Milanovich Expects Powell to Start Following Loss to Montreal

By the time 15 minutes had been played in Montréal last night, the Tiger-Cats had done this: gone off-side before the first snap of the game; fumbled (James Tuck) the ball away on the first play; taken a time count violation on the start of the next series; followed a promising second-down completion with a 34-yard James Butler gain called back on a holding penalty; thrown (Bo Levi Mitchell) an interception ill-advisedly back against the flow; taken another holding penalty on a punt return; replaced their quarterback and then have a snap fly into the end zone for a two-point Als safety touch; allowed a 57-yard return on the ensuing kickoff, missed their first field goal since opening night; and fallen behind 15.

So it is not at all surprising that the Ticats were beaten 33-23 to drop to 2-7 as they reached the halfway point of the season, while the Alouettes scampered off into the horizon with a league-best  8-1 record.

Nor is it surprising that clearly concerned head coach Scott Milanovich said tersely  when asked if Taylor Powell is likely to start next Saturday night’s home game against the Edmonton Elks that he “would expect that.”

It was only because the defence was stout on second down that the Ticats came out of the first quarter down only 8-0 and the first half 19-6 after they trailed 16-0 at one point. They were somehow able to keep within striking reach of the Als, closing to within 10 points after Luther Hakunavanhu continued his strong play with a determined touchdown reception with almost 10 minutes still to play. But Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander, running back Walter Fletcher and receiver Charleston Rambo—who was brilliant all night—then marched 80 yards to score and stuff the game in their hip pocket.

Milanovich pulled no punches in replacing Mitchell with Powell after only a couple of series,  nor in lamenting his own team’s mistakes, nor in vowing that every detail will be examined in the film room this week and perhaps changes made.

“We talked all week about turnover margin and then we turn it over basically three of the first three possessions if you count the fumbled snap,” he said afterward. “I’ve never doubted their ability to fight and their want-to, and all those things. But…it’s not okay.

“We’re going to get the right people on the bus, we’re going to do the right things. I’ve told them that I don’t know when it’s going to turn but it’s going to turn, and the right people are going to be in that building.”

Those were very direct words, a window into the level of exasperation after the Ticats lost their second game in a row to the Als. Montreal had 23 points to Hamilton’s nine in the second half of last week’s win at Tim Hortons Field, so over a full 60 minutes—the second half of last game, first half of this one–the Ticats were outscored 42-15.  Overall in the two games, it was 66-36. There is no ambiguity in that.

The head coach added that the eight Ticat penalties in the first half were “not acceptable” especially when laid against the mere one incurred by the Alouettes. And he said that among the things that will “be looked at” this week was offensive tackle Jordan Murray’s ejection with about nine minutes left in the game for his second objectionable conduct. Joel Figueroa, the other starting tackle, was already not available for the second half because of injury.

“We have five offensive linemen left (after Figueroa was hurt) and we get an ejection. Can’t happen,” Milanovich said bluntly. Evan Johnson came off the bench to play left guard, as Brandon Revenberg shifted one spot over to fill in for Figueroa, and then defensive tackle Casey Sayles had to finish out on offence for Murray.

Powell, who started nine games last year when Mitchell was injured, was impressive in relief, completing 30 of his 38 passes for 319 yards.  He hit Hakunavanhu and Steven Dunbar Jr for touchdowns and ran for 52 yards himself.

“The effort was there I just think we didn’t put a full game together to win the game,” Powell said. “It’s going to turn around. We put a lot into this game and it’s tough whenever it doesn’t work out. The great thing is we get to play in a week, but it’s frustrating.”

Powell said he is always ready to enter a game and won’t prepare any differently for this weekend even if — as is likely—he’s named to start against Edmonton.

“It felt like (Powell) played pretty good,” Milanovich said, noting that he still had to review the game film. “He ran around and made some plays. It certainly wasn’t too big for him. I know he missed some stuff too, early, getting his feet wet but I thought he did a good job.”

The Ticats won’t see Montreal again this year unless it’s in the post-season and have now wedged themselves into a tight spot in which every game carries high stakes. They’re six points behind the Argos—who’ll be in town for Labour Day, of course—and seven back of the Ottawa Redblacks. The Als are a dozen points in the distance.

The disastrous opening to the game—which ultimately represented roughly the difference in the final score—overshadowed another impressive performance by rookie receiver Shemar Bridges. He had eight catches, many of them attached to a high degree of difficulty, for 103 yards and now has 54 receptions in a half-season. The record for a first-year CFL player is the 89 Derel Walker caught in 2015.

“I’m happy I made some good plays and did some good things, but when you lose it’s bitter-sweet so it doesn’t really feel the same,” Bridges said. “When you lose there’s always something more you can do.

“It’s very disappointing, especially because of all the work we put in. People don’t understand how much we sacrifice during the week, we have great practices. Before the game, we had the juice I felt like, so it’s very disappointing. All we can do from here is to keep working.

“We just can’t start like that. Both our units. The defence was holding up their part; we just have to do our part. We appreciate the defence. We just have to be accountable to ourselves and start faster.”

CATS CLAUSES: Luther Hakunavanhu has four TDs in his last five games … Steven Dunbar Jr. caught six passes for 63 yards and a TD … in the 2nd quarter the Ticats completed a dramatic four-player flea-flicker with the ball eventually going 38 yards from Taylor Powell to Jevoni Robinson. The drive eventually went to the Als 4-yard-line but the Ticats had to settle for a field goal, one of Marc Liegghio’s three in the game … Bo Levi Mitchell was 3-for-4 for 25 yards and 1 interception …  Nick Usher had the Ticats only sack. LB Kyle Wilson led the Cats with six tackles … Als QB Davis Alexander went  17-for-24 for 247 yards and two TDs … Charleston Rambo had six catches for 124 yards and two Montréal TDs … Montreal had 151 yards rushing, Hamilton 95 … Als’ Tyson Philpot, second in the league in receiving yards, was hurt early and did not return after making two catches … attendance was 22,137.