EAST DIVISION FINAL GAME THREAD / Dec 5 / Hamilton @ Toronto

[ArgoRavi]

I still feel that Brescacin was interfered with in the end zone on the challenge play, but it seems that the league is increasingly ruling against nearly all challenges as so few challenges made by every team go the way of the coach compared to earlier years.

Interference or not, MBT threw some nice deep balls today that his receivers - notably Brescasin - had a chance at. They just couldn't come down with any of those balls.

[Wobbler]

Frustrated with this loss but this season was an overall success after 8-28 the past two seasons. I don't want to hear any complaints about MBT today. They didn't lose because of him.

I think I've read more posts complaining about complaining about MBT this year than actual complaints. I agree - he was solid.

[argosrule2415]

Frustrating game. Hate losing to those guys. I don't know, I feel like we were pressing the issue after the Ti-Cats tied the game by throwing deep balls right off the bat and abandoning the run even though the game was tied. Obviously the 3s instead of TDs early in the game came back to bite us.

Also late in the game, when there was like 2 minutes left. I feel like we should have just kicked the field goal first when there was enough time in the game to give them the ball and stop them so that we could get another shot at hitting the endzone, instead of having to go for an onside kick since we ended up kicking the FG much later in the game anyways.

[TheHammer]

Frustrated with this loss but this season was an overall success after 8-28 the past two seasons. I don't want to hear any complaints about MBT today. They didn't lose because of him.

This is going to be the last gasp for a lot of these Ticats - the likes of Brandon Banks, Simoni Lawrence, Chris Van Zeyl and Ted Laurent aren't getting any younger.

For the Argos, they need to get a bit better but I just want to see them contend year in and year out. I can't take another year like 2016, 2018 or 2019 anytime soon.

I agree that Banks, Van Zeyl and Laurent are in the twilight of their careers, but not Lawrence. He's at the top of his game right now (although he didn't do much today).

[ArgoGabe22]

I'm not even sure what DPI is anymore. I'm not convinced that challenge was DPI, but there were some others where I thought it was (at least live with naked eye). On any other day, that would have been called a late hit late in the game. Gittens, IIRC, was already out after getting dragged out and another defender went helmet to helmet, regardless if he did or not, was definitely late.

HOWEVER, you can't win on FGs alone.

[Mocha]

The turning point was when Evans entered the game, followed by White's return TD, but when you lose the second half 27-7, there is no true turning point. You just got beat. A sad, sad ending to what was a good season up to this game.

Yup, though in retrospect I might argue about the early goal-line FGs instead of trying fo third-down TDs were turning points.

[ArgoRavi]

Yup, though in retrospect I might argue about the early goal-line FGs instead of trying fo third-down TDs were turning points.

I thought that Pipkin could have been used more near the goal line in the first quarter.

[Mocha]

I agree that Banks, Van Zeyl and Laurent are in the twilight of their careers, but not Lawrence. He's at the top of his game right now (although he didn't do much today).

Sometimes dominant players like Lawrence don't make big impact on the stats sheets, but they influence the game by detering the opposition from running plays in their direction. That might be the case for today's game. Without Lawrence in the lineup, I think the game goes quite differently.

[Mocha]

I think I've read more posts complaining about complaining about MBT this year than actual complaints. I agree - he was solid.

Not sure whether or not this post is complaining about the complaints about the complaints about MBT . . . but the bottom line for me s that he didn't get the job done. I agree he didn't look terrible. But he didn't look exceptional either.

[TheHammer]

Sometimes dominant players like Lawrence don't make big impact on the stats sheets, but they influence the game by detering the opposition from running plays in their direction. That might be the case for today's game. Without Lawrence in the lineup, I think the game goes quite differently.

Oh, I totally agree. He definitely had an impact, at the very least for his leadership. I just meant he was not a contributor to any of the big plays.

[DanTheFan]

I'll take this season overall as my first as a season seat holder. Not the ending I wanted, far from it, but first place in the division was nice.

As for this game, great decision to use Evans for the bulk of the game. He was carving us up rather well, and didn't even realize how well as he made all his completions. And I didn't like the decision to kick the field goal after their last drive. I suppose they would have tried an onside kick even if they got the touchdown, but I felt a TD would have perhaps energized the guys more at that point in time.

I saw talk of MBT shoving a cameraman or something, but I just got home and never saw it happen. Brutal conclusion to a bad week for the guy if it was all that bad.

[Wobbler]

. . . but the bottom line for me s that he didn't get the job done. I agree he didn't look terrible. But he didn't look exceptional either.

The team didn't get the job done. If the Argos needed an exceptional performance from MBT to win this game then by definition they were probably going to lose.

[jerrym]

Interference or not, MBT threw some nice deep balls today that his receivers - notably Brescasin - had a chance at. They just couldn't come down with any of those balls.

The utter look of complete disbelief by MBT when the ruling the non-call stands says a lot about the ruling on the challenge.

[Antwon]

The utter look of complete disbelief by MBT when the ruling the non-call stands says a lot about the ruling on the challenge.

Utter look of disbelief is the look I had with MBT's last two pass attempts!

[argolio]

Disappointed but not disillusioned. Make similar progress next year and the Cup will be ours.

Also, many Ticat fans are missing multiple teeth.

[Wobbler]

I'll be cheering for Dane Evans next week. That move to extract the ball from Richardson during his INT return was *ridiculous*.

[AngeloV]

I chalk this loss up to rookie head coach mistakes. Play calling on 1st and goal has been a problem all season. Running straight up the middle on first down both times was a huge mistake. You need to throw on first down in that situation.
I knew the game was over after the punt return TD. Complete momentum changer. Collins got caught inside when he was on contain. That is a bad mistake. I don’t believe Ti-Cats would have scored if that never happened.
All in all, as much as this loss hurts, I am happy with this season. I had a great time at every game this year. A far cry from 2018 and 19.
I hope MBT is back next year with a hopefully healthy O-line. I’d like to see the Argos get a power running back to split time with Foster. A thunder and lightning type of combination. Looking forward to the release of the 2022 schedule and hoping for an early June start to the season and it’s hopefully an early November Grey Cup

[AngeloV]

I'll be cheering for Dane Evans next week. That move to extract the ball from Richardson during his INT return was *ridiculous*.

You should be stripped of your membership for this post.

[ArgofanIan]

Shout out to the guys that organized the tail gate. Lots of people having a great time is what our team needs. it looked amazing.

I thought when it started snowing in early third quarter it would be destiny for us but it was not to be. Great atmosphere at the game.

Really nice to see people in 2nd deck east side. So was some positives today.

[Will]

Very disappointing end to the season. The Argos relying too much on Boris Bede caught up to them.

I like D.J Foster but he isn't a feature back -- no idea if having White in the lineup would've made a difference though.