LOST SEASON . . . LAST SEASON?
Ricky Ray, still mulling retirement, and the Argonauts finish dead last in the East after seventh straight loss (and 11th in their last 12 games — ouch) in Edmonton.
EDMONTON— After losing for the seventh straight time, Ricky Ray and the Toronto Argonauts will head into the CFL’s off-season with a lot of work to do.
The Argos bowed out with a 41-17 loss Saturday to the defending champion Eskimos, who rested many of their starters in preparation for the post-season. Edmonton will cross over and face the Tiger-Cats in the East Division semifinal next Sunday in Hamilton.
At 5-13-0, Toronto — host city of the Grey Cup game on Nov. 27 — will finish last in the East for the first time since 2011. They lost 11 of their last 12 games, leading to speculation that major changes are in store.
“It was obviously not the way we wanted to see the season go,” said Ray, who made his 200th career start at quarterback in the city where his career began.
“We had high hopes, especially early in the season, but we just didn’t play well enough in the middle of the second half. We got what we deserved. We didn’t do what we needed to do to be a good team in this league, which is the frustrating part of it.”
Ray engineered a long opening drive, capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Brandon Whitaker, but the Argos’ offence did little to build on that early momentum.
There has been talk that Ray may retire at age 37, but he said post-game that decision hasn’t been made.
“I’m not sure, so I’m going to take some time,” he said.
The Eskimos, meanwhile, seem to have a pretty good backup plan for the playoffs if something should happen to regular starting QB Mike Reilly
James Franklin threw four touchdown passes, including a pair to rookie Brandon Zylstra, in Saturday’s victory.
“It was nice to get out there. There was a little thought in the back of my head that I felt like I would have been rusty, since it’s been a long time,” said Franklin, who completed 18 of 23 passes for 335 yards. “But it helped out that the O-line and receivers made it pretty easy for me.”
Eskimos head coach Jason Maas said he was pleased to see the team’s depth on display.
“We set out this week to get better as a football team, and I think we accomplished that goal,” he said. “Obviously, we did it with a different group of guys playing, but it’s all guys that we expected big things out of.”
Edmonton tied the game two plays after the Argos’ opening drive when Franklin found Zylstra for a 28-yard TD pass.
The Esks went up 14-7 to start the second quarter, with Shakir Bell reeling in a four-yard scoring toss. Franklin continued to air it out, hitting a stunningly wide-open Devon Bailey on a 72-yard pass and run into the end zone.
The porous Argos coverage continued late into the second, as Franklin picked them apart for a couple of long passes before completing a 15yard TD strike to Zylstra, who finished with 186 yards.
“It was a good chance for us young guys to really step up and show what
. we can do out here,” he said. “We all had good games.”
Ray found Brian Jones for a oneyard TD pass to make it 28-14 at the half.
The teams traded field goals in the third quarter, then Edmonton got another three-pointer from kicker Sean Whyte before backup QB Jordan Lynch ran one in from four yards out to close out the scoring.