When the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Redblacks meet at Tim Hortons Field on Friday night, one statistic will stand out like no other.
1-13-1.
That is not a high-school locker combination, nor is it the winning numbers of any Pick 3 lottery game.
It is the mortifyingly repugnant combined record of the Ticats and Redblacks.
Over their first 15 games, Hamilton and Ottawa have managed to collect 3 out of a possible 30 points.
What the heck has happened to these two franchises?
One of them is the defending Grey Cup champion, while the other has been a consistent playoff participant for the better part of a decade.
Yet, it seems 2017 has been their kryptonite.
Let’s not even talk about injuries — they happen to every team. What about talent? Both teams have that, too.
There isn’t one thing anyone can point to and say: that’s the reason why the Ticats are winless, or that’s why the Redblacks have struggled this season.
Plain and simple, whether you like this answer or not, it all comes down to making plays when the opportunity presents itself — big moment or not.
That means converting on second and log to continue a drive, stopping the opposition in a similar setting, forcing turnovers and turning them into points, keeping your QB clean, winning those 1-on-1 battles — and getting a lucky break or two won’t hurt, either.
Luckily, thanks to the CFL’s long 18-game season and the fact that there are only nine teams in the league, Hamilton and Ottawa are still in the playoff hunt with Labour Day weekend on the horizon.
But unless they start piling up some wins, neither team will be playing come mid- to late November.
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