Eric Norwood came to play
Norwood was one of my defensive players to watch on the Ticats and he did not disappoint in Saturday’s contest. The Ticats defensive end had a monstrous game on Saturday, making a number of impact plays against the Redblacks. Norwood began his big day with a massive hit on Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris, bringing the veteran quarterback to the turf for a big loss.
The third-year defensive end followed up the sack with an interception in the second quarter of the game. With the Ticats trailing 17-3, he picked off Henry Burris and returned the ball to the Redblacks one-yard line to set up the Black and Gold’s first major of the afternoon. Although the final outcome was disappointing, Norwood stepped up with a big performance on defence and made a difference for the Ticats.
Jeremiah Masoli’s poised play gives Hamilton a shot
Masoli entered the game with the Ticats trailing 17-3, spelling off Jacory Harris for a couple of wildcat plays. The change-of-pace plays seemed to spark the Ticats offence as Masoli grabbed hold of the quarterback job and never looked back. Masoli led the team to 17 consecutive points, pushing the Ticats to a 20-17 lead heading into halftime.
Overall, the Ticats quarterback finished the game with 111 passing yards, 27 rushing yards and two touchdowns; the performance was not groundbreaking but Masoli’s calm and composed play breathed life into Hamilton’s offence and gave them a shot at winning the game.
Read option plays a work in progress
The Ticats tailored their offensive game plan around their two mobile quarterbacks, working a number of read-option plays into the mix. While Masoli’s poised play in the pocket was a huge positive for the Ticats, the execution of the read-option plays was far from smooth and cost the team on a number of occasions. Whether it was because of a defensive player running free in the backfield and wreaking havoc on the play, or a simple miscommunication between the quarterback and running back, the exchanges on the play were sloppy and resulted in two turnovers by the offence.
Penalties make the difference
It can be debated all day whether or not all of the penalties called against the Ticats on Saturday were merited, but their impact on the outcome of the game can not be disputed. Hamilton was penalised 13 times for 130 yards in the game while the Redblacks were flagged just four times for 20 yards of infractions. Penalties impact the flow of the offence, extend offensive drives for opponents and most importantly, they impact the field position battle in the game. If they want another shot against Ottawa, the Ticats must find a way to limit their penalties in next weekend’s East Semi-Final.
