Five observations following Tiger-Cats’ preseason setback to the Redblacks as “Bo Levi Mitchell” hinted at a comeback

The Ottawa Redblacks defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31–22 on Saturday to start the 2024 preseason.

The Tabbies’ first game under Scott Milanovich in Hamilton was a mixed bag; while there were some encouraging performances from a few important players, there were areas that needed improvement in all three phases. My thoughts about the game are below.

Bo Levi exhibits potential

In 2023, Bo Levi Mitchell had a terrible year. The 34-year-old gunslinger’s first season in Hamilton was marred by injuries and patchy play, but he put in a strong performance in Saturday’s exhibition game. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, displaying his touch with the ball and some good throws into confined spaces. He had previously played in Calgary. Perhaps most crucially, he didn’t seem to be suffering from the ankle ailment that kept him in a walking boot before training camp. He appeared at ease and in control of Milanovich’s offensive.

After all the concern about his health over the first few days of training camp, the performance should calm some supporters down. Now that the offence of the Ticats and Mitchell have gained traction, they can prepare for the Stampeders in Week 1.

The wrecking crew

Last season, Hamilton had a terrible time applying steady pressure to the quarterback; with 41 sacks, he was just ahead of Edmonton and Saskatchewan in ninth place. In the summer, the Ticats strengthened their defensive line by bringing back all-star Casey Sayles and Toronto’s Brandon Barlow and DeWayne Hendrix. Even though Hendrix was not playing on Saturday, I felt there were some good things to be gained from that positional group.

With two tackles for loss, Sayles was his customary game-ending presence in the middle, and the starting unit put pressure on Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown. As the game went on and more players entered the field, there was a little dip in performance; however, Trevon Mason, a recent addition to the club, made an impression by recording three tackles and one sack.

large-play receivers

Against Ottawa, Tim White was playing at an all-star level and had four receptions for 52 yards while swerving and ducking past Redblack defenders. Although White has demonstrated that he can play well with nearly any quarterback in 2024, he will undoubtedly be a key component of the Ticats’ offence, and it was encouraging to see him and Bo Levi Mitchell rekindle their early relationship, which was somewhat lacking in the previous campaign.

Shemar Bridges was another standout receiver. The six-foot-four pass receiver had a poor drop early in the game, but he bounced back fast to score a 35-yard touchdown ball halfway through the second quarter, primarily because to a brilliant route that allowed him to get away from the defender. In training camp, Bridges has been receiving high marks and appears to be taking advantage of his chances.

FIRST TD AS A TICAT, SHEMAR BRIDGES 🐯@BroadheadRJ of the Ticats Audio Network with the call 🎙️#HamiltonProud pic.twitter.com/1noWP5SF5H

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) May 25, 2024

 

In his brief audition, rookie Dev Holmes lived up to expectations by snagging Kevin Thomson’s last touchdown pass to Hamilton as he was in close coverage close to the goalpost. Despite having just two receptions for 29 yards on the day, he ranked third among Hamilton’s wide receivers, behind only White and Bridges. A touchdown improves a young player’s chances of being included to the team every time.

The dropsies’ case

The Ticats’ receivers weren’t having a great game, as they dropped a number of catchable throws. Both Kiondre Smith and Bridges had drops that could have prolonged drives and turned the field position contest back in Hamilton’s favour. Later in the game, rookie Jacob Patten also failed on a two-point conversion attempt that would have resulted in a nine-point loss, and he also lost a sure touchdown.

While mistakes will inevitably occur in the preseason, the offence must improve from having so many obvious drops if they are to be successful in 2024.

Not too remarkable teams

If Saturday’s game served as a preview of this season’s events, Paul Boudreau, the new special teams coordinator, will have his job cut out for him. For most of the afternoon, Hamilton’s special teams unit was ineffective; DeVonte Dedmon returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown, and Hamilton’s expensive penalty resulted in another major for Ottawa. While preventing explosion plays on specials won’t guarantee you a win, letting them happen is a surefire way to guarantee you’ll lose.

I’ll give the special teamers some leeway because they were substituting players on a regular basis, but Boudreau and the supporters won’t be pleased that they virtually let up 14 points because of preventable mistakes. Under Jeff Reinebold’s guidance, Hamilton has had one of the best special teams in the league for the past ten years, and it appears the Ticats have some work ahead of them if they hope to maintain that success.

Next up

In order to get ready for their last preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts in Guelph on Friday, the Ticats will start training camp on Monday.

In 2023, Toronto won all four games of the season series with considerable convincingness. In order to make sure that this season goes their way, Hamilton will want to start the season well against their provincial rival, even if it is only preseason and the outcome of the game has no bearing on the standings.