PREVIEW
ARGOS, ESKS SET FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON CLASH AT BMO
TORONTO — For whatever reason, the Toronto Argonauts simply haven’t looked comfortable in their first four games on their new home turf at BMO Field.
Scott Milanovich’s football team has lost three of four and posted a minus-36 point differential at home this season, and will aim to right the ship this week against the inconsistent Edmonton Eskimos.
The Esks visit ‘the 6ix’ on the back of an unconvincing 23-12 win against Montreal at home last week which snapped a three-game skid.
Both teams have something to prove; Edmonton wants to vault itself back into the playoff conversation in the ultra-competitive West Division, while Toronto needs a statement win at home to alleviate the acid taste of last week’s 34-17 setback at the hands of the surging Blue Bombers.
Edmonton’s critical Week 8 win came from a hard-earned effort on defence, which kept Montreal out of the end zone and limited the Als to just 12 points.
“It was huge; in this league every week has huge importance towards the end of the year (and) with the skid we were on, we needed to get momentum back in our favour,” said Esks linebacker JC Sherritt in an interview with Esks.com. “It was our best (defensive) performance of the year, we’d been building towards it, (and) we’ve got to make sure to continue to improve.”
Sherritt has been a possessed man in the middle of the Edmonton defence the past two weeks, registering 10 tackles and two interceptions — returning one for a pick-six — and could have a critical role to play in Toronto on Saturday.
Toronto rookie quarterback Logan Kilgore struggled in his second career start, throwing five interceptions and failing to ever find a rhythm in the Argos’ 34-17 loss.
Sherritt, who leads the Eskimos in interceptions (3) and forced fumbles (3), understands the importance of making life difficult for Kilgore.
“(Getting pressure) is huge — even with experienced QBs, the more you get in their face, the more mistakes they make,” said the 28 year-old. “You make him feel uncomfortable, start putting pressure on him, (the game) will start to tilt in your favour.”
Edmonton’s defensive line will be without sack-leader Marcus Howard, whose contributions at the line of scrimmage often go far beyond the box score. Newly-signed Jason Vega will slot in at defensive end against his former team; the Northeastern alum suited up in seven games with the Argos in 2015, registering 12 tackles and two sacks.
“We talk about getting after their quarterback and protecting our quarterback,” said Edmonton head coach Jason Maas. “When they feel pressure, they’re never going to be as accurate, the timing in their head’ll go off quicker than it needs to, and they just don’t play as effectively.”
Maas also stressed the importance of “getting after” the rookie Kilgore early in Saturday’s ballgame.
“It’s about making him make decisions quicker than he’d like to, getting guys after him, hitting him,” said the Esks head coach. “If you can do all those things and create pressure on a quarterback, it’s tough, especially on a young quarterback that hasn’t seen everything in the league.”
The Eskimos possess one of the league’s most explosive offences but struggled out of the gate defensively to resemble the dominant defensive team they were on the way to winning the 103rd Grey Cup Championship last November.
If the last two weeks are any indication, however, that unit is starting to find its legs under first-year defensive coordinator Mike Benevides.
“It’s growth; you’re seven weeks into a season, guys are getting comfortable in their surroundings, understanding schemes better and (we’re) doing some different things up front,” said Maas. “The guys are buying in, playing faster, communicating better, and last game we saw the fruits of that.”
Toronto’s offence has moved on from last week’s forgettable outing against Winnipeg, and Kilgore will once again handle duties under centre for the Boatmen.
“After the film on Monday, we were able to flush it,” Kilgore, who threw five interceptions in the loss, told Argonauts.ca. “It was a learning experience for the entire offence, and I think we’re onto a different turn (now).”
The young quarterback will be boosted by the return of slotbacks Vidal Hazleton and Kevin Elliott.
Hazelton had been out since Week 6 with a lower-body injury, while Elliott was forced out of Toronto’s season-opener with a shoulder injury. The two have combined for 17 career touchdowns in little more than a single season and just as importantly add some much-needed size and toughness to the Argos’ receiving corps.
“Both those guys are elite players,” said Kilgore, a Middle-Tenn State alum. “It’s going to be great to have those guys back in the game — we’ve got a great core group, and when their lights go on, we’ve got to make plays.”
On the defensive side of the football, Toronto will have to find a way to stop Edmonton’s two-headed receiving monster of Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker. Both are on pace to break 2,000 receiving yards this season.
“They’re two different body types but they play well off each other,” said Argos defensive back Keon Raymond. “(Bowman)’s a big-body type, he’s a possession-type but he can blow the top off ya, too.”
As for Walker, the league’s top receiver with 800 yards, Raymond sees a different challenge.
“He’s fast and such a good route runner,” said the former Stamps defender. “He doesn’t talk trash, but he comes out and he works so you can’t do nothing but respect a guy like that.”
In the larger quest to neutralize the league’s most dangerous 1-2 receiving punch, the Argos will have to get pressure on Esks quarterback and league passing leader Mike Reilly.
Raymond, who’s posted 30 tackles, a sack and an interception on the year, will have to lead Toronto’s linebacking corps in the absence of team-leading tackler Cory Greenwood (40), who will miss Saturday’s game.
By the Numbers
50 – Saturday’s game will be Mike Reilly’s 50th career regular-season start for the Eskimos. His record is 27-22.
199 – Points surrendered by the Eskimos, the second-most in the league through eight weeks.
350 – Receiving yards for Toronto’s Kenny Shaw in the last four games.
1,963 – League-low passing yards for Toronto on the season.
The Skinny
Toronto has the best record of any CFL team against Mike Reilly at 4-1. Then again, the Argos are also one of the worst home teams thus far in 2016 at 1-3.
Reilly has been held out of the end zone in consecutive games for the first time since late in 2014; while Edmonton’s defence has stepped up and given the Esks chances to win the past few weeks, it’s time for Reilly to reassert himself as the top-tier quarterback we know he is.
Logan Kilgore needs to not throw interceptions; for his team’s confidence, for his coach’s confidence, and for his own confidence.
Plenty of big-time players on both sides of the ball: This should be a fun one at BMO.
Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca Game Tracker.