ROSTER | GAME NOTES | TORONTO DEPTH CHART (print version) | CALGARY DEPTH CHART
Opponent: Calgary Stampeders
Date: Saturday, September 20, 2008.
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: McMahon Stadium
Television: TSN/TSNHD
Radio: FAN590/FAN590.com/SIRIUS
Last Meeting: July 21, 2007 – Toronto 10 @ Calgary 33
Records: Toronto (4-7); Calgary (7-4)
Toronto Injuries: WR Obed Cétoute, DL Adrian Davis, OT Jerome Davis, RB Tyler Ebell, LB Michael Fletcher, WR Nathan Hoffart, DE Riall Johnson, FB Steve Shmidt, OG Jude St. John, LB Chuck Winters.
Calgary Injuries: DB Marc Calixte, DB Milton Collins, QB Dave Dickenson, OL Godfrey Ellis, OL Antonio Hall, DE Jullian Jenkins, DS Richard Karikari, DL Pat MacDonald
Starting Quarterbacks: TOR – #3 Cody Pickett; CGY – #1 Henry Burris
What to Look For:
This match marks the first time since July 27 at Saskatchewan that the Argos have faced a West Division opponent. The Argonauts finished 2-4-0 in their six-game stretch against the East.
The Argos are 2-1-0 against the Stampeders in their last three meetings and 7-3-0 in their past 10 contests.
When Calgary and Toronto square off, the home team has won 7 of the last 8 games dating back to 2004.The lone exception was Canada Day weekend in 2005 when the Argos edged the Stamps 22-16.
Preview:
After joining the Argos almost a calendar year ago, QB Cody Pickett will make his CFL debut as a starter, ahead of Kerry Joseph, this Saturday as the Boatmen head into Calgary to take on the surging Stampeders.
The Boatmen are looking to get back on track after two lopsided losses at the hands of East rivals Montreal and Winnipeg. A 28-year-old Idaho native, Pickett will try to utilize RB Dominique Dorsey, who is not only the CFL’s yardage leader but set a career-high last week in total yards from scrimmage. In addition, he is currently on pace to become the first player in pro-football history to accumulate at least 4000 all-purpose yards in a season.
Pickett and Dorsey will be without one of the Boatmen’s key pieces along the offensive line as OG Jude St. John will sit out with a hamstring injury. This will be just the third game since 2000 that St. John has missed. Replacing the veteran Canadian will be a combination of non-imports in rookie Mark Dewit and newcomer Andrew Greene.
St. John is one of a list of Argos who will not dress this weekend, including LB Michael Fletcher, WR Nathan Hoffart and FB/TE Steve Schmidt. DE Riall Johnson, OT Jerome Davis and WR Obed Cétoute will remain out with injuries as well. Former New England draft pick, and teammate of Cody Pickett in NFL Europa, WR P.K. Sam will take the spot of Hoffart on the roster.
On defence, the Boatmen will field two new faces in DE Claude Harriott and DS Will Poole who will go up against a Stampeders offence that has come into a zone under the leadership of starting quarterback Henry Burris. DB Pete Hunter, who has seen spot duty each of the past two weeks, will make his first CFL start at wide side halfback.
Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. ET at McMahon and can be seen on TSN HD and heard on either FAN590, FAN590.com or SIRIUS. Following the game, the Argos return home to complete a home-and-home set with the Stamps on September 27th at Rogers Centre. To purchase tickets, call 416-341-ARGO or CLICK HERE to purchase online.