Toronto Argonauts linebackers coach Mike Archer and Terrance Plummer (47), Bear Woods (48) before the game against the Montreal Alouettes at Percival-Molson Stadium in Montreal, QC, Friday, August 11, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
The Toronto Argonauts (3-5) will host the Montreal Alouettes (3-4) in the first of FIVE consecutive Saturday home games at BMO Field on Saturday, August 19.
Coming off of a road loss to the Als in the first game of a key home-and-home, the Argos will look to topple their East Division rivals and regain sole possession of first place in the division.
The Argos’ last regular season win over the Alouettes came on July 25, 2016, when the team captured their first-ever home win at BMO Field.
RAY-SING THE BAR
Despite missing last week’s game due to injury, Argos QB Ricky Ray ranks second in the CFL in passing yards (2,421) and completions (199). After passing Condredge Holloway to move into first in team history for both passing yards (16,773) and pass attempts (2,052), Ray needs just three passing touchdowns to surpass him for the team’s all-time mark with 99.
With four more touchdown passes, the California native would become the first quarterback in Argos history with 100 passing touchdowns in Double Blue.
In the seven games he’s played, Ray has averaged more than 345 passing yards per contest, which puts him on pace to throw for 5,879 yards if he continues that pace over the remaining 10 games. That would be the eighth-most in CFL single-season history and the highest total for a quarterback since Anthony Calvillo (6,041) in 2004.
TURNOVERS A KEY IN TEAM SUCCESS
Entering Week Nine, the Argos are a perfect 3-0 when winning the turnover battle against their opponents; however, when creating the same or fewer number of turnovers as their foe, the team is a combined 0-5.
In the team’s three wins, they’ve forced a total of eight takeaways to go along with just three turnovers. In five losses, they’ve created just four total turnovers and given the ball away on 11 occasions.
Entering Week 9, teams that had won the turnover battle held a 22-6 record.
HAJRULLAHU ON RECORD PACE
Canadian K/P Lirim Hajrullahu continues to lead the CFL in field goals attempted (32) and successful field goal attempts (27). His current pace of 3.4 field goals per game has him on pace to record 61 across an 18-game slate. The Argos’ current single-season record for field goals is 55, set by Lance Chomyc during the 1991 season.
With 95 points scored in 2017, Hajrullahu is also on pace to record the team’s second-most points in a single season; Chomyc holds the team’s three largest totals with an all-time high of 236.
The St. Catherine’s, Ontario, native currently ranks 67th all-time in CFL scoring (465) and could conceivably pass Matt Dunigan (466), David Williams (470), Ray Elgaard (472), Nick Setta (476) and Travis Moore (478) in the upcoming weeks.
QUICK HITS
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Canadian RB/SB Anthony Coombs sits just 13 catches and 80 yards shy of matching career-highs in receptions (57) and receiving yards (486) in 2017. With 94 receiving yards, the fourth-year pro would notch his first career 500-yard season. In Saturday’s game, set to be his 50th in an Argos uniform, Coombs needs just three receptions to record his 150th career CFL reception. In eight games this season, he has accumulated 406 yards (220 YAC) and one touchdown on 44 receptions.
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The Argos had their most productive game of the season on the ground last week against Montreal, posting 173 rushing yards against the Als defence. The total was the team’s highest since September 17, 2016, in a road game against Winnipeg, and was the most the Als have allowed all season.
- Running back Brandon Whitaker put together his strongest performance of the season last week against his former team, coming up four yards shy of 100 while adding 24 yards on four receptions. In five career games against the Als, Whitaker has averaged 115 total yards per game.
- Despite missing three opening-day starters on the defensive line – Ken Bishop, Victor Butler and Cleyon Laing – the Argos have managed to total 20 quarterback sacks + pressures over the last two games. Help has come in the form of Troy Davis (5 QBP), Jeff Finley (2 QBS), and Dylan Wynn (3 QBS, 3 QBP) while Shawn Lemon (1 QBS, 3 QBP) now ranks third in league-wide with 19 total sacks + pressures this season.
- First-year Argonaut Dylan Wynn tallied a team-high seven tackles in last week’s game in Montreal, adding a quarterback sack and quarterback pressure on Darian Durant. This came one week after the Oregon State product brought down Stampeders quarterbacks for two sacks in the team’s Week 7 home game.
- Defensive end Shawn Lemon wrapped up Darian Durant for his fourth sack of the season last Friday. The Maryland native has now totaled 19 sacks in 26 games in Double Blue and ranks third in the league in sacks + pressures with 19 through eight games.
- RB/KR Martese Jackson is now one of just three players league-wide with 1,000+ combined yards eight weeks into the season. With 1,053 total yards – 654 kickoff return, 288 punt return, 65 missed FG return and 46 from scrimmage – he trails only BC’s Chris Rainey (1,331) and Ryan Lankford (1,224).