Tuesday Morning QB (CFL Week 10)
The CFL is beginning to get full of great places to play as new stadiums have launched new life into a number of teams.
Saskatchewan is starting to see some real competition for fan bases that make it tough for opposing teams.
When the Ottawa REDBLACKS were announced as the newest team in the CFL the fan base that saw their team taken away twice stepped up in a big way.
There was doubt that football could work in Ottawa as they had already lost two teams due to a lack of interest.
That lack of interest came in large part due to the terrible play of teams that failed to win games.
When the season began though the Ottawa fans came out in a big way and by the end of the season they had sold out every home game in an impressive streak.
That streak continued this year until Week 4 when the REDBLACKS saw an almost capacity crowd when they welcomed the Edmonton Eskimos.
The sellouts are great but adding to that is the fact that they are ready to make it a difficult day for the opposing team.
The crowds are loud and they make sure that teams coming in know that there is a packed house.
Last year the REDBLACKS did not translate that support into many wins but this year it is changing as the team is ready to compete and have paid their fans back this year.
They are 4-1 at home this year and are hoping to reward their fans even more by earning a playoff spot and hopefully a playoff game at home this year.
It was proven in their fourth win of the season at home this year when they beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their most convincing win since they returned to the CFL.
The 35-13 win was what they needed to prove they are ready to compete with the best while the crowd did their part throughout the game.
TD Place is quickly becoming one of the best home stadiums in the CFL and if the REDBLACKS keep winning they are only going to continue to make it a tough place to play.
As good as TD Place is becoming there is no place has been better for their home team than Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.
Despite the delays in the construction of the new stadium when the field opened on Labour Day last year the fans and the Ti-Cats were happy to see the brand new stadium.
The fans came out in droves to support their teams, as they always had, and the Ti-Cats repaid them by winning every game in the new stadium.
They never lost at home throughout the 2014 season and this year the pattern was continuing. It wasn’t just continuing though as they had stepped it up in beating opponents in a big way through the first few games at home.
Nobody came close to beating the Ti-Cats at home until the Montreal Alouettes came to town this week.
The Ti-Cats did not have that same spark they were used to at home and lost their first game at home since they opened Tim Hortons Field.
The winning streak is over in Hamilton but that doesn’t mean they can’t continue to win.
They hope that’s true as next week they welcome their long-time rivals, the Toronto Argonauts to town for the Labour Day Classic.
It will mark one year since Tim Hortons Field opened and is not only the biggest rivalry game of the year but is extremely important in the season standings as the game will determine first place in the East.
As Toronto enters the new stadium they look ahead somewhat to next year where they move to BMO Field and hope to capture some of that magic that Hamilton has had at their new field.
Home field advantage can sometimes be a controversial thing as some don’t believe that it is true but for Ottawa and Hamilton this year it seems to be working.
They both hope to continue their great performance at home as the season moves on and the second half approaches where the playoff battle really heats up.
Fourth Down:
(Thoughts on Week 10 in the CFL)
Shake-up in Riderville
after losing their 9th straight game the Saskatchewan Roughriders are making massive changes firing head coach Corey Chamblin and GM Brendan Taman with Bob Dyce taking over as interim head coach and Jeremy O’Day as GM
A Legend to the Rafters
The Hamilton Ti-Cats might have lost a long-standing home winning streak but the rest of the day was a celebration of one of Hamilton’s favourite players as they retired Angelo Mosca’s #68 in a celebration of his career in The Hammer
Chevy on the Market
The Ottawa REDBLACKS continued to make changes this year unsatisfied with their record so far and that included letting Chevon Walker walk away and heading into the next part of the season with Jeremiah Johnson leading the rushing game
Revolving Door in Regina
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are desperately trying to find a way to get their win of the season and in their game against the REDBLACKS they pulled Brett Smith in the first quarter after an interception putting Tino Sunseri in and immediately creating a QB controversy
Week 10 Scores:
Montreal Alouettes 26 – 23 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
– The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had never lost at Tim Hortons Field and they were riding a five game winning streak into their latest home game but once again the thorn in their side was the Alouettes who handed them their first loss ever at Tim Hortons Field
Edmonton Eskimos 38 – 15 Toronto Argonauts
– The Argonauts came into Edmonton on a short week and they looked like it effected them in a big way as they seemed lethargic and couldn’t mount their usual comeback bid as the Eskimos got some revenge for their opening week loss in Fort McMurray
Calgary Stampeders 36 – 8 Winnipeg Blue Bombers
– The blue Bombers were looking to see how their new starter Robert Marve was going to play but the young QBs second start did not turn out well as the defending champs were too much for the Bombers and took the win
Ottawa REDBLACKS 35 – 13 Saskatchewan Roughriders
– The Roughriders started the game slow but seemed to make a small comeback in the second quarter as they looked for their first win of the season but the second half was more of the same for the Riders as the REDBLACKS pulled away in a convincing win
Labour Day Matchups:
BC Lions vs. Montreal Alouettes (Thursday September 3rd; 7:30 pm ET)
– The Lions travel across country to kick off Labour Day weekend as they take on the Alouettes with the Als looking to take some momentum from their Week 10 win and begin a charge to the top of the division starting with a win over the Lions
Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Sunday September 6th; 4:00 pm ET)
– It may not be the biggest game between the two teams as the rematch takes that title but the Bombers and Riders will battle it out as the Riders try to get their first win of the season against their long-time rivals
Toronto Argonauts vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Monday September 7th; 1:00 pm ET)
– The Labour Day Classic goes again as the Ticats celebrate a year in Tim Hortons Field by trying to beat the Toronto Argonauts for the second time this year as the two teams sit tied for first in the East with this game determining who will take that spot for themselves
Edmonton Eskimos vs. Calgary Stampeders (Monday September 7th; 4:30 pm ET)
– The Battle of Alberta is once again an important game as the Esks try to catch up to their provincial rivals and move into a tie for first place while the Stamps try to expand their lead in the West division
The Sport Addiction 