Derek Mortensen/Electric Umbrella
Toronto Argonauts (0-0-0)
at Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-0-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
620 CKRM, TSN
The Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders open their 2018 regular-season schedules with a Friday Night Football tilt at Mosaic Stadium. Saskatchewan was 6-2-0 against East Division opponents in the 2017 regular season, including a sweep of its two-game series versus Toronto. The Argos were 3-7-0 against West Division foes in the regular season, but 2-0 against the West in the playoffs — including a victory over the Roughriders.
Here are three things to look for during Friday’s contest.
- Payback: The last time the Roughriders and Argos met, Cody Fajardo’s one-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left in regulation time helped lift Toronto to a 25-21 victory in the Eastern Final at BMO Field on Nov. 19. Saskatchewan had taken a 21-18 lead on Christion Jones’ 79-yard punt return for a touchdown with 2:44 remaining, but the defence couldn’t hold off Ricky Ray. One week later, the Argos defeated the Calgary Stampeders 27-24 in the Grey Cup game at TD Place in Ottawa. Saskatchewan’s veterans no doubt are still stinging from the defeat in Toronto and will be eager to take down the defending champions.
- Old friends: Ray, 38, pondered retirement in the off-season, but ultimately decided to return for another go-round. His first season in Toronto was 2012, which also was the first season in the CFL for new Saskatchewan QB Zach Collaros. The first-year Roughrider has said he learned a lot over his two seasons as Ray’s backup and Collaros put that to use during his four seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Ray was 57-for-77 passing for 727 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in two regular-season games versus the Riders in 2017. Saskatchewan quarterbacks Brandon Bridge and Kevin Glenn were a combined 47-for-73 for 661 yards with six TDs and no interceptions in those games.
- Feeling the pressure: Ray isn’t a mobile quarterback, so he usually can be found in the pocket. The Roughriders sacked the Argos pivot five times in their first meeting last season, but didn’t get to him at all in the second meeting and then managed just one sack in the Eastern Final. The Roughriders are hoping the off-season acquisitions of defensive end Charleston Hughes — a three-time CFL sack leader — and defensive tackle Zack Evans will add consistency to their pass rush, which already featured Willie Jefferson. If Hughes and Evans can produce as expected, Saskatchewan’s defence could make quarterbacks very uncomfortable this season.
