BC 23, Hamilton 21

All I can do is shake my head. This game was Hamilton's for the taking. They got off to a very hot start, but couldn't sustain it throughout the game. If this happens next week...

But in a game that meant nothing in the standings, there was some good to be taken away. There was some bad as well, but one thing that happened has me wondering if it was the best thing that could have happened one week prior to facing the Argos.

Positives
The talk going into the game was about revenge; the talk after the game might be about retribution.

First on the docket is Maurice Mann. With Arland Bruce out once again, someone had to step up. Today, it was Maurice Mann. He had six catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. His first TD catch was an absolute thing of beauty. A spectacular one-handed catch that had many jumping out of their seats.

The other guy who had a nice game was Chris Bauman. That's two big games in a row at home for Bauman. Hopefully the team utilizes Bauman more next week against Toronto. Though with Arland Bruce back, Bauman won't see as much playing time.

Some year-end kudos are also in order.

Congrats to Kevin Glenn on surpassing 5,000 yards passing. It's the second time Glenn has surpassed that number (2007 with Winnipeg), and he's only the second Tiger-Cat to reach the 5,000-yard plateau (Danny McManus in 1999 and 2004). Glenn finished with exactly 5,100 yards on the season. He also extended his Tiger-Cat record for TD passes by throwing three more to take the mark to 33.

Congrats to Dave Stala for cracking the 1,000-yard receiving mark for only the second time in his career (2005 with Montreal), and he set a personal mark for catches, with 86 (his previous high was 83 in 2005), and touchdowns, with six (five in 2005). This was easily Stala's best season of his eight-year career.

Negatives
I know it's small, but Marquay McDaniel falling six yards short of 1,000 is criminal. A lot of the blame can be placed squarely on McDaniel, as he dropped a number of catchable passes that would have put him over 1,000. The Cats did try to force the ball to McDaniel in the second half, but he finished just shy of the mark. Maybe next year.

The Offense seemed to lose all their mojo coming out after half time. They didn't score a single point and had a heck of a time sustaining a drive. Glenn did throw a brutal interception deep in BC territory (on a play where it looked like he was trying to force it to McDaniel), which could have been the difference between winning and losing.

Dropped passes were also a big problem, especially from DeAndra' Cobb and Marquay McDaniel. Those drops came at very inopportune times for the Cats.

The Defense was shredded numerous times when Jamal Robertson went out into the flat and to catch passes. The Cats did not pick up on that wrinkle in BC's game plan at all. However, this may be a blessing in disguise (what I was alluding to earlier) because this will very much be a part of Toronto's game plan next week, so BC may have done a disservice to the Argos by allowing the Cats to make the necessary changes after being beat time and time again on check downs to the Running Back.

Not that it had any real outcome on the game, but once again Andre Proulx showed why he and his crew are the worst in the CFL. Two calls on Otis Floyd were brutal: the "late hit" on Lulay that was nowhere near late, and the "unnecessary roughness" call when Lulay was still very much in bounds and Floyd grabbed Lulay by the shoulder pad and flung him out of bounds. However, the worst call was the "unnecessary roughness" call on Jamall Johnson when he tackled the BC player in bounds and rolled with him out of bounds. The fact that Proulx still continues to officiate games boggles my mind.

Final Thoughts
By no means is this an excuse, but this game meant nothing to the Cats. Win or lose, the Cats were still hosting the East Division Semi-Final against Toronto next week. BC needed this game and didn't play particularly well. Hamilton came out like a house on fire, scoring on their first possession, but seemed to get complacent and stopped giving a damn. If this was at mid-season, this type of performance would be troubling. However, with everything sewn up, it could just be a case of the team losing that edge that one needs to have in order to win a game. I'm sure some will say that you can't turn the switch on and off like that, but it doesn't seem to have hurt the Als in the past decade.

I don't like the fact that Hamilton did not go for the kill, but I'm not ready to jump off the ledge because of it. They played a much better game this week than they did last week, and Hamilton will play a team that is much more similar to BC than Calgary next week.

And that brings us to next week. I, like everyone I was with, cannot wait for next week's game. I expect that I will be without a voice for the better part of a week following next week's playoff game against the Argos. Even after this loss, my confidence in the Cats next week is unwavering.

Next week, everything gets.... TURNT UP! (Those who know, know what I'm talking about when I say, "TURNT UP!")

So let's put this one behind us all and focus everything we can on next week's tilt with the Argos, with a birth in the East Division Final on the line. Is there anything better than Argos-Ti-Cats at Ivor Wynne in the playoffs? I think not.

Preview: Lions (7-10) at Tiger-Cats (9-8)

vs.

Playoff spot? Check. Home playoff game? Check. Opponent known? Check.

For the first time in a very long time, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will play a meaningless regular-season game, but for a good reason. Over the last 10 years we've seen the Cats play many meaningless games because they were eliminated from playoff contention, but I cannot recall the last time the Tabbies played a meaningless game because they had already clinched everything.

For the Lions, this game means everything. Win, and there is still a glimmer of hope regarding the playoffs. Lose, and it's all over.

There is some bad blood between these two teams based on events of the past 12 months. One day less than 51 weeks ago, the Lions came into Hamilton and eliminated the Cats from the playoffs. Less than two months ago, Ti-Cat O-Lineman Jason Jimenez took a cheap shot at Lion D-Lineman Brent Johnson. There was a bit of a hubbub over the hit for about a week, with some members of the Lions vowing revenge.

Despite what Head Coach Marcel Bellefeuille says, I would expect to see backups play in the second half. There is no point in getting players hurt when absolutely nothing is on the line.

This is the final regular-season home game for the Cats, and it is also Fan Appreciation Day. Hopefully there will be plenty of people coming to the park. But, if you can't make it, there is always AM900 CHML and Y108 for you radio listeners, or TSN and TSN HD for you television buffs.

Smitty's Selections: Week 19

Here we are. A journey that began on Canada Day is now at its end. The playoffs are on the horizon, but the regular season ends this weekend. I have watched more CFL games this season than in any other season. I always liked the CFL a great deal, but this season I realized I love the CFL. This has just been a great season, and I hope the playoffs provide a nice cap to what has been the most enjoyable season of CFL football I have ever witnessed. The only sad part is that only two teams have anything to play for this weekend. Luckily they aren't playing each other, though that would have made for one awesome ending with the game feeling like a playoff matchup.

Calgary (12-5) at Winnipeg (4-13)

This is a pride game for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They have battled hard throughout the 2010 season for first-year Head Coach Paul LaPolice. They have lost an astounding number of games by four points or less, and the pieces are there for them to be a really good team next season. However, the best of those building blocks, QB Steven Jyles, is not there. Calgary will probably play a lot of their backups, but I'll take Calgary's backup QB over Winnipeg's fourth-string QB.

Winner: Calgary, 31-21

British Columbia (7-10) at Hamilton (9-8)

For two teams that do not play each other very often, there seems to be a lot of bad blood between them. A lot of ex-Lions play for the Tiger-Cats (Otis Floyd, Markeith Knowlton, Jamall Johnson and Jason Jimenez, to name four), and there is still the anger over the Lions knocking the Cats out of the playoffs last season, at least among the fan base. The Lions are mad at Jason Jimenez for taking a cheap shot at Brent Johnson during their last contest, in BC, in September. At any rate, I think the Cats will come out wanting to make up for last week's butt whooping, as well as put the final nail in the coffin of the BC Lions' 2010 season.

Winner: Hamilton, 34-24

Edmonton (7-10) at Saskatchewan (9-8)

Since I have the Tiger-Cats winning above, this game would be replayed next week, with much more serious consequences. I think once both teams are aware that the Lions have lost, the game plans will be altered to not show too much in anticipation of the rematch the following week. As odd as this sounds, the Riders will need this more than the Eskimos. Four losses in a row, two of them at home, is not the way one wants to enter the post-season.

Winner: Saskatchewan, 27-21

Toronto (8-9) at Montreal (12-5)

All signs point to this being an Argo win. Anthony Calvillo will sit this one out, with Adrian McPherson getting the start for Montreal. Toronto had last week's game in their hands, and Cleo Lemon threw it away, literally. His end-of-the-third-quarter interception was the turning point that allowed Montreal to get back into last week's contest. That won't be repeated this week, but that's because the Argos won't be that close.

Winner: Montreal, 33-20

Recap
Calgary, Hamilton, Saskatchewan, Montreal

The thing with this week's picks is that the dominoes will fall much differently if the Lions beat the Cats on Saturday afternoon. That is the linchpin of my Roughrider selection. If the Leos topple the Tabbies, then Edmonton will be forced to go all out, and in that case I would take the Eskimos. But I'm putting it down on my boys from Steeltown to want to avenge last week's embarrassment in Calgary, which means that the Eskies will have nothing to play for, and neither will Saskatchewan, but I doubt they want to go into the playoffs on a five-game losing streak.

Season Record: 36-32

Ti-Cat Tidbits

No one big story today, but a few little ones courtesy of a couple of sources.

First, as I wrote on Sunday, Bo Smith is done for the season. Also done for the year is Matt Kirk with an ankle injury, and Matt Carter may be out for the remainder of the year with a foot injury. Add in Arland Bruce's no-show due to a hamstring injury the last two weeks and the Cats are starting to get hit with injuries at the worst possible time.

Secondly, Jason Shivers is looking like the guy who will replace Bo Smith in the lineup for the Cats. Shivers's return pushes Geoff Tisdale back to corner, while Shivers takes the Inside Halfback spot.

Finally, TSN released the results of a player poll taken on a number of subjects, and Tiger-Cat QB Kevin Glenn was voted the most underrated player in the league. Glenn garnered 17.1% of the vote. TSN did not release who any of the runners up were.

I am not surprised that Glenn would be named most underrated. He was unceremoniously dumped by Winnipeg following the 2008 season. He came to Hamilton as a backup in 2009, and did not gain the starting job until late in the 2009 season. Since then, Glenn has been masterful, breaking Tiger-Cat single-season records in 2010. Glenn is probably the most underappreciated player in the CFL, but there is no doubt that a Grey Cup ring would change all that.

Morning-After Thoughts (Week 18)

One week. That's all that is left. We have seen 68 games start and finish, and we sit on the precipice of finality with only four more games to go in the 2010 CFL Regular Season. I have to say this has been one of the most enjoyable Canadian Football League seasons I can remember. I have watched more CFL games this season than in any other, mostly because of this blog. I have re-found my love for the CFL, and as much as I'm sad to see this season near its end, I can't wait for the 2011 season to begin. Here's to an amazing final nine games (including the playoffs and Grey Cup). Now, on to this week's thoughts.

1. Is there any player as electrifying as Chad Owens? The guy is just awesome. Why Montreal ever thought of getting rid of him is beyond me. He has the Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award in the bag, but there has been a groundswell of support for his inclusion in the Most Outstanding Player award conversation. Whether he gets that nomination or not, Chad Owens has been one of the most outstanding players in 2010.
2. There have been a lot, and I mean a lot, of bad interceptions thrown this season, but I think Cleo Lemon's interception at end of the third quarter to Mark Estelle, which took place deep in Montreal territory when the Argos were looking to put the proverbial foot on the throat, may have been the most inexcusable. That was the turning point of the game. There is no excuse for throwing that ball. A Pee-Wee QB would know to eat it and take the sack. Lemon is not some kid fresh out of college either; he's played in both the NFL and CFL. He was taught a very long time ago to take the sack. Indefensible throw by a QB who is showing that Jim Barker's faith might be misplaced.
3. I absolutely loved the uniforms and helmets that the Alouettes were wearing on Friday night. The white helmets looked fantastic.
4. I know they won the game, and I know they are 12-4 with a first-round bye, but does anyone else feel like the Montreal Alouettes just don't have the same jump in their step that they usually have? I know the end of the season is typically swoon time for the Als, but that hasn't been the case under Marc Trestman. Montreal is still the favourite to go to the Grey Cup from the East Division, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't. They just seem... off.
5. Want to know how to beat Montreal? Here's the secret: score first. In the twelve games where the Als have scored first, they are 12-0. In the four games where their opponent has scored first, they are 0-4. I guess we'll know who is going to the Grey Cup very early on November 21st.
6. The ending to the Montreal-Toronto game was one of the all-time great endings to a CFL game. If you haven't seen it, go watch a replay. It was amazing. Words cannot do it justice. It must be seen to be believed.
7. I know Alberta tends to be a little colder than Southern Ontario, but was it really necessary for Dave Stala to dress like he was about to ride a Tauntaun out into the harsh weather of Hoth to find Luke Skywalker? Seriously, I half expected him to fight a Wampa before the game was over.
8. So much for all the streaks emanating from Hamilton. The TD-less streak, the winning streak, my shaveless streak. All up in smoke.
9. Brandon Browner is constantly cited as being the best cover corner in the CFL. He has made that reputation by shutting down many of the top Receivers. But watching him closely, I noticed that he gets away with an awful lot of pass interference. Go back and watch the Stamps game against Montreal in Calgary when Browner shut down Jamel Richardson. He held Richardson on pretty much every play. That's not what I would call a good or great cover man. It's what I call someone whose reputation helps him with the zebras.
10. I hate Dwight Anderson. That's all, I just wanted to say that.
11. If Philip Hunt played for a team in playoff contention, his name would be mentioned as a sure-fire, damn-near lock for Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Hunt has recorded at least one sack in 10 consecutive games. That's incredible, and Hunt needs to get more publicity for such a feat.
12. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will not be a participant in the 2010 CFL Playoffs. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers could very well end up with the league's top rusher (Fred Reid), top receiver (Terrence Edwards) and top sack master (Philip Hun). How a team could have all three of those and still miss the playoffs is beyond me. Just shows how hard luck the Bombers have been this season.
13. I like a lot of what I see in Jared Zabransky, but he still has a lot to learn. One such area is ball protection. Zabransky has ten interceptions in 100 pass attempts. That's not good. Extrapolate that out to how many throws he'd have during a full season as starter and it gets even worse. Of course, with more experience come fewer interceptions, but the number is still very striking.
14. The wild endings didn't end in Toronto. The Eskimos and Bombers staged a game for the ages... the Stone Ages. It was one of the dullest games I can remember, but the final few minutes were absolutely thrilling. Just goes to show you, never turn off a CFL game, because you never know what might happen.
15. Another undoing of the Bombers (aside from their record in games decided by four points or less) is the fact that they did not win a single game on the road this season. Winnipeg finish 2010 at 0-9 on the road. If the Bombers can just go around .500, let's say 4-5, they are 8-9 right now and possibly headed to Regina on the 14th of November.
16. Four losses in a row. The Saskatchewan Roughriders, many people's pick to win the Grey Cup this season, have lost four consecutive games. I am sorry, but they do not look like a team that can win a playoff game, let alone three. They are in a world of trouble if they don't fix their problems now!
17. Earlier this season, someone wrote that they thought Darian Durant was on his way to becoming the next Doug Flutie. First, that is about as ridiculous as saying someone will be the next Joe Montana or Bobby Orr. Secondly, even if we all thought Durant could be "Flutie good," his performance this season shows that he still has a long way to go. Right now I'd say he is probably the fourth or fifth best QB in the league, at best. He is absolutely behind Anthony Calvillo, Henry Burris and Kevin Glenn. He's also probably behind Ricky Ray. That puts him ahead of whatever QB Winnipeg trots out, BC's Travis Lulay and Toronto's Cleo Lemon. If Durant doesn't start showing better results, he could find himself behind Lulay (and perhaps Steven Jyles, if the Bombers decide to go with him) by this time next season.
18. What Chad Owens is doing for the Argonauts, Yonus Davis is doing for the Lions. Whenever the Leos need a spark, Davis provides it. In any other year, he'd win the award for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. But with Chad Owens doing what he's doing, Davis will likely have to settle for the West Division nomination.
19. With the Lions done the home portion of their schedule, that means we bid adieu to Empire Field. The renovations at BC Place should be done before the 2011 CFL season kicks off, so the Saskatchewan-BC game was the last one played there. The Lions will be happy to see the inside of BC Place again. Empire Field was none too kind to the Leos. BC finished an awful 3-6 at home in 2010. No wonder they're still fighting for their playoff lives.
20. My goal when I decided to make predictions on the 2010 CFL season was to go no worse than .500. With my 2-2 record in Week 18, I guarantee myself of at least that in the regular season. My overall record stands at 36-32, and with only four games left, the worst I can finish is 36-36. Now, with five playoff games still in the mix, I can still finish below .500 if I'm way off on my playoff predictions, but my regular-season record is guaranteed to be at what I thought my bare minimum would be.