Argonauts.ca staff
The Argonauts have the chance to move to 3 – 0 to start the season for the first time since 1991 with a win in Calgary tonight. Here are five things to look for when the Argos and Stamps kick off at 9:00 p.m. on TSN.
Bigger Role for Coombs:
It was bad news for SB Andre Durie and the Argonauts last week, as the nine-year CFL veteran suffered a knee injury which ended his 2015 season prematurely. It’s the second straight season that Durie has suffered a season-ending injury, and it forces the Argos to deal with the loss of one of the most versatile and electric Canadians in the league. Luckily for the Argonauts, they believe they have an ace up their sleeve in sophomore SB/RB Anthony Coombs, who was a first round draft pick in 2014. Coombs missed much of the 2014 season with a shoulder injury, but showed flashes of brilliance when he was on the field. The former Manitoba Bison showed a glimpse of his stellar playmaking ability last week, when he showed tremendous body control on a two-point conversion which ended up being the winning points for Toronto. Coombs will now be thrust into a larger role in the Argos’ offence, and hopefully will show why he was so coveted by Toronto.
|
Argos vs. Stamps |
|---|
|
|
Ball Hawk-ins:
DB Travis Hawkins was inked into a starting role on the Argonauts’ defence after an impressive training camp, but a lower-body injury forced Toronto to put him on the six-game injured list prior to the beginning of the regular season. This week, Hawkins was pulled from the injured list and will make his CFL debut starting at halfback for the Double Blue. Hawkins was a three-year starter at Delaware before joining the NFL’s New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He participated in training camp with the Patriots, but was one of the team’s final cuts before the beginning of the NFL regular season. Hawkins is a calm presence in the Argos’ secondary who seems older and wiser than his 24 years, and the coaching staff has high hopes for the CFL rookie.
Defensive Bounce Back:
Head coach Scott Milanovich made no bones about what he thought of his team’s effort in a week two victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Toronto’s defence allowed over 580 yards of offence including 477 yards to back-up QB Kevin Glenn through the air. Toronto snuck out the win in double overtime, but a more complete effort will be required to take down the defending Grey Cup Champions in Calgary. Look for defensive coordinator Casey Creehan to have his defence fired up and ready to go Monday evening.
Whitaker the Difference Maker:
Through week two, RB Brandon Whitaker has quietly found himself at the top of the offensive leaderboards. Whitaker’s 290 combined yards and two touchdowns ranks him second in the CFL through two weeks in both categories, as his last-minute addition by the Argos has paid dividends early in the season. We dug through the stat sheets and discovered that Whitaker’s personal success when playing for Scott Milanovich has a profound impact on the success of his team. Eleven times Whitaker has surpassed the 100-yard threshold on a Scott Milanovich-coached team, and 10 times his team has come away with the win. Whitaker will look to keep his string of impressive performances going on Monday.
Pass Protection:
Heading into a week three matchup with the Stampeders, the Argonauts have struggled to keep QB Trevor Harris on his feet, allowing a CFL-worst eight sacks through two games to start 2015. A key to the game in Calgary will be the play of the offensive line, as the Stamps are known for their tenacious defence which has historically created a lot of sacks. Stopping Stampeders’ DE Charleston Hughes will be a particular area of concern for the Argos’ O-Line, as the perennial all-star has recorded at least seven sacks in his past five seasons, and already has two through two weeks in 2015. Trevor Harris has been nothing short of spectacular so far for the Argonauts, but he’ll need to be kept upright and out of harm’s way if he’s to lead the Double Blue to victory on Monday.
-30-