I think Montreal's starters still have enough gas in the tank to make first in the east again. I think we've made some key improvements. I think Toronto is going to be even better then last year, but will still struggle with QB issues. I think Winnipeg is still rebuilding and will use Fred Reid as a crutch and Pierce will get hurt. I think Calgary has it all together this year. I think Saskchewan will falter due to some key losses and new head coach shock. BC will do alright but will struggle with QB issues too. Edmonton is still in rebuild mode, and Ricky Ray just doesn't have enough good receivers and blocking to do enough.
With absolutely no disrespect intended to anyone here, I'm a bit puzzled as to why posters keep implying that Montreal's offense is aging. Yes, Calvillo is Father Time, no question, but with Cahoon retired and Cobourne gone, I think our offense is actually younger than yours, on average.
RB: Whitaker is younger than Cobourne.
O-line: Our old man on the O-line is Flory at 34. Perrett and Bourke are in their late '20s. Woodruff and Brodeur-Jourdain are kids.
Receiver: Green, Richardson, and Bratton are all in their late '20s. Watkins is 32. London and Baker are rookies.
Anyhow, as far as predictions go, I'm usually wrong as all hell, but I'll still venture to say that first place in the East will be a dogfight between Montreal and Hamilton.
I think that if we are going to move ahead this year we need Sandro to step up and get over his bad year last year.
We need more work from our Canadian receivers, the big guy Bauman looked good towards the end of the year.
Finally Cobb has to have a great year like his rookie year two years ago.
If these guys step up we have a great chance. If these guys don't perform then we are doomed............that's just my humble opinion.
Small suggestion? Predictions of each team’s final won-lost record should be mathematically possible. There are 72 games in a season (18 games per team, four games per week). So the total wins and losses have to each add up to 72 (assuming no ties). A few of the predictions posted above have more than 72 wins and fewer than 72 losses, which is impossible.
The focus of the Ticats in the most recent draft was clear. The team selected linemen with its first four picks,
two on the offensive side and two on defense. Will all four first-year players make an immediate impact?
History tells us that they won’t, but if two of the four can step in and play well from day one,
this could be the year the Tiger-Cats unseat the Montreal Alouettes and win the East Division.
Hamilton doesn’t face Montreal in the regular season until week five,
and we should know by then exactly what to expect from the Ticats.
Don’t be surprised to see the club roll into that home game at 3-1 or even 4-0.
Whoever wrote it obviously hasn’t been paying attention if they’re wondering whether our first four draft picks will make any immediate impact. Considering only one of them even came to camp this year.
He seems to have a real bug up his butt about the team this year. I wonder if it is one of those things where he says they’ll stink, and if they do he can say, “I told you so,” and if they don’t, he can say, “I’m happy they are winning.” His negative attitude comes off as if he is hedging his bets. But that’s just my opinion.
If you look at the first five games of the season (vs. Winnipeg, at Edmonton, vs. Saskatchewan, at BC, vs. Montreal), it is entirely conceivable that they Cats start out 5-0. It may be unlikely, but it is possible. 3-2 should be the absolute worst, with 4-1 (maybe a loss to Montreal) being the likely outcome. The Tabbies are better than, or equal to, every team they play in July, in my opinion. Save, maybe, Montreal. But since that’s they’re the measuring stick, getting them in the first month, at home, I like the Cats chances. July is going to be one great month for football.
