Bruce ready to step it up

[IE]

The Hamilton Spectator
(Aug 8, 2009)

The circus has finally left town. After several consecutive weeks of intense media scrutiny, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have had a relatively tame few days of practice as they prepared to take on the Edmonton Eskimos tonight.

"It's been nice. Our team is focused internally on what we have to do, but this week we haven't had to answer the questions or prepare ourselves for those outside influences that try and make their way into the locker room," said head coach Marcel Bellefeuille.

First, there were questions about who would be the starting quarterback, second-year pivot Quinton Porter or veteran Kevin Glenn. Then a Winnipeg scout was caught watching practice and diagramming plays at Ivor Wynne Stadium ahead of Hamilton's tilt with the Blue Bombers.

Finally last week, disgruntled Argo wide receiver Arland Bruce was traded to the Cats after days of speculation and rumour.

Despite the furor surrounding the team, however, the Tiger-Cats have a 3-2 record and won games after Spygate and the Bruce affair.

"We've done a great job of creating a bubble and not allowing anything to get inside that bubble," said Bellefeuille. "But it's been nice to have a regular week of preparation."

One of the beneficiaries of the relative calm has been the aforementioned Bruce, who wasn't much of a factor on offence against B.C. last week after having only one full day of practice.

With another three full days of on-field work with his new team, Bellefeuille says Bruce will be a bigger factor tonight against Edmonton.

"He'll definitely play a lot more and at different positions. It's been good for him to have a full week of practice," Bellefeuille said.

Bruce has picked up the Ticat offensive schemes quickly, the coach said.

"He's done a very good job. He's a CFL veteran and it's not like we have to explain coverages to him or how to waggle. He just has to learn how to get lined up in our offence and what his routes and reads are," he said.

Nor has Bruce brought any of the elaborate set of Samsonite with him from Toronto - his public feuding with Argo head coach Bart Andrus paved the way for his trip down the 403.

"He's done a great job of being one of the guys and understanding how we do things," Bellefeuille said.

 

[IE]

Ray biggest test for Cats defence

Ray biggest test for Cats defence

The Hamilton Spectator
(Aug 8, 2009)

Ask Marcel Bellefeuille what worries him most when he's watching film and drawing up a game plan to defend Edmonton Eskimos' quarterback Ricky Ray - and his answer is pretty succinct.

"Everything," the Ticats' head coach quips.

It may have been said partially in jest, but not too much. Fact is, it's bang on. Especially now.

After starting the season with three so-so games that made the pivot look almost mortal, he's found his stride over the past two weeks and is now back to being one exceedingly frightening guy for opposing defences.

The second-rated passer in the league - behind only Montreal's Anthony Calvillo - went a combined 46-for-59 for 610 yards against Saskatchewan and Montreal. Even in the pass-happy CFL, those are spectacular numbers.

Place three of the league's top-10 receivers - Maurice Mann, Kamau Peterson and Fred Stamps - at his disposal and you've got a potential nightmare for the Ticats' defence.

In fact, there's an argument to be made that having Ray amble onto the Ivor Wynne turf tonight presents the toughest-possible stylistic matchup, and biggest challenge so far for the Hamilton defence. Maybe even more than Montreal offered a couple weeks ago.

Because what has the Eskimos sitting in first place in the West Division heading into last night is a league-best passing game.

Not great news for a Ticat team that by the stats alone has the third-worst pass defence in the league.

So how does Hamilton stop the Esks' air attack?

Well, the Ticats aren't calling it the Three-Step-Stop-Ricky-Ray-Plan, but when you distill the essence of what they're saying, that's exactly what it is.

First, they start by accepting that Ray's going to complete his share of passes - he always does - and just mitigate the damage after the fact. In short, as soon as the ball hits a receiver's hands, a defender should be hitting him.

Four-yard passes must remain four-yard gains, not 35-yard explosions.

"We're emphasizing not letting the receivers get yards after the catch," says defensive back Chris Thompson.

Second, they plan to live in enough fear of the long ball to not let it happen. Many people believe Ray's the best in the league at the deep ball.

Combine that with the fact that the Hamilton defensive co-ordinator blames many of the yards eaten by his group this year on two or three big plays a game, and the defensive backs have to be on the receivers like Angelina Jolie on an orphan.

Then, you make enough adjustments in the game to hopefully throw off Ray's rhythm.

"You just can't give them the same look every play or they're going to eat you up," Bellefeuille says.

It makes for a mentally exhausting night for the defensive coaches and players who can't have a moment of relaxation.

But every time Ray shows signs that he's figured something out, they have to change it right away.

Of course, a few more sacks would help the cause by making Ray get the ball off earlier than he'd like. Failing that - the Cats are last in the league in sacks - they have to at least create some pressure and make Ray fear for his life if he holds onto the ball too long.

"Make him feel the rush," defensive co-ordinator Greg Marshall says.

If it sounds a little bit like the game plan you'd have for almost any quarterback and any team, you're right.

With one huge difference.

Everything against Ray must be done a little bit more crisply or he'll start shredding the D. He's too good to leave soft spots or moments of weakness.

"You can leave one spot on the field open and he's going to find it," Bellefeuille says.

Of course, there's one way nobody talked about that's better than any of these for stopping Ray. It's absolutely guaranteed to work with no exceptions. Employ this plan and he'll do nothing.

Get your own offence rolling and keep him off the field.

Over to you, Quinton.

 

[IE]

Prepare for offensive fireworks show

Esks, Ticats have nearly 3,700 yards combined offence just five games into CFl season

Edmonton Journal August 8, 2009



The Festival Of Friends Here In Steeltown Is Attempting To Establish a New Guinness World Records Mark For The Largest Guitar Ensemble As They Attempt To Attract 1,803 Guitarists To Play Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water In Unison This Afternoon.

The Edmonton Eskimos Are Hoping To Add The Fire In The Sky Later Tonight At Ivor Wynne Stadium As They Face The Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

With both offences clicking, it certainly has the potential to be a high-scoring affair. The 3-2 Ticats have posted 1,843 yards of offence so far this season for an average of 368.6 per outing, second only to Montreal. The 3-2 Esks are third with 1,827 yards for a 365.4-yard clip.

Edmonton features one of the most savvy quarterbacks in the league in Ricky Ray. Hamilton has one of the most dangerous in young Quinton Porter, who also has a great option in running back DeAndra' Cobb.

The Esks obviously want to take away the latter, and keep the former from displaying his explosive running ability out of the pocket.

Easier said than done?

"With my inexperience with recognizing defences immediately, it does help for me to be able to run the ball, because if I'm not seeing things clearly I don't have to just chuck it out of bounds or force a ball in there," admitted Porter. "I know I can go get the yards if I have to, but it also gives the defence something to think about."

In other words, cheating toward stopping the run, which the Ticats are banking on.

"It's puts them in a bind. I don't know how they're going to stop it," said Porter, of having to halt both he and Cobb.

"They do a thing called a slice, bring a linebacker out to stop me, so it might be hard for me to get these yards after pulling the ball (down). But he's taking himself out of the box to stop Cobb, so, I don't know how they're going to do it. If they want to stop Cobb, they're not going to be able to stop me. And if they want to stop both of us, we'll throw the ball on them, so then we'll see."

The last option is exactly what the Esks are planning on, forcing the 26-year-old Boston College product, who is making just his 11th start (five last season), to beat them with his arm.

"They're very talented on defence and disciplined," Porter said. "They're not going to jump up and press you too much and let a big play go down the field. But I think we have a good plan against them and it comes down to us executing that plan. We have to make sure we keep our identity no matter what they do.

"I know B. C. was throwing down-field quite a bit on them. They do play a bit of a soft, man-to-man coverage, so they let some of the underneath stuff come open a bit."

Porter will rely on six-foot-five wide receiver Prechae Rodriguez as his main target, with slotbacks Dave Stala and Chris Davis as his security blankets. Porter (six-foot-five himself) also has Arland Bruce III at his disposal, after a full week of practice since being traded by Toronto.

Porter believes he can challenge the Esks' secondary(which has surrendered the second-highest amount of net yards passing--1,418--in the league). But Ray will force the Ticats' defensive backfield, which has allowed a third-worst 1,360.

"You have to go vertical," Esks defensive back Kelly Malveaux said of breaking down the Ticats' defence. "I wouldn't say it's like a Toronto defence of years past, where it's bend but don't break. There are guys getting matched up in zones and when they're in man, you have to take your shots and try and win the individual battles."

POINT AFTER: The Esks will have no changes from last week, while the Ticats have added former Edmonton D-lineman Montez Murphy to the roster, along with running back Guillaume Allard-Cameus. LB Ike Brown and DL Scott McCuaig are out.