Marcus Ball (6) and his teammates of the Toronto Argonauts in the locker room after a win against the Ottawa RedBlacks at BMO Field in Toronto, ON., on Monday, July 24, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
On Saturday, July 29, the Toronto Argonauts (3-2) will travel West to visit the new Mosaic Stadium for the first time in a road clash with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-3).
The Argos, coming off of a 27-24 last-second field goal win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS, have won five of their last seven over the Riders, including three of their last four in Saskatchewan.
The Riders travel home after a 27-10 road loss to the Calgary Stampeders, hoping to record their second home win of the season in the game against the Argos.
Argos Head Coach Marc Trestman and Riders HC Chris Jones have never before squared off as head coaches but starting quarterbacks Ricky Ray and Kevin Glenn have a long history against each other.
Saturday’s game will mark the 17th time Ray and Glenn have been head-to-head starters, with Ray holding a 9-6 advantage along with one tie.
RICKY 300+ RAY
Heading into Week Six of CFL action, Argos QB Ricky Ray ranks second in the CFL with 1,896 passing yards and six touchdowns on 156-of-228 passing (68.4%). Ray trails league-leader Trevor Harris, who has played one extra game, by 43 yards.
Last week vs. Ottawa, the 15-year veteran posted his fifth consecutive game with the 300+ passing yards on Monday night. Ray went 40-of-55 passing (72.7%) for 367 yards and two touchdowns. Ray’s streak marks the second time in his career that he has gone five games with 300+ passing yards, the first coming back in 2006. The 15-year veteran also tied a career-high for completions in a game with 40 while his 51 passing attempts are his most as an Argonaut and second most in his career. In his rookie season, Ray went 40-of-56 passing for 414 yards and one touchdown vs. Toronto.
Ray now needs 372 passing yards, seven passing attempts, and seven touchdowns to become the club’s outright all-time leading passer; he is currently chasing Argo legend Condredge Holloway for all three team records.
HAJRULLAHU WALK-OFF FIELD GOAL
Last week, Lirim Hajrullahu went 3-of-4 but made his first career walk-off FG to beat Ottawa 27-24. His closest previous feat came on July 31, 2016, when he made from 53 yards with 1:15 left for the winning points.
The Argos kicker went a career-high 6-for-6 FGs two weeks ago week and has now made 19-of-24 in 2017. He is now averaging 4.8 FG attempts per game, a pace for 86 attempts which would shatter the CFL record of 74 in one season set by Paul Osbaldiston in 1989.
THE IMPORTANCE (AND SCARCITY) OF SACKS
There have been only 81 Sacks made this season in 21 games, a rate of 3.95 per game – the second lowest in CFL history since the stat became official in 1980. Sacks have declined by 28% since 2013 partly due to the much quicker, short passing game in the CFL in which quick releases are more prominent.
While sacks are down league-wide, the Argos defence has increased their sack production by 62% compared to last season. In 2016, the unit produced 38 sacks in 18 games, at a rate of 2.1 per game. In 2017, the team has manufactured a league-high 17 quarterback sacks, good for an average of 3.4 per game and an 18-game pace of 61 sacks.
Despite the decline in total sack rate this season, sacks have borne added significance in relation to offensive production. In 2016, offences scored a major on just 23 drives of 361 in which they allowed a sack (6%). Through 21 games in 2017, no offensive unit has scored a touchdown on a drive in which they’ve given up a sack.
QUICK HITS
- Argos head coach Marc Trestman was rewarded with his 62nd career win last week, pushing his career record to 62-33. The win moved him into the league’s Top 20 in all-time coaching wins as he slid past John Payne (Ssk, Ham, Ott). He now sits six wins behind Argos legend Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons, who held a 68-55-1 career coaching record.
- Argos DE Shawn Lemon will make his return to Regina for the first time since being traded to Toronto on July 2, 2016, in exchange for OL Matt Sewell and INT QB Mitchell Gale. Since arriving in Toronto just over a year ago, the 2016 East Division All-Star has 29 tackles, 17 sacks and five forced fumbles with the Double Blue.
- RB/SB Anthony Coombs hauled in all eight passes he was targeted on for a total of 73 yards and his first touchdown of the season while adding two carries for nine yards in Week 5. In his last three games, Coombs has caught 20 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, an average of 10.5 yards per catch. Additionally, the Winnipeg product, who is on pace for a career season, needs just seven catches to record his 150thcareer reception.
- WR Armanti Edwards led all pass catchers in Thursday’s game with 81 yards on five catches and now has 26 receptions for 354 yards and a touchdown in 2017.
- Third-year Argo Marcus Ball registered four tackles and an interception vs. the REDBLACKS. Ball now has 24 tackles and an interception on the season and has registered 4+ tackles in all five games.
- Rookie DE/LB Justin Tuggle led the Argonauts with five defensive tackles last week.