ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – Cory Boyd was all smiles late Friday night following an Argos win that may not have meant much in the standings but was a huge morale booster for a team that has gone through a difficult year.
After spending most of the week answering critics who thought that he was too outspoken on his Twitter account, Boyd let his play do the talking against a Stampeders squad that struggled to stop both he and rookie tailback Chad Kackert, especially in the first half.
After a few quiet weeks, Boyd stormed back Friday night. He rushed 18 times for 148 yards and a 13-yard touchdown. He also added 3 receptions for 27 yards.
It was a far cry from the 87 yards he totalled in the previous two weeks combined, but he says that the credit for his performance should be placed solely on his offensive line.
“I just thank my line mostly,” Boyd said following the game. “That is what set the tone. They have been champing at the bit all week, asking for runs so they can come off the ball, get physical, let these teams know what we are about , and that is what they did.
Despite Boyd’s 109-yard performance three weeks ago against Winnipeg, one could argue that this was the most complete game the Argos have had since the line was forced to re-tool. Season-ending injuries to veteran starters Rob Murphy and Taylor Robertson forced the Argos to look to sophomore lineman Joe Eppele and import rookie Edawn Coughman to step into the starting lineup.
The running game, as a whole, is improving according to Boyd, and that doesn’t just include him.
“It was my offensive line. Our quarterback made the right reads – me and him have been discussing it and talked about how we are going to try and make a turnaround in this offence. We threw Kackert in there which was a bit of thunder and lightning action too.”
“Whether the team stacked the box or didn’t, it was our physical play that got us to where we needed to be.”
Getting Boyd back involved in the offence was a must, especially since the Argos’ two previous opponents focused heavily on trying to take him out of the game. Perhaps more important was the Boatmen’s execution down the stretch.
Throughout the second half of the season, the Argos have been in numerous tight games in the final few minutes, only to have the defence give up a big play or the offence fall short of getting one.
This week, the offence took the ball down the field, forced Calgary into taking penalties and set up a game-winning field goal. It wasn’t pretty but it was desperately needed.
“It was a challenge for us,” Boyd continued. “As an offence, it was something that we needed to respond with. The game is on the line, can we respond? It got kind of shaky at the end with the interception but we found a way and that’s the best thing. We didn’t give up, we believed in one another, we believed in the play calling and we believed that everything was going to work and that is what happened.”