the game (3 TDs, 2 FGs) and threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns over the course of the game. Terrell Sinkfield, Terrence Toliver and Luke Tasker all had gaudy receiving stat-lines, while Ray Holley recorded a season-high 84 rushing yards in the game. The Ticats defence was tough on the Argos passing offence, holding the double blue to 242 yards of total offence while recording five pass knockdowns and an interception.
In two home games against the Argos in 2015, Hamilton has outscored their rivals by a total of 76-30 and they’ll head to Toronto on Friday looking to complete the season series sweep. The last time that one of these two teams won every game in a three-game season series came in 2010, when the Ticats swept the Argos.
Today’s road game in Toronto will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. To catch all the action from home, tune into TSN or Hamilton’s first all-sports radio station TSN 1150. To enhance your game-watching experience be sure to sign up for Ticats All Access to play the GameDay Predictor Challenge!

TIGER-CATS HISTORY AGAINST TORONTO

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Force second-and-long: The Ticats defence consistently forced the Argos into second-and-long situations in Monday’s game. On 13 occasions the Argos offence was tasked with gaining six or more yards on second down. Half the battle in shutting down an opposing offence is limiting the first down production, forcing them into a one-dimensional situation on second down. With six or more yards to gain, it’s easy to commit to defending the pass, and that’s exactly what the Ticats were able to do in the last meeting. Forcing more of these scenarios in Week 12 will be key for the Black and Gold defence.
Protect the quarterback: Last week’s game was a shining example of what happens when Zach Collaros is able to do when he’s given time with the ball. Collaros was kept on his feet for most of the game, and hence was on the money all game long. If the Ticats offensive line and running backs can perform as well as they did in pass protection for the second straight week, Hamilton’s quarterback should be able to go back to work and replicate his Week 11 performance from the pocket.
Win on specials: It’s gone relatively unnoticed for most of the season, but a large factor in the Ticats’ success this season has been due to their dominance in all three phases of the game. The offence and defence have both performed well, but it’s the special teams units that have rounded out that effort into a dominant team. Special teams play is integral to the field position battle and ultimately the final score; it’s not even necessarily about scoring touchdowns but rather limiting any significant plays from the opposition. The Ticats continuing their consistently high level of play on specials could wind up being the difference on Friday night.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Zach Collaros: Collaros has been the best quarterback in the league up until this point of the season, and last game was his best performance yet. In two games against the Argos, Collaros has thrown for 629 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions; he’s shown the ability to move the ball consistently against his former team and there’s no reason that shouldn’t continue on Friday night. With another big divisional game on the line in Toronto, watch for Collaros to elevate his game yet again.

Cleshawn Page/Brandon Stewart: The duo of rookie and veteran defensive backs will be tasked with filling in for the injured Rico Murray, who was sent to the six-game injured list following Monday’s game. Page has not yet seen a snap in the CFL, while Stewart is one of the most experienced players on the Ticats roster having played 100 games in the league. Page and Stewart bring different skill-sets to the table and thus will likely both be called upon in specific situations. This game is an opportunity for the secondary to prove that its depth, especially against a strong Toronto receiving core.

Terrell Sinkfield Jr.: Terrell Sinkfield has been on an absolute tear as of late, recording over 100 yards and two touchdowns in two of the last three games. Since he returned to the lineup four games ago, Sinkfield has totalled 306 receiving yards and four touchdowns, and he’s not showing any signs of slowing down. Sinkfield credits the breakout with an increased level of confidence and comfort between himself and Collaros. Now that they’re on the same page, look for Sinkfield to let his off-the-charts athleticism take over.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME:

Zach Collaros vs. Trevor Harris
Tonight’s game features a head-to-head between two of the premier quarterbacks in the league right now. Both Zach Collaros and Trevor Harris have been efficient and effective in 2015, but despite the similarities in their level of production they are in different situations right now.
Collaros leads the league in passing yards (3,032), touchdowns (22), 2nd-down conversions (74), 30+ yard passes (20) and quarterback efficiency (114.1). He has been smart with the ball over the course of the season, averaging three touchdowns per interception. Collaros is the indisputable number one quarterback and leader in Hamilton and he unquestionably factors into the team’s success moving forward.
Harris has had similar success statistically in 2015, ranking third in the CFL in passing yards (2,664), second in touchdown passes (20) and efficiency (109.7), and first in the league in completion percentage (74.0%) Yet despite all his success with the Argos offence and the 6-4 record this season, Harris faces competition at the quarterback position in Toronto. Ricky Ray is on his way back from injury and already dressing for the Argos, and the team may be inclined to start the veteran regardless of Harris’ success.
Collaros and Harris are two of the most adept QBs at performing under pressure from the opposing defence, and both have been incredibly efficient in all circumstances this season. The matchup between the two premier pivots and Ricky Ray understudies will be exciting to watch and will undoubtedly provide for some great football.

TEAM CONNECTIONS:

A handful of players on the Tiger-Cats roster have spent time with the double blue. Zach Collaros and Justin Medlock each spent multiple seasons with the Argos. Anthony Woodson, Terrell Sinkfield and Donald Washington each also spent time in Toronto, prior to joining the Ticats.

On the other side of the field, there are three former Ticats on the opposition’s roster. Hamilton’s very own, receiver Dave Stala (2009-13) spent five seasons on the team’s roster, while offensive lineman Wayne Smith (2004-06, 2011) and linebacker Brandon Isaac (2013) have also spent time in the Black and Gold.