Returning the West to normal

It took until the third week of July, but finally the Western teams are starting to come around. Nowhere is the turn around more welcome than at the home of the defending Grey Cup champions the Edmonton Eskimos. The Eskies, who started the season looking anything but of championship timbre, have finally gotten their act together and Saturday night it was the turn of the Hamilton Tiger Cats to face the music against the quickly improving Eskimos.

The Cats who had gotten off to a pretty impressive start of their own, looked more like the Tiger Cats of old as they made their visit to Commonwealth stadium. Last year at this time they found themselves held to only fifteen points to the Eskies 50, this year they gave up as many points as last increasing it by one but doubled their point totals. At this rate they should be on line to topping the Esks by the 2007 season.

It was special teams that seemed to be the main downfall of the Cats on this Saturday night, as Winston October turned the return game into his own personal ground attack gaining 298 yards in footwork. Running back a punt for 101 yards and a touchdown, as well as a wide field goal kick back for another before being chased down after 104 yards, Jason Maas quickly turned that opportunity into a touchdown and the rout was on at Commonwealth. By half time the Eskies were up 33-16 and weren’t looking back.

The Eskimo defence was punishing throughout the game, leading at one point to forcing Danny McManus from the game as Signor Mobely crushed him to the turf knocking McManus’ helmet into the Quarterback’s nose. It took training staff over five minutes to stop the flow of blood and take McManus off of the field. Marcus Brady went into the game for the injured McManus but had little effect; by the time McManus was able to return the Edmonton win was all but secure.

Jason Maas had a successful night on the night, completing 13 of his 25 passes for 297 yards; the running game ran the yardage up to 372 yards. Danny Mac cut nose and all still generated some pretty good personal stats, tossing 18 for 36 and 307 yards, but again it was an inability to get major scores that spelled the end for the Cats.

For Hamilton head Coach Greg Marshall his return to his former CFL home of Edmonton was less than successful. The last couple of weeks have seen his high flying Cats come crashing back to earth; his next chance to get them back onto a winning track will be a major challenge as the Montreal Alouettes head for Steeltown on Friday night. With 85 points given up in fourteen days, they must be facing the prospect of the Als with a bit of trepidation.

Edmonton get the by week this weekend so coach Tom Higgins can just play back the films from the last couple of weeks and tell his team to keep up the good work. They will spend their week off preparing to host the Blue Bombers on Friday July 30th, a game that could end up being a battle for first in the West.