HAMILTON

The Argos have no one to blame but themselves, no matter what anyone says about their season and how their post-season fate was decided.

They lost control of their destiny when their high-priced offence managed one touchdown in two games played against the Montreal Alouettes, a team that could not elevate its game Saturday afternoon at rainy Tim Hortons Field.

The way the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Als played, neither team has a chance of winning a Grey Cup.

The way each played in Hamilton’s 29-15 win, the Argos must be bemoaning how they weren’t able to advance.

This will sting and the Argos must somehow address the many areas that festered, at least the ones they can control.

Ownership is by far the biggest issue with this franchise, but players and coaches are helpless, just like they were helpless in watching Montreal lay an egg in the Hammer.

The Argos needed the Als to beat the Ticats, not have the Als beat themselves.

The road to the Grey Cup now runs through Steeltown, the Ticats unbeaten at home where the elements can be nasty.

Oddly enough, the Ticats aren’t a good bad-weather team, but they managed the elements and could have turned this game into a rout had they cashed in on Als turnovers by scoring touchdowns.

Bad weather, good weather, indifferent weather, the Argos are just as good, if not better, than the Ticats and Als.

As of today, it’s of no significance because the Als and Ticats are advancing and the Argos are left to lament and try to make sense of a lost season.

This shouldn’t have happened, but it has and now some serious questions must be asked and answered.

Scheming was an issue last week when the Argos went into Montreal and lost 17-14 when no run game was ever established.

The Argos were conservative too often in the face of injuries and no semblance of balance was ever established.

When they helped the Ticats christen Tim Hortons Field on Labour Day, the offence produced zero points in the second half of a one-point loss.

There was no consistency on defence, players lining up in one position one week, somewhere else the following week.

Penalties, turnovers, some crushing losses and now no post-season, a first in the three-year run under head coach Scott Milanovich.

Grey Cup champions in 2012, finishing first in the East last year, out of the playoffs this year, the Argos have been going backwards and somehow, some way, progress must be made beginning with this coming off-season.

The team’s offensive line needs an upgrade, a pass rusher must be acquired and some cover guys in the back end signed.

Cory Greenwood needs to start at linebacker and more flexibility in how the Argos operate their offence, philosophically, must be explored.

In the absence of a non-running quarterback such as Ricky Ray, a ground game must be featured and tweaks made to accommodate the talent level around Ray.

When Andre Durie broke his clavicle in the team’s home opener, the offence was never the same.

Durie isn’t getting any younger and neither is Ray or Chad Owens.

John Chiles will explore the NFL, while Jason Barnes is expected to hit free agency, the Argos’ receiving unit getting thinner and potentially even more thin.

When they lost both Chris Jones and Mike O’Shea, the Argos tried to compensate, but no team can overcome coaches of that ilk, especially a character such as Jones who beats the off-season bushes like no one in the CFL.

Had the Argos finished first, and they should have had they taken care of business, they would have had a chance in the Grey Cup because of the indoor dimension.

Now the work begins, the soul-searching and difficult decisions that need to be made and executed.

The Als will be home for next week’s East semi and it’s a virtual given that their game won’t be as pathetic as the way they played Saturday, especially on special teams.

Jonathan Crompton overthrew more passes than he has in weeks, the team unable to control the line of scrimmage, the defence put in too many difficult situations when field position was constantly lost and compromised.

In a fortnight, Tim Hortons Field could very well feature a rematch of Saturday, but hopefully the quality of play will be much better.

It can’t get worse, but the weather might and turnovers and field position will once again be the deciding factors.

In many ways, the Argos’ elimination from the post-season will hurt more than had they played a game and lost.

At least they had a say in their demise.

On Saturday, they had no bearing on the botched returns, the lack of execution.

They had no control because they lost control, unable to create separation in the early season when the Als and Ticats went a combined 2-13 to start the year.

When they had four games at home in a row, five of six to end the regular season, they couldn’t produce a single touchdown in a 20-12 loss to the Als.

And now the Argos are toast, to be completely forgotten by many until some meaningful changes are made.

Ray’s presence provided the Argos with the best chance of winning the East and representing the East in the Grey Cup.

In the final analysis, the Argos didn’t do enough to surround Ray with talent, excuses aside, injuries aside.

An all-West Grey Cup is looking more and more likely.

Surprisingly and completely out of character, the Als were beating themselves more than any scheme the Ticats would run.

On the game’s first punt, the Als fumbled the return, a turnover the Ticats would turn into a field goal.

A basic swing pass deep in Als territory would be cashed in by the Ticats for a defensive major.

Then came a punt into the wind the Ticats would recover, Montreal’s third turnover that provided Hamilton with 13 points.

It was terrible football by the Als, who haven’t been this bad in months.

The Ticats weren’t much better, limiting their turnovers, but failing to capitalize on field position by settling for field goals.

And back in Toronto, players and coaches were watching this embarrassment, scratching their heads in disbelief.

Had the Als been this bad when they played Toronto, the Argos would be hosting the East final.

Instead, it’ll be Hamilton, which needed to win by eight or more points.

The Als barely scored eight points, eventually losing 29-15, Montreal producing its only touchdown with 19 seconds remaining in the game.

On this day, the biggest losers were the Argos.

And they didn’t even play.

INJURY BUG BITES ALS

The Montreal Alouettes’ lost afternoon began in the moments leading up to kickoff, a loss before even a snap would be initiated.

Alan-Michael Cash isn’t exactly a household name to many CFL fans, but for those in the know he’s known as a run stopper, a key piece on Montreal’s defensive line that has been the catalyst to the team’s recent run of success.

Cash hurt his calf, unable to play, one of many setbacks for the Als, who lost the game, 29-15, and lost first place in the process to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who will be at home for the East final.

Montreal would lose running back Tyrell Sutton (ankle) and returner James Rodgers (concussion) during the game.

Overall, the Als deserved to lose, the Ticats emerging as the better team.

Montreal was destroyed in time of possession and lost the turnover battle.

The Als couldn’t stop the run and they couldn’t run the football, their offence unable to make plays.

“Our time came,’’ said head coach Tom Higgins, whose team had won five in a row. “If the bubble had to burst, it’s better to burst in the last game of the regular season (instead of at) playoff time.”

The Als will be at home, where they’ve been very good, for next Sunday’s semifinal. Montreal couldn’t handle the wind and the overall conditions at Tim Hortons Field as the Als made their first visit to the Ticats’ new digs.

“Give them credit for what they were able to do here,” said Higgins of the Ticats. “They have a win streak here at home, but now we know how to get to the field, how to get to the locker room, we know what the locker room looks like, know what the field conditions are.

“We look forward to hopefully having an opportunity to play them again here.”

The Als will have a chance, but there’s no chance of returning if they play like they did Saturday.

frank.zicarelli@sunmedia.ca