Plenty of intrigue to Argos’ regular-season finale
Rarely has a nothing CFL game meant so much to so many.
Reputations, momentum, careers and Ricky Ray’s future will be some of the things on the line Friday night as the playoff-bound Toronto Argonauts (9-8) close out the regular season against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-12).
It will be the final home game ever at the Rogers Centre for the Argos, who move into BMO Field next season.
The Argos will travel to either Ottawa or Hamilton for next Sunday’s East Division semifinal, depending on the results of Saturday’s TigerCats-Redblacks clash in the capital.
Kicker Swayze Waters, who has missed the last six games to injury and has played only five games all season, is back.
“I feel good,” Waters said.
“I was anxious to see how kicking on my own would translate into practice this week and it went probably better than expected. I’m just trying to get my rhythm back.”
Waters will be used on punts and field-goal attempts, while Justin Palardy will handle the kickoffs to protect Waters’ leg.
“He’ll (Waters) probably do most of the punting depending on how he feels,” head coach Scott Milanovich said. “I’m going to be real patient with him. If he feels anything, we’ll sit him down. But he looked great this week.”
The Argos don’t want to go into the playoffs riding a four-game losing streak. That’s why the Argos feel they want to get a second straight look to see what Ray has left in his surgically repaired shoulder.
Ray, 36, and Trevor Harris, 29, will be free agents in the off-season, and the Argos won’t keep both around. If Ray stumbles, expect Harris to get the call for the playoffs.
It’s an odd circumstance that Harris, who on Thursday was announced as the team’s unanimous selection for the East Division’s most outstanding player, will be the backup after he started the first 15 games.
But, as Milanovich said this week, Harris wasn’t unseated by a nobody; Ray is a future Hall of Famer.
Milanovich said he would “trust my gut” once the game gets going to determine how long Ray plays and will go with the hot hand in the playoffs.
“We’d love to get some momentum,” Milanovich said. “I think it would be good for us to just get that feel-good in our belly.” NOTES: The Argos will rest several banged-up starters, including slotback Chad Owens, wide receiver Vidal Hazelton, running back Brandon Whitaker, safety Jermaine Gabriel, fullback Alexandre Dupuis and offensive lineman Chris Van Zeyl . . . Expect the ball-carrying duties to be shared by Chad Kackert and Curtis Steele . . . Kenny Shaw will make his debut at wide receiver. In college, the Florida State product caught passes from Heisman Trophy winner and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston.