ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
HAMILTON – It wasn’t the result Cleo Lemon was looking for but Saturday night in Hamilton was arguably the quarterback’s most important performance of his CFL career.
Lemon has had the unenviable task of not only trying to lead an evolving offence but also attempt to find his place in the CFL over the past one-and-a-half seasons.
He has faced his fair share of criticism in that time, some warranted and some not, but throughout it all he has kept his composure and continued to try and evolve.
It may be premature to state that it was the beginning of a new brand of Argos football but it did go a long way in the growth of a pivot that continues to try and soak up as much as he can while not having the luxury of a savvy veteran from which to learn – unlike so many elite passers in the league.
“There is no doubt that he took a step forward,” Argos General Manager & Head Coach Jim Barker said. “He didn’t throw any interceptions and he managed the run game very well. You can’t ask more from a quarterback than what he did.”
Argos QB Cleo Lemon was on fire in Steeltown despite the loss. The second-year Argo had a career-high 368 yards and three touchdowns on 26 of 36 passing.
Lemon took command of the offence against the Tiger-Cats, moving the ball with a consistent flow and orchestrating an effective balance of pass and run.
Finishing the night with 368 yards and three touchdowns on 26 of 36 passing, Lemon put together his most complete game as an Argonaut – executing higher gains on first down and then converting on second and short when needed.
Admitting that the evening was not a success without the win, Lemon did take solace in the offence’s performance and credits a great week of preparation with their ability to execute come game time.
“It was in practice this week,” he said after the game. “The defence stepped it up and it made us want to step our game up and this week everyone was flying around and guys came out and made plays.”
Another contributing factor in Lemon’s success was the offensive play-calling which seemed to stretch the defence a bit more, mixing up deep routes with underneath patterns.
The greatest beneficiary was WR Brandon Rideau who caught six passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns, including a 69-yard bomb that temporarily put the Argos in the lead in the fourth quarter.
“We had a couple of connections and a couple of good drives but when the scoreboard doesn’t tell [the right] tale, you are always disappointed,” Rideau said.
Both Rideau and Lemon were visibly upset with the fact that their club couldn’t pull out the win but there was a general feeling that strides were made in the offence. They will have another chance to build on their performance this Thursday when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Rogers Centre 7:30 p.m. For tickets, please call 416-341-ARGO (2746) or click here to purchase online.