Hamilton 16, Toronto 12

Sometimes, you just gotta win ugly. That's exactly what the Tiger-Cats accomplished against the Argonauts. Things looked bleak throughout most of the game, and both teams seemed like they didn't even want to win, but in the end, a win is a win is a win. The Cats have now clawed their way back to .500 and enter the bye week on a three-game winning streak.


Positives
All season everyone has been wondering when we'd see the DeAndra' Cobb we came to love last season. While that question has not been emphatically answered, Cobb has strung together two impressive games. He seems to be running the ball with purpose, and he looked hungry and ready to go tonight. Cobb was easily the offense's best weapon tonight, as Toronto succeeded in taking away the passing game. Cobb needed to step up and he did, especially in the latter stages of the game when he was most needed.

I don't think a word exists in the English language for me to describe how great the Tiger-Cat Defense played tonight. The Argos scored 12 points, but they got one on a missed FG and two on a safety the Cats conceded, so the Defense really only gave up nine points. To hold a CFL offense, any CFL offense, to zero touchdowns is remarkable. They held the league's leading rusher, Cory Boyd, in check for most of the game. Just a straight up masterful job by the Tiger-Cat Defense.

I know that no one usually cares about kickers, but I would like to say that I am thrilled that the Cats finally have a Punter in Eric Wilbur. This kid does everything right, and he's a big reason why the Tiger-Cats have consistently won the field-position battle since his arrival three games ago.

I also have to give it up to the Tiger-Cat fans who made the trek to the Rogers Centre SkyDome for the game. When we got loud, we got LOUD! It felt like a home game at the end. I won't say there were more Tiger-Cat fans that Argo fans in attendance, but it sure did feel like it for the final five minutes.

Negatives
The passing game today was not good. I think this was more of the Argos doing everything they could to take away the passing game and forcing the Cats to run with Cobb, but the passing game still left a lot to be desired.

Maurice Mann needs, desperately, to learn how to block. He seems to be afraid of contact, and he needs to correct that or he'll never make it in Steeltown.

Final Thoughts
There are still some chinks in the armour, but a win against the hated Argonauts... in Toronto no less... heading into the bye week... with the rematch set for Labour Day... will make for a happy two weeks.

This is (a) the Cats' first win not against Winnipeg; (b) a second consecutive road victory; (c) a win that puts them two points back of the Argos. This was a big win. I said three weeks ago following the Saskatchewan loss, when the Cats were sitting in last place at 1-4, that for this team to get back in it, they needed to win three of the next five. After three games, they accomplished that mission. Now it's on to grander things. Second place, winning the season series and winning on Labour Day can all be accomplished with the next victory. That would give them the tiebreaker over the Argonauts, which could be handy come November.

But that's getting a little ahead of ourselves. Let's just sit back and savour what my compadres and I call a "Double Win." It's a double win because it is a win for the Tiger-Cats and a loss for the Argonauts.

I think saying that this was a terrible game with a great ending, and fantastic outcome, would be the best way to describe what went down in Toronto on Friday evening.