ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
It is hard to imagine that a Week 11 matchup with a West Division foe could have major implications on positioning in the CFL playoff picture, however, that situation is very much real when the Argos take on the B.C. Lions this Saturday night in Vancouver.
Sitting last in the West Division with 4 wins, the B.C. Lions have a more than realistic chance at making the playoffs even if they stay behind Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatchewan in the west. With the lower half of the East Division still very much undecided, the Lions are a legitimate contender to grab a cross-over playoff spot should the third place East team finish with a sub-par record.
Perhaps more promising last week for the Lions was the play of veteran WR Geroy Simon who generated a season-high 128 yards receiving on 7 receptions and added a highlight reel touchdown catch-and-run.
With the Argos fighting to get back in to the playoff picture in the East, sitting two games behind the second place Hamilton Tiger-Cats and tied with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, these two teams could be jockeying down the stretch for entry in to the post-season.
The Leos are coming off an impressive two-game set with the Montreal Alouettes, winning one and losing in a shootout last week at Percival Molson Stadium. Despite the loss, the black and orange showed poise, focus and fight against an Alouettes club that currently lay claim to the league’s best record.
Perhaps more promising for the Lions was the performance by veteran WR Geroy Simon who generated a season-high 128 yards receiving on 7 receptions and added a highlight reel touchdown catch-and-run.
Simon will have to continue to adjust as Buck Peirce has been placed back into the starters role after it was learned that Jarious Jackson will be missing significant time due to injury. Despite passing for well under 300 yards in all four of his appearances since relieving Peirce in Toronto in August, Jackson has moved the offence and led the Lions to victories in two of the four games.
However, the real story on offence for B.C. has been the play of rookie tailback Martell Mallett who is only one game removed from a 213-yard performance where he ran all over a Montreal Alouettes defence that simply had no answer for the 24-year-old rusher.
Defensively, the Leos seemed to have received a permanent boost in the way of veteran LB JoJuan Armour, who returned to the Lions after splitting time with both Hamilton and Calgary. An emotional leader that is never shy to speak his mind has fit in without incident after being set loose by Calgary for ‘disciplinary reasons’. In five games since returning to Vancouver, Armour has recorded 20 defensive tackles and sacked the quarterback three times.
Armour and the rest of the Lions will look to slow down RB Jamal Robertson, who is rapidly transforming into one of the CFL’s more versatile backs, leading the Boatmen in both rushing yards while standing second in receiving yards.
Robertson and Armour face off Saturday Night on TSN. Stay linked to argonauts.ca on Friday for previews, video and depth chart.
» QB Buck Pierce
» RB Martell Mallett
» WR Paris Jackson
» WR Geroy Simon
» WR O’Neil Wilson
» DE Brent Johnson
» LB JoJuan Armour
» CB Korey Banks
» DS Barron Miles
» Can the Argos defence slow down WR Geroy Simon, who is coming off his best performance of 2009 so far?
» How will RB Martell Mallett fare against a solid Argos defensive line that has just received its emotional leader, Jonathan Brown, back?