So the Ticats have proven that they can thrash the Argos this season after the 45 to 21 beating down at lovely Ivor Wynne. Get the brooms out for Labour Day (if security allows them in, which is unlikely). No Printers, no Lumsden and no Miles either which is a positive. Plus we win the Ballard Cup, which nobody can seem to remember. Plus we still have three games left against Winnipeg.
We also finally scored a receiving TD, by the unlikely fullback Robert Pavlovic. On a nice bit of play calling too, when the big guys went in and everyone expected a run and Pavlovic was wide open. Followed by two more receiving TDs. When it rains it pours.
On offense, Richie Williams was superb in relief of Casey Printers, going 15 of 24 for 293 yards and three TDs and 59 yards on 8 rushing attempts. The completion rate was ok at 62.5 %. Terry Cauley in at running back was solid with 127 yards on 14 attempts, proving that the Argos can't stop the run. Perhaps other CFL teams should take note of the double Blue team's suckiness in that regard. Cauley made a couple of plays showing off his elusiveness, where he seemed to be surely doomed, but somehow kept going and racking up the yards. Again, perhaps Argo run defence suckiness. I guess the Cat line is sometimes good at run blocking. No Jonta Woodard (who used to live in my apartment building) at tackle either. Hmmm.
For the receivers, I know I've mocked him, the Cats have cut him, but JoJo (my name doesn't help me on the resume) Walker was the leading receiver with 86 yards on 5 catches. Way to go JoJo. Hopefully you won't get booted out of the lineup when Miles comes back. Mitchell was next at 81 yards on three catches (I can't remember if he dropped one in the first half). Bauman had a nice TD reception for 63 yards too. Seven Cats had receptions.
Pass blocking, the Cats weren't too bad, with only a couple of sacks against them. Rempel came into to play for the injured Hudson at guard in the second half and didn't look too bad to me (ie give up multiple obvious sacks). With Hudson injured, the Cats are pretty weak for Canadian offensive line talent.
On defence, the Cats looked mediocre in the first half, where Kerry Joseph seemed to be able to complete fat crossing routes at will, especially during their last minute of the half drive for a TD. However the Cats managed to mostly shut down Joseph in the second half (no doubt helped by Joseph's propensity to make goofy throws along the line of scrimmage that were nowhere near the receiver) and also bagged two interceptions, one for a TD. Inexplicably, Joseph only ran for 31 yards on three attempts. Not good Argo strategy. The Cat line had some decent pressure, with some surprisingly well called blitzes. As per usual, the Argo running game did nothing. Perhaps if recent NFL cut and Harvard graduate and Canadian Clifton Dawson signs with the Argos (who have his rights), they still won't have a running game.
All in all a pretty solid victory and the Cats first win at home this year and a mighty two and four over their last six games. Winnipeg lies ahead on the road and is currently even worse than Hamilton. If Hamilton wins that game, we'll be a 500 road team and perhaps back in the race for a playoff spot. Amazing.
Biggest disappointment: when Quinton Porter went in to mop up at QB, instead of Chang. Timmy! I still believe!
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