ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – 39-of-45 passing for 505 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Simply put, it was as close to quarterbacking perfection as one will ever see in the Canadian Football League. For the future Hall of Famer however, it was just another day at the office.
On a night that saw the Argos clinch the East Division and set them up to receive a first round bye and host the Eastern Final at Rogers Centre, the night slowly became a celebration of the man under centre.
To begin, the 505 yards is a career high for the eleven year CFL veteran. It surpassed his previous career high of 469 yards he had with Edmonton, which coincidentally also came against Winnipeg back on June 30, 2005.
The 39 completions, while not a career high (he had 40 in a game against Toronto in 2005), set a new Argos club record. Ray passed the record previously held by Tobin Rote who completed 38 passes in a game against Montreal all the way back on August 19 of 1960.
On route to his 39 completions, Ray strung together 21 straight completions to his receivers which sets another Argos club record. The current (now shattered) Argos record was already held by Ray who had 18 in a game earlier this season to pass Mike Rae’s 17 straight back in 1975.
The 21 straight completions puts Ray second all time in the CFL, passing his previous record in Edmonton of 20 straight but just one shy of current Argos receiving coach (and former Edmonton teammate of Ray’s) Jason Maas who holds the CFL record with 22 straight set back in 2008.
When asked about how he was able to execute such a day behind centre, Ray remained his humble self, putting the credit on his teammates and coaches.
“It was just one of those games where we had a good game plan and guys executed it pretty well, receivers ran great routes, good protection up front,” he said following the Argos’ 36-21 victory on Thursday night.
“I was able to get to my check downs on a lot of plays and keep the positive plays going.”
It’s that tendency to check down and not force the ball into tight windows that allowed Ray to pile up his 21 straight passes without an incompletion. It is clear Ray has a full feel for the Argos offence and the progressions associated with it.
“Most of this year, it seems like we’ve been able to get in a good rhythm […] There are some reads out there that I missed and probably checked down when I had guys downfield open. “
Ray however, after 11 years in the league, knows his game better than anyone and understands that his game is to get the ball into his playmakers’ hands and they will take it from there.
No play in the 36-21 win was bigger than the game clinching 69-yard touchdown pass to Dontrelle Inman, which helped Ray surpass the 500 yard plateau.
“A lot of it (Ray’s 500-yard game) had to do with the last big play we had, great play call by the coaches to put us in that position and a then for Dontrelle to go out there and make that catch.”
Talking about his coaches, they were just as surprised as everyone that this was the first time Ray passed the 500-yard mark. When asked after the game, Argos Head Coach Scott Milanovich said it was news to him and had no idea what his career high was.
He did sheepishly add with a chuckle, “He got back in a rhythm tonight.”
A rhythm that Argos fans will have to wait until November 17th to see as Milanovich announced after the game that Ray will not dress for the Argos season finale against Montreal.
If that is the case, and Ray does not throw another pass in 2013, he will set a CFL record for single season completion percentage at 77.2%. He will pass the mark of 74% set by Dave Dickenson back in 2005 with BC.
So, a season full of broken records, career highs and the all-time completion percentage record, sounds like a Most Outstanding Player-like season right? Ray disagrees.
When asked if he thinks he’s earned the right to be in the consideration for the award, Ray put it simply.
“Probably not, I don’ think I’ve played enough games this year.”
Either way Ricky, we’ve enjoyed the ride.