Pre-Game Breakdown: Ticats vs. Roughriders

The Tiger-Cats (8-5) and Roughriders (2-12) will meet at Tim Hortons Field on Friday, in what will be the second of two meetings this season.
The Ticats enter the game on their first two-game losing streak of the 2015 season, following a difficult loss to the Calgary Stampeders. Hamilton hung tight all game against the CFL’s current top team, holding a six-point lead into the final two minutes of the game. Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes notched both the game-tying and game-winning field goals with under one minute to play, leading Calgary to a 23-20 win.
Despite the tough result, the Ticats showed some positive signs in the contest. First and foremost, the depleted offensive line which was missing three starting players allowed just two sacks to a strong Stamps pass rush. Additionally, the running game received a boost from running back Michael Ford, who chipped in 117 all-purpose yards. Finally, the defence held the Stampeders powerful offence to just one touchdown in the contest, forcing the West Division leaders to attempt seven field goals in the game.
The Roughriders enter Friday’s game all-but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but playing for pride down the stretch. The Riders come into the game following a blowout loss to the Lions, a game in which they manufactured just 15 first downs and over 30 yards less than their season average of 353.5 yards per game. Saskatchewan’s offence turned the ball over twice in the first half of the game, scoring just five points as Lions rookie quarterback Jonathon Jennings threw for two touchdowns and over 250 yards in the first 30 minutes. Jennings threw for two more touchdown passes and caught another in the third quarter, vaulting the Lions to a 40-5 lead, a hole that the Riders could not climb out of as they fell 46-20.
Coming into this week’s contest, the Riders are not technically eliminated from the playoffs, but they need a ton of help to get there. For Saskatchewan to sneak into the post-season they’ll require a win tonight and in all three of their following games, along with help from three other teams. BC must lose all five of their remaining games, Winnipeg must win this week and lose their final four games and Montreal must lose at least four of their final five games.
Today’s home game against Saskatchewan will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. To catch all the action tune into TSN or TSN 1150, and be sure to visit the Ticats Gameday Live Stream for the most comprehensive in-game coverage possible. To further enhance your game-watching experience sign up for Ticats All Access to play the GameDay Predictor Challenge!

TIGER-CATS HISTORY AGAINST SASKATCHEWAN

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Cut down turnovers: The Ticats enter the game with a -7 turnover ratio in the last two games, their first back-to-back losses of the season. The previous 11 games saw the Ticats rack up a +22 turnover ratio, and in order to snap the brief skid they’ve been on they’ll need to get back to winning the takeaway battle. The +15 ratio that Hamilton holds heading into the game remains the top value in the CFL by far, but a return to the positive column will go a long way in winning on Friday night.
Find a way to win the close one: There’s no guarantee that Friday’s game will be close, considering the fact that the Ticats have been involved in more blowouts than any other team in the league this season. The Riders, on the other hand, have been involved in more close games than any other team in the league; however, Hamilton and Saskatchewan are a combined 0-11 in games decided by 0-4 points. If this game comes down to the wire, the Ticats must find a way to win their first close game of the season, rather than allowing their counterparts to do so.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Eric Norwood: The Ticats relentless defensive end returns from injury after missing the last four games with a lower body injury. Norwood’s return comes at just the right time, as the Ticats lost his replacement Adrian Tracy to injury in last week’s game and were unable to record a single sack in last week’s game. The third-year CFLer enters the game having recorded sacks in four of five games he’s played in this season, with a total of five on the season. In five games this season Norwood has made 18 tackles and returned two fumbles for touchdowns, he’ll be a welcome sight for fans and teammates alike on Friday.

Jalil Carter: After entering last week’s game on just three days of practice with the team, Jalil Carter comes into this week with a full week under his belt. Carter did not make a tackle in his Ticats debut, but he should factor much more significantly into this week’s matchup. Listed as a starter at corner, Carter figures to play more defensive snaps and have a bigger impact on this week’s game. Look for the dynamic corner to contribute against both the pass and the run as the Ticats and Roughriders face off on Friday night.

Namaan Roosevelt: Roosevelt has made just eight receptions over the last three games, but they’ve gone for a total of 231 yards and two touchdowns. The rookie has been a big-play receiver for the Riders from the slot, but with Chris Getzlaf returning to the lineup for the green and white, Roosevelt’s role will be something worth keeping an eye on.

Kevin Glenn: Glenn turned the ball over three times in last week’s game, twice in the first half, as the Riders went down by 35 points midway through the third quarter. Backup quarterback Brett Smith entered the game and led three drives for one touchdown and 111 yards, but it will be Glenn that takes the field for the Riders on Friday night. The veteran quarterback owns a career record of 14-7 against the Ticats, his best against any CFL team, and he’ll look to get back on track against his former team after a rough game in BC.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME:

Michael Ford vs. Jerome Messam
Michael Ford gained 117 yards of offence in Week 15 against the Stampeders and he’ll get the start at running back for the second straight week. Ford gained five yards per carry on the ground last weekend, rushing for 50 yards while adding another 67 yards through the air.
The rookie CFLer managed last week’s performance on just four days of practice, and it will be interesting to see what he’ll be able to do with more practice time and against a weaker run defence.
On the other side of the field sits the CFL’s number one running back, Jerome Messam, who has rushed for one yard less than league-leader Andrew Harris (819) and has the most yards from scrimmage of any player in the CFL this season (1,269).
Messam enters the game following a 100+ yard performance in his last game as well, after amassing 108 yards against the Lions.
Messam is a dual-threat as a runner and as a receiver; and while the Ticats held him to just 23 total yards in their first meeting, they’re coming off of a game in which they allowed 154 yards to running back Jon Cornish.
Both teams’ running backs enter the game on a roll and both will have the potential to do some damage against the opposing defence. The matchup between Michael Ford and Jerome Messam will most definitely have an impact on the outcome of tonight’s game.

TEAM CONNECTIONS:

Two prominent Ticats players, Andy Fantuz (85 games) and Craig Butler (57 games), spent significant time with the Riders before coming to Hamilton. Other than the two veteran leaders, no player on the Ticats roster has spent time as a member of Saskatchewan’s team.

On the other side of the field, there are just three former Ticats on the opposition’s roster. Most notably, quarterback Kevin Glenn, who played 54 regular season games in Hamilton, starting in 42 of them, while also playing in four playoff games with the team. Michael Carter (4 games) and Hamilton draft pick Chris Getzlaf (2 games), are the other two players with Ticats experience.