It may have been one of the least entertaining football games of the 2019 Canadian Football League season, but the Hamilton Tiger-Cats picked up an important win in Ottawa on Saturday.
Buoyed by a stout defensive effort, Hamilton smothered the Redblacks 21-7 at TD Place Stadium to improve to 7-2 for the first time since 1998 while handing Ottawa (3-6) its sixth loss in their last seven games.
There were a couple of bright spots offensively for Hamilton. After starting the season on the six-game injured list, running back Cameron Marshall made his second consecutive start and powered his way to 92 rushing yards on just 12 carries. Receiver Bralon Addison continues to impress, hauling in eight catches for 100 yards on Saturday while adding five carries for 16 yards, and offering quarterback Dane Evans another option in the passing game beyond stars Brandon Banks and Luke Tasker.
But it is Evans, who began the year as Hamilton’s backup QB before being thrust into the starter’s role after Jeremiah Masoli suffered a season-ending knee injury, who presents the biggest question mark moving forward.
Evans is a pro, loved in the locker room, and can make every throw on the CFL field. Yet, in my opinion, the jury is out as to whether he can become the ‘next one.’
He completed 61 per cent of his passes versus Ottawa and threw for 299 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice in the endzone, leaving a possible 14 points on the table.
The late Ron Lancaster always said the most popular player in the stadium is the backup quarterback. Now that Evans is the guy, he has to perform like a starter and right now he’s leaving me wanting more.
Hey, the wins are great and that’s all that matters in professional football, and if Evans and the Cats continue to win, the ‘next one’ debate becomes a moot point.
The biggest question I have is, can Evans lead Hamilton’s offence past better teams like Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary?
We will all get the chance to see that when Hamilton plays the Stampeders, Eskimos and Blue Bombers in four successive weeks (including three straight on the road) starting Sept. 14.
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