The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-9) and the Toronto Argonauts (6-7) are the two hottest teams in the East Division. The Ticats have won three of their last four games and have leap-frogged Montreal to climb out of the league’s basement. The Argos are coming off their first back-to-back wins of the season and sit atop the tight East Division standings. With the Ballard Cup on the line, the Ticats hope to topple the Argos and inch closer to a playoff spot.
The Argos thoroughly pounded the Alouettes at BMO Field last week. Toronto found success despite Ricky Ray’s mediocre performance, throwing for less than 200 yards and a single touchdown.
One reason the Argos were still able to be successful was the outstanding play from running back James Wilder Junior. Brandon Whitaker, who has been unproductive this season in the starting role, has been sidelined with injury since the Labour Day Classic in week 11. Wilder Jr has stepped up in his absence in a big way, and his numbers in his last two starts have been nothing short of incredible. One might even say unsustainable. In the last two games, Wilder Jr has rushed for a combined 331 yards on the ground, 144 yards through the air, and two touchdowns. That’s a breakneck pace, and one that will have to come to an end sometime.
A focus for the Ticats will have to be stifling Wilder Jr as he has accounted for a large part of the Argos offence in their last two wins.
Toronto isn’t the only team with a running back who seized his starting chance in place of an injured starter.
C.J. Gable was sidelined for a game because he was a little banged up. Alex Green stepped in against the Lions and played brilliantly.
Green, a former Green Bay Packer draft pick, was with the Ticats during training camp but was released prior to the start of the season. Green re-signed with the Tiger-Cats on September 12th. He seemed to acclimate quickly, and after just a short time with the Ticats he stepped in and posted big numbers in BC.
Green ran for 140 yards, another 15 through the air, and looked serviceable in pass protection, an area of his game that some speculated could be an issue prior to kickoff.
He wasn’t the only brand-new Ticat that played well last week. Shamawd Chambers was acquired in a trade on September 17th. He showed up in Hamilton, learned the offence, and was an integral part of the Ticats’ offence against BC, all in the span of five days.
With the addition of Chambers and the potential return of Andy Fantuz, the Ticats’ receiving corps is looking like a threatening bunch.
Fantuz feels ready to go, and he wants to be on the field against the Argos. Although his expected time of return was supposed to be week 16, Head Coach June Jones has stated that he may put him out there if he’s cleared by the medical staff.
Other injured Ticats, defensive tackle Mike Atkinson and defensive back Abdul Kanneh, were out on the practice field this week. Their return could be forthcoming. Kanneh is healthy and may see game action against the Argos, and Atkinson’s timeline has yet to be established.
Returning talent and shining back-ups should make for a thrilling game when the Ticats take on the Argos at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday.
