ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
Each week, argonauts.ca showcases one of the marquee matchups for fans to watch out for before the Argos next game. This week, we take a look the two leaders of the offence in the Double Blue’s Cleo Lemon and the Blue and Gold’s Buck Pierce.
It is still too early to tell if we have seen the real Cleo Lemon yet, but the next two games will go a long way in doing so. Lemon completed just over 57% of his passes last week and generated 246 yards in total offence.
Perhaps the offence’s biggest struggle under his guidance last week was their inability to finish drives. Following their first touchdown to FB Jeff Johnson, the Argos had decent field position for most of the game but seemed stuck between the 40’s for most of the second half.
That being said, with the changes that this team has seen on offence, one also has to appreciate that it is going to take time before they truly get going. New receivers, changes along the offensive line and a brand new running back will cause some growing pains but will hopefully generate chemistry with Lemon over the next few weeks – starting this Friday night in Winnipeg.
The man that many had written off following another injury-filled 2009 campaign came back last week to prove his critics wrong. Blue Bombers’ QB Buck Pierce returned to the field last Friday and took hold of the Winnipeg offence, generating 475 yards of total offence, while completing 17 of 25 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns.
Perhaps more impressive than his aerial attack was his ability to make plays after initial reads had broken down. A player who has often been criticized for putting his already battered body into danger, Pierce ran the ball with poise and smarts – hook sliding for first downs as opposed to diving head first for yards – and by the time the final whistle sounded, had racked up 89 yards and a touchdown doing so.
With a healthy Terrence Edwards back, an experienced outside threat in Adarius Bowman and a solid newcomer in Terence Jeffers-Harris, Pierce should have no shortage of weapons to look to as he tries to dissect an Argos defence that looked solid in its first outing.