Steve Milton: First CFL game back is one of many big themes as Tiger-Cats play Blue Bombers
Hamilton Tiger Cats (0-0) vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-0) Thursday, Aug. 5, 8:30 p.m. (ET) IG Field Winnipeg
Storyline
The main storyline is so overarching - the first CFL game played in 620 days - that a lot of other major themes are huddled together under its canopy. A rematch of the last Grey Cup, which passed the longest-Cup drought baton from Winnipeg to Hamilton. One starting quarterback (Jeremiah Masoli) who replaced the other (Zach Collaros) in Hamilton. The first chock-full Canadian outdoor stadium since the pandemic started. Opposing head coaches Mike O'Shea and Orlondo Steinauer, longtime close friends and teammates and, as of this year, both members of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Superb defensive lines, each of which think they're the best in the league. Key injuries, now more specifically described than ever before. On both sides, many returning talented veterans but also throbbing absences like retired corner Delvin Breaux and kicker Justin Medlock. The Ticats having to use six Canadian starters on offence. The first game played under the CFL's just-announced game-cancellation-prevention policy by which any team which can't play because of COVID-19 concerns, forfeits the game, and perhaps pay. And, always in sight for the Ticats, a hometown Grey Cup possibility in December.
They said it:
There's going to be a different (Ticats) football team out there than there was in 2019. There's no magic wand that says Hamilton should win the East. There's no metrics on that." Hamilton head coach Orlondo Steinauer, who went 15-3 as a rookie head coach.
He's a guy you have to make sure you contain, keep him uncomfortable and not allow him to sit back and play 7-on-7," Winnipeg DE Jackson Jeffcoat on Jeremiah Masoli.
We've played against both, so we're ready for both," Winnipeg head coach Mike O'Shea on whether he expects to see starter Masoli and backup Dane Evans play Thursday night.
Key Hamilton roster notes: WR's Bralon Addison, No. 5 in 2019 CFL reception yardage, and DeVier Posey, both projected starers, are on the six-game injury list ... Four other starters, DT Ted Laurent, OT Chris Van Zeyl, DB Cariel Brooks and S Tunde Adeleke are on the one-game list ... Channing Stribling replaces Brooks in the secondary ... Free agents DB Ciante Evans and MLB Javon Santos-Knox make Ticat debuts as does LB Kameron Kelly ... Eddy Wilson replaces Laurent in the Front Four ... Hamilton's Tyler Ternowski makes the game day roster as potential place-kick holder and backup Canadian WR to David Ungerer III ... American WR's Marcus Tucker and Jalin Marshall move into starting roles ... Sean Thomas Erlington is the running back and LG Brandon Revenberg is the only OL to start in the same spot as in the Grey Cup.
Key Winnipeg Roster Notes: The biggie is RB Andrew Harris, who killed the Ticats in the Grey Cup, on the one-game injured list, replaced in the backfield by fellow Canadian Brady Oliveira. WR Darvin Adams is also on the IL ... The Bombers have three of four DL returning including impact DE's Jackson Jeffcoat and Willie Jefferson, but have two new linebackers flanking dominant MLB Adam Bighill in Jontrell Rocquemore and former 2018 Ticat Josh Johnson ... The boundary side of the secondary is now manned by DeAndre Alford and Deatrick Nichols ... Michael Couture at centre is the only difference in their punishing offensive line ... Kickers Marc Liegghio and former Mac star Tyler Crapigna replace veteran and former Ticat Justin Medlock ... The Bombers will have only untested Sean McGuire behind QB Zach Collaros, with valuable Chris Streveler now in the NFL.
Numbers? We've got lots:
0 - Holdovers from the Ticats' 2019 place-kicking operation." New long snapper (Gordon Whyte), holder (P Joel Whitford or WR Tyler Ternowski) and kicker (Taylor Bertolet). Also the number of positive COVID tests from the 6,000 the CFL has administered since training camp opened.
1 - Reigning League MOP Brandon Banks' standing on TSN's top 50 CFL players list.
2 - Longer gaps which occurred between CFL regular season games than the 642 days forced by the pandemic. The two longer cancellations came during the First and Second World Wars.
7 - Wins for Winnipeg in their 12 regular season games with Hamilton since 2014. The Ticats were 2-0 (Grey Cup not included) in 2019.
10 - Years since Winnipeg and Hamilton last met in the first week of the CFL season. This is the first time they've ever played in the overall league opener.
11 - Number of Ticats on the TSN list, including LB Simoni Lawrence at No. 10. Winnipeg and Saskatchewan are next at 7.
29.9 - Number of points the Bombers have averaged per game over past four seasons tops in the CFL. The Ticats are third at 27.9
TV: TSN, ESPN2; Audio Broadcast: available at listen.ticat.ca and on the Ticats All Access app; audio simulcast on CHML 900
Steve Milton is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: smilton@thespec.com