Coming into the season, conventional wisdom said the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were a championship-calibre team coming off back-to-back Grey Cup appearances.
A last second loss to the Calgary Stampeders last Friday ? a one-point heartbreaker that rubbed salt in a wound opened last November ? has done little to shake that faith.
"If we compare to last year, we are strides ahead of where we were in the second week," said safety Craig Butler. "That has to do with guys trusting each other and having the same guys around, same voices, same message."
The team heads to Winnipeg for Thursday's match up against the Blue Bombers looking to avoid a third straight 0-2 start under head Kent Austin. The 2014 campaign started with a 31-10 debacle in Saskatchewan and the next week Austin made a slew of roster changes, tearing apart the offensive line that gave up 10 sacks and shuffling the secondary.
This time around, the tweaks are more subtle: Jeremy Lewis takes over for Brian Simmons at right tackle, Adrian Tracy is in for Sam Scott at defensive end, and there's the addition of Hugh O'Neil to handle the punting duties.
"There's more familiarity and the familiarity equals an earlier identity, things the team embodies because of the consistency of the players," Austin said. "We're much further along in the continuity of our roster."
Unlike past seasons under Austin and defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer, the coaching staff seems willing to allow the existing lineup time to find its feet. So, for example, the defensive secondary is expected to remain intact, despite surrendering a late, game-winning drive.
"We're still growing and as a coach you're never satisfied, but I'm happy with their growth," Steinauer said. "Each year brings on it's own set of challenges and you have to go at the pace that the players can understand and still play at a high level."
If the Ticats already have a sense of who they are, Winnipeg is trying to develop a winning culture of their own. Now in their second season under general manager Kyle Walters and coach Mike O'Shea, the Bombers have the air of a franchise that's finally emerging from the wilderness of several successive lost seasons.
Steinauer both played and coached with O'Shea.
"It's a new year, the Grey Cup (game) is there and I know their head coach ? I know him like the back of my hand. He's a winner and he'll do anything to get his team prepared," Steinauer said. "They've got some stability there with their quarterback and their offensive coordinator and they've got some better talent."
A week one win in Saskatchewan ? a place the Bombers hadn't won in since 2004 ? did wonders for the team's confidence level says Winnipeg defensive back and former Ticat Matt Bucknor. It was a practical manifestation of what they'd already come to believe: that they were better than most people gave them credit for.
"It was huge, big for the morale. We have a confident group and we took care of business," Bucknor said. "We're just as confident this week and we know we can get the job done."
Before the season begins, assessments are made as to where clubs across the league will finish: this team will be good, this one will be bad, this one will contend for the Grey Cup. Then the games start and the truth begins to to emerge.
But one game isn't enough to be definitive about anything, says Butler.
"Last year, we were searching for an identity until Labour Day, then we established it. That's carried over to this year," he said. "Now it's a matter of sharpening the blade and perfecting everything we do."
A last second loss to the Calgary Stampeders last Friday ? a one-point heartbreaker that rubbed salt in a wound opened last November ? has done little to shake that faith.
"If we compare to last year, we are strides ahead of where we were in the second week," said safety Craig Butler. "That has to do with guys trusting each other and having the same guys around, same voices, same message."
The team heads to Winnipeg for Thursday's match up against the Blue Bombers looking to avoid a third straight 0-2 start under head Kent Austin. The 2014 campaign started with a 31-10 debacle in Saskatchewan and the next week Austin made a slew of roster changes, tearing apart the offensive line that gave up 10 sacks and shuffling the secondary.
This time around, the tweaks are more subtle: Jeremy Lewis takes over for Brian Simmons at right tackle, Adrian Tracy is in for Sam Scott at defensive end, and there's the addition of Hugh O'Neil to handle the punting duties.
"There's more familiarity and the familiarity equals an earlier identity, things the team embodies because of the consistency of the players," Austin said. "We're much further along in the continuity of our roster."
Unlike past seasons under Austin and defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer, the coaching staff seems willing to allow the existing lineup time to find its feet. So, for example, the defensive secondary is expected to remain intact, despite surrendering a late, game-winning drive.
"We're still growing and as a coach you're never satisfied, but I'm happy with their growth," Steinauer said. "Each year brings on it's own set of challenges and you have to go at the pace that the players can understand and still play at a high level."
If the Ticats already have a sense of who they are, Winnipeg is trying to develop a winning culture of their own. Now in their second season under general manager Kyle Walters and coach Mike O'Shea, the Bombers have the air of a franchise that's finally emerging from the wilderness of several successive lost seasons.
Steinauer both played and coached with O'Shea.
"It's a new year, the Grey Cup (game) is there and I know their head coach ? I know him like the back of my hand. He's a winner and he'll do anything to get his team prepared," Steinauer said. "They've got some stability there with their quarterback and their offensive coordinator and they've got some better talent."
A week one win in Saskatchewan ? a place the Bombers hadn't won in since 2004 ? did wonders for the team's confidence level says Winnipeg defensive back and former Ticat Matt Bucknor. It was a practical manifestation of what they'd already come to believe: that they were better than most people gave them credit for.
"It was huge, big for the morale. We have a confident group and we took care of business," Bucknor said. "We're just as confident this week and we know we can get the job done."
Before the season begins, assessments are made as to where clubs across the league will finish: this team will be good, this one will be bad, this one will contend for the Grey Cup. Then the games start and the truth begins to to emerge.
But one game isn't enough to be definitive about anything, says Butler.
"Last year, we were searching for an identity until Labour Day, then we established it. That's carried over to this year," he said. "Now it's a matter of sharpening the blade and perfecting everything we do."
