Ticats show improved D-line

The Tiger-Cats defensive line which has shown improvement of late, is about to get even better. Linden Gaydosh, whom the Ticats selected first overall in the 2013 CFL draft, and who was released by the Carolina Panthers in August, is in town and reportedly will sign with the Ticats sometime today.

Gaydosh should be able to help the Ticats get to the quarterback, which is something the defense actually did quite well in Monday’s Labour Day win over the Argos.

The Tiger-Cats may still have the fewest number of sacks handed-out in the CFL. But on Monday, they added four to their credit, bringing that total to 18.

Antonio Coleman: “I think that week off gave us an opportunity to get our minds right and really get focussed on the task at hand.”

While penalties may have plagued the entire team, the Ticats defense has had a particularly difficult time trying to make big plays this season. But Monday’s Labour Day Classic served-up a few good ones — ones linebacker Taylor Reed says were long overdue: “Each week it’s been close games. We go over the film after all the losses we’ve had and it was “ah so close”, just a handful of plays, it would have been better.”

Ravaged by injury, the roster turnovers have been plentiful — forcing most players to learn more than one or two positions. One such player is Ed Gainey, who is listed as a DB, but stepped-up at linebacker in the fourth quarter, and snagged a huge interception: “It’s not really tough when you’ve got guys who are trying to help you get better and they’re always there for you when you have questions and things like that.”

And Coleman agrees that camaraderie has been — and will continue to be — the key to their success: “When I came here for training camp, I told coach ‘O’, this is the first time I really had fun playing football.”

But everyone agrees, it’s even “more” fun when you’re winning.

Antonio Coleman was a free agent signing on the eve of training camp. Nice pickup. Spent most of last season on Saskatchewan’s practice roster.