The Keys To Saturday’s Game vs. Edmonton

Lucas Palleschi – Argonauts.ca Insider

TORONTO – Saturday October 4^th will see the Toronto Argonauts back in play against the stout Edmonton Eskimos. This will be the Argos’ last matchup against a Western opponent before they go on a five-game Eastern bender.  Coming into this game and off a bye, the Argos have fell behind in the East, currently sitting in third place with a 4-8 record. Montreal and Hamilton were both able to best their opponents last week, placing them in a tie for first with 10 points apiece. 

The Argos are fully rested which is a big benefit due to their extensive injury list. They’re at home, which means no travel headaches, familiar scenery and of course home support. Also, the Argos have key players back, Chad Owens was a monster in week 13 and Player Of The Week and Shea Emery was absolutely clutch once again on the other side of the ball.

If the Argos play like they did in Week 13, Edmonton will be in for a long night.  Toronto just has to remember what they do best, almost like their keys to success, for example:

1: Chad Owens.

Chad can do it all. He can make players miss, fall down, cry, look for mommy and then quit the game altogether. He’s a player that you know is so good it makes your prized “Player Of The Game” high school trophies –  that had to be put away in storage because there was not enough room for your wife’s shoe collection – look like a cheap knick-knack.  He came off the injury list and was still able to make 8 receptions for 116 yards and 1 touchdown. For crying out loud he was named the player of the game! Even if Ricky gets trapped in a well on Saturday his first thought should be “where is Chad, I need to get the ball to Chad”.  The “Flyin Hawaiian” is the best player on the field and if the Argos want to be successful against the Eskimos, then they have to throw the ball to Owens.

2: The Running Game.

Okay, now that the whole world knows that Chad Owens is back on the field, the Argos are going to want to switch up their offensive style here and there. The best way to do this is with a healthy combination of running plays. The Argos don’t need to run the ball like the Road Runner runs away from Wile E. Coyote, but to keep Edmonton on their toes it would be smart to pound the ball every now and then. The Argos have two great running backs available in the likes of Curtis Steele and Steve Slaton who combined for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 13. Moreover, the Argos have to keep the running game moving in order to show their versatility, especially against stellar defenses like the Eskimos, which should be a pre-cursor to the type of talent the Argos will have to face in the playoffs.

3: The O-line.

The O line never gets any love, but these guys are the working horses of a football team. Not to mention that they were absolutely top notch two weeks ago, allowing only two sacks all game. Let’s face it, if Ray is kept comfortable in the pocket, the Argos have tremendous success, and they only way that happens is with the men in the trenches.  The O-line is the foundation, the gridiron connection, the men in blue and if they hold up the line game in and game out, the Argos will surely have success.

4: The Defence.

The boys on D, they are not your average pick of the litter. These boys are hard-hitting, tough nosed, “lets smack them where it hurts” kind of guys and fans love it. The defence sets the tone of the game. The Argos D will want to come out flying and hitting hard. A big rough and tough style of play will not only scare the Eskimos receivers, but it will also get the fans into the game, making home field advantage that much sweeter.  Led by Shea Emery, the Argos have some stud D-men. The likes of Vincent Agnew, Greg Jones, Alex Suber and Tristain Okpalaugo (TOR sack leader) are coming off a great performance with a combined 10 tackles, 3 sacks and 1 interception, all while keeping the Lions off the board in the first and third quarters. This is a strong defensive squad and with continued success off their last game, they should have no problems putting the Eskimos back inside their igloos.

If the Argos are able to implement these “keys to success” against their Edmonton counter-parts on Saturday evening, they will be the team to watch.