The Hamilton Tiger-Cats got off to a horrible start in 2017. But they showed pride and battled back in the second half, challenging for a playoff spot in the East Division. They made a big splash in the offseason, and the Tiger-Cats could be in the mix for the postseason.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 2018 regular season win total
Over 10.5
Under 10.5
Odds are courtesy of BetDSI.
What Happened Last Year
What Happened Last Year
The Tiger-Cats lost their first eight games of the season, including a 60-1 embarrassment in Calgary. Kent Austin resigned as head coach and June Jones was given the job. Jones then tried to hire former Baylor head coach Art Briles as an assistant, but the CFL blocked that move due to Briles’ alleged involvement in a scandal. However, the Tiger-Cats finished the season at 6-12, which no one would have expected looking at the first eight games. Jeremiah Masoli took over for Zach Collaros and was great, throwing for 3,177 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. Jalen Saunders, Luke Tasker and Brandon Banks all had over 1,000 reception yards. C.J. Gable ran for 466 yards and five scores before he was traded to Edmonton. The defense was inconsistent at best, ranking eighth in the league in points allowed. But the offense did not help them out much, especially early in the season.
What Will Change This Year
Collaros was traded to Saskatchewan in January, making room for the Tiger-Cats to sign Johnny Manziel. Outside of those moves, the Tiger-Cats did not do much in the offseason.
Outlook & Prediction
The Tiger-Cats seemed to simply need a change in philosophy last season, and they got that when Jones replaced Austin. The offense looked much more free under Jones and Masoli, who is also an outstanding runner of the ball. The Tiger-Cats might also have the deepest group of receivers in the league, especially if Terence Toliver returns at full strength from injury. Do not put too much stock in Manziel, unless Masoli goes south in a hurry. Masoli was great in the second half of the season and he deserves a chance to prove that was no fluke.
The Tiger-Cats do need to find something at running back, because you could argue that Masoli is their best rusher. Defensively, the Tiger-Cats have all their top players back. They will also be hungry to show that they were not as bad as last year’s numbers. The Tiger-Cats led the league in forced fumbles and were second in pass knockdowns. Defensive back Richard Leonard was second in the CFL with seven interceptions and this defense is opportunistic when their offense is not putting them in tough situations. For the Tiger-Cats, it is all about which team shows up on a weekly basis. Is it last year’s first-half team, or the one that responded in the second half? It is probably closer to somewhere in the middle. Take the under for their 10.5-win total, but this will be a good football team.
