Steve Milton: Ticats need far more protection for Evans
Game 2
Calgary Stampeders (1-0)
at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-1)
Saturday, June 18, 6:30 p.m.
Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton
The storyline
Ticats linebacker Simoni Lawrence says you learn more from losses than from wins and, after a shaky 30-13 loss to the Saskatchewan last week, Ticats fans hope he's right as the Calgary Stampeders, behind Bo Levi Mitchell, powerful running back Ka'Deem Carey, and their typical tough, aggressive, stunting defensive Front Six come to town off a 30-27 victory over Montreal. The Ticats had no rush game last week and because of injury and underperformance have retooled the offensive line with only LG Brandon Revenberg and RT Chris Van Zeyl in the same spots. The Ticats need better production from and protection for Dane Evans who was sacked seven times and fumbled twice. Evans' wife Nikki gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter, early Tuesday morning. The rebuilding Calgary secondary is potentially vulnerable. This is the Hall of Fame Game and these are the appropriate participants: two Ticats legends, current head coach and former all-star DB Orlondo Steinauer and defensive lineman Mike Walker, are among the inductees as are seven players and builders strongly associated with the Stamps, including former commissioner Doug Mitchell, father of Ticat CEO Scott Mitchell. In the teams' only meeting last year, a Hamilton win behind third-string QB David Watford at Tim Hortons Field, Bo Levi Mitchell was pulled in favour of Jake Maier, who played well and Mitchell and head coach Dave Dickenson said Friday that the game, which left Calgary at 2-5, was the turning point of their season and they rallied to make the playoffs. Last time here we were asleep," Carey said Friday. It won't be that way for us this time."
Key Hamilton roster notes
Injured DT Dylan Wynn won't play ... Officially, RB Don Jackson is on the injured list ... Sean Thomas Erlington is starting RB ... DT Tyrone Riley makes his first CFL start ... Jesse Gibbon moves to C to replace injured Alex Fontana ... OT Travis Vornkahl moves to right guard ... 2021 draftee DT Mohamed Diallo plays his 1st CFL game ... All-star DB Cariel Brooks, injured in training camp, won't play.
Key Calgary roster notes: QB Bo Levi Mitchell injured his ankle in the season-opening win over Montreal but starts ... DBs Titus Wall and DionteRuffin and SAM LB Darius Williams are in their 1st CFL season and DB Brad Muhammad is in his 1st Calgary season ... Reigning CFL co-leader in interceptions Trumaine Washington is on the injured list ... Four Ticats played for the 2018 Calgary Cup champions: Tunde Adeleke, Micah Johnson, Ciante Evans and Don Jackson.
They said it
The thing that's just undeniable is that he's a champion and that's something you can't coach. You either have that or you don't. He's been able to aid a lot of different receivers and different running backs, he's been the mainstay." - Orlondo Steinauer on Calgary Stampeder quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
I think this is something that carried over from last year: just finishing. We have been great in the first, second and third quarter, the fourth quarter we have to figure that out. It's something we have to work on, and it will get done." - Ticat safety Tunde Adeleke on the defence giving up significant fourth-quarter points in games they lose, including 18 last week in Regina.
I still think Dylan Wynn is underrated. He plays like an all-star and it's hard to replace that guy. But they've got good backups." - Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson on the injured Ticat defensive tackle.
The Numbers Game
2 - Wins by Hamilton in their last 13 games against Calgary dating back to 2014.
4 - Punts by Australian-born Stampeder punter Jimmy Smith which went 52 yards or more in his CFL debut last week. None were returned more than 10 yards.
8 - Sacks allowed by the Ticats in 30-13 loss to Saskatchewan last week
8 - Receptions by Bralon Addison last week, most in the CFL.
20 - Number of seconds it took Saskatchewan to score two touchdowns and put the game away against Hamilton last weekend. CFL statisticians think that might be a record, but are still digging more deeply to find out.
22 - Straight field goals made by Calgary kicker Rene Paredes, dating back to last October.
52.5 - Average number of points per game in CFL Week 1, up 33 per cent from Week 1 2021 when the teams had been off a full season, with no exhibition games leading in.
75 - Yards receiving by Ticats' Steven Dunbar vs. Saskatchewan. 71 came on a touchdown pass from Dane Evans, the second longest completion of Evans' career.
99 - Games between the Stampeders and Tiger-Cats in the regular season (since interlocking play started in 1961). The Stamps are up 66-32 and held a 14 game winning streak until Hamilton won two of the last three.
TV: TSN, ESPN+
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Steve Milton is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: smilton@thespec.com