3 Keys: Ticats vs. Redblacks

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are going to have an opportunity to make history on Saturday night when the Ottawa Redblacks come to town. With a bye into the East Final already locked up, Hamilton will be looking to make history, but not at the expense of the ultimate goal. These are the 3 Keys for Ticats vs. Redblacks.
 
Franchise History
The Ticats equaled the franchise record with 12 wins after their 42-12 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos on Oct. 4. This week, they’ll have a chance to break that record which has stood since 1998.
While some may point to this as a “meaningless game” Ticats Head Coach Orlondo Steinauer disagrees with that notion.
“For us they’re still meaningful. We don’t think we’re good enough right now to win an eastern division championship. We still have work to do, both in the classroom and on the field.”
Steinauer added that your record doesn’t matter when it comes to the playoffs.
“We could be 18-0 and it wouldn’t matter.” He continued. “The ultimate goal is for the confetti to fall.”
 
Home-field advantage
To borrow a phrase from Forge FC, Tim Hortons Field has been a fortress for the Ticats this season. At 7-0, they’re currently undefeated at home with a real chance to finish the season 9-0.
We know how loud this building can get for big games and the players notice it too. It’s hard to hear yourself think when the Tigertown faithful are at their loudest and it’s hard to discount the impact that has had on the perfect record so far this season.
 
Stay Healthy
These next three things will be somewhat like preseason games for the Ticats. You want to go through your routine, play hard and compete but you want to get through as close to healthy as possible.
One player that the Ticats may look to get a lot of reps is running back Tyrell Sutton. After being signed at the beginning of September, Sutton was named the Ticats’ starter for their Oct. 4, game against Edmonton after serving as a backup the week earlier in Winnipeg. Should Sutton remain the starter for the rest of the season, he could be one of the rare running backs to go into the playoffs with only a little wear and tear.