Unlike Hamilton, the Lions will close out their season at home with the ultimate prize of being at home for the Grey Cup.
History is not on Hamilton’s side given that no third-place team in the East has played in a Grey Cup in almost 40 years, but these Ticats are so unpredictable that nothing should surprise anyone.
With two games remaining, the biggest question with Hamilton is at quarterback, a decision that involves Kevin Glenn and Quinton Porter.
The numbers didn’t do justice when applied to Glenn, who started like many had anticipated against the Lions.
Not good, but not bad, either, Glenn had plenty of dropped passes and some attempts that fell incomplete when Glenn didn’t have enough air under his throws.
On one corner route to Aaron Kelly, Glenn underthrew his target when a more lofted pass would have surely resulted in a major.
Fortunately for the Ticats, the Lions got called for pass interference in the end zone when Tad Kornegay failed to pick up the ball in the air.
Hamilton would parlay the penalty into a touchdown when Porter scored his seventh rushing major of the season.
Much like he did last week in Montreal, Glenn took some tough hits, only to bounce back, and he would lead the Ticats down the field.
The way Justin Medlock was connecting on virtually every field-goal attempt, any time Hamilton would cross midfield presented an opportunity for at least three points.
As it turned out, special teams would loom as a big factor, especially in the opening half.
In fact, the Ticats would lead 16-10 at the break after a blocked punt by Marc Beswick was recovered by Daryl Stephenson and returned to B.C.’s seven-yard line, a sequence that ultimately led to Porter’s plunge.
For the Lions, a lot was at stake and yet so little was being produced.
B.C. entered the evening knowing Edmonton had taken a one-game lead atop the West following its win over the Argos Friday night.
The Lions will play host to the Esks and then Montreal with the potential of hosting the West final hanging in the balance. The stakes aren’t quite as high for the Ticats, who knew of their fate just as kickoff awaited.
When Winnipeg made yet another improbable comeback to topple the Als, Hamilton knew for certain that its post-season run will begin on the road.
With Winnipeg playing host to the Argos, it looks like the Ticats will be making a trip to Montreal for the Eastern semi.
On the surface, a Ticats-Als matchup isn’t as daunting as facing a Winnipeg team that swept Hamilton during the season series.
While the Als are the reigning two-time defending champions, their secondary is suspect and Anthony Calvillo is one hit from potentially being knocked out.
The way A.C. struggled earlier on Saturday in Winnipeg, Hamilton may not need to deliver a lethal blow.
What the Ticats require is the same type of effort and intensity they showed against B.C., flying to football on defence, ball security, for the most part, on offence and playmaking on special teams.
Hamilton would recover an onside kick, but an offsides call negated the play.
Not quite as unique as the Argos’ bit of trickery from Friday night when Noel Prefontaine, who is left footed, and Grant Shaw, who is right footed, helped Toronto execute one of the most creative onside kicks one will ever see, Hamilton’s attempt was nonetheless timely.
With Porter under centre in the third quarter, the Ticats ran a play action that featured Augie Barrenechea, who recorded his first career reception.
When the Lions blitzed on another series, Porter hooked up with Bakari Grant on a 24-yard touchdown strike that gave Hamilton a 29-10 lead, an advantage the home side took into the final period.
In all three phases, there were plenty of moments when the Ticats looked awfully good.
But keep in that they can look just as bad.
If anyone knows what team ultimately shows up in the East semifinal, they’re lying.
If anyone didn’t cheer when Ray Mariuz, who started at linebacker, returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, they have no compassion.
Like many players, Mariuz wore pink gloves as part of the league’s cancer awareness program.
It was 11 years ago when Mariuz lost his mom to a brain tumour.
