ARGONAUTS AT ALOUETTES
Five things you need to know when the Toronto Argonauts take on the Alouettes at Molson Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m., TSN, RDS, TSN Radio 690), by Herb Zurkowsky.
1.
Matchup
Both teams will miss the playoffs this season and are meeting for the second time in eight days. Last Saturday at BMO Field Toronto outscored the Als 10-1 in the fourth quarter en route to a 26-22 victory. The Argos ended a seven-game losing streak, while Montreal has lost its last five.
2.
Injuries
Als defensive-back T.J. Heath suffered bruised ribs in last week’s game, although head coach Mike Sherman said he believes he’ll recover in time to play. Toronto head coach Marc Trestman can only wonder how things might have played out had his starting quarterback, Ricky Ray, not suffered a season-ending neck injury in the opening game.
3.
The QBs
Johnny Manziel is better today than he was in the summer, when he was intercepted four times by Hamilton in his Montreal debut.
What’s more troubling, however, is his 0-6 record as the Als’ starter. Manziel has the same supporting cast as Antonio Pipkin, who managed to split his four starts. Toronto’s James Franklin passed for 277 yards last weekend, but also was intercepted twice. One of those was returned
37 yards for a touchdown.
4.
Receivers
Eugene Lewis produced his first 100-yard game for the Als last weekend, catching eight passes and scoring Montreal’s only offensive touchdown. Ernest Jackson had a workmanlike
six catches for 60 yards. T.J. Graham, given a reprieve with B.J. Cunningham injured, is a legitimate deep threat. He caught three for 39 against Toronto. The Argos rely heavily on Armanti Edwards, who led all players last Saturday, catching six passes for 106 yards. Former Alouette S.J. Green should surpass 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his career. But Duron Carter was held to two catches for 20 yards by his former team.
5.
This and that
This marks the Als’ final home game of the year. Montreal has struggled at McGill University, winning only one game. Coincidentally, that came against the Argos, who have yet to win on the road … Als tailback William Stanback produced his first 100-yard game against Toronto, rushing 10 times for 118 yards ... Kicker Boris Bede missed two crucial field goals against the Argos.