Sep. 5: Argonauts at Tiger-Cats

[KCargosfan]

No, that was actually a good call by Milanovich in a game in which he had some bad ones.

The three turning points in this one were:

1) Jefferson's PI that should have been challenged in the third quarter. That was the difference between Hamilton having to punt from their own 20 and scoring a TD. This was the single biggest play in the game IMO.

2) Ray's INT in the endzone late in the 3rd quarter.

3) Wylie's "illegal block" on the big Spencer punt return in the 4th quarter. I honestly don't believe that it was an illegal block but it was a key play regardless.

Good summary, Ravi. Completely agree on that PI call being the biggest play of the game.

[1971GreyCup]

Has there been a game this season where the officials haven't contributed significantly to the outcome of a game? New PI rules don't help. Biggest criticism is too much officiating! Don't need to find a fault on every play, especially away from the play.

[Antwon]

This is a killer loss IMO, I predicted a Hamilton blowout and was wrong.
The Argos could and should have won this game but didn't, you could see them tightening up in the second half.
Live by the turnover, die by the turnover.
Good teams know how to close games out, enough said on that one.
Bad night for Milanovich, his indecision on the challenges directly cost the Argos big time.
Love seeing the smug look on Austin's face.

SM blew it not challenging the PI on Jefferson, and the catch by Spencer.
Valiant effort by the players, but the defence can't protect a lead!!
Nice to see them throw deep more....wonder if some are feeling the heat??

[gilthethrill]

Gotta eat it there Ray. Dammit!!

Ray was not given enough time to eat it.

[Stevoman]

Tough loss in a game where the Argos played well and even great at times (especially Gurley, Spencer, and Isaac). However, 30 turnover assisted points in the first half and only six in the second is not enough. I was happy to see Ray mixing his check off style with some aggressive deep throws to take advantage of the blitz but when the offence could not get one touchdown that was not assisted by a turnover, the score became misleading.
Credit to the Tiger Cats as they truly are a better team than .500 but I still can't stand em!

[1971GreyCup]

Against a Western team tonight, I think the Ticats lose by 40 points. Against the current structure of the Argos, the Ticats win by 13.

[doubleblue]

Has there been a game this season where the officials haven't contributed significantly to the outcome of a game? New PI rules don't help. Biggest criticism is too much officiating! Don't need to find a fault on every play, especially away from the play.

I agree. Three cheap penalties were costly for the Argos in this one. But I liked their passion, and if they can keep that part of the game up and the young players on defense keep improving, they will be a tough team to beat down the stretch IMO.

[Argo57]

So, every team has played ten games.
The Argonauts are currently out of a playoff spot.
Do we start cheering for the Eskimos and Blue Bombers to keep/start losing?

(Still a lot of football to be played of course.)

Won't matter unless the Argonauts get their shit together and start winning.

[Wobbler]

Ray was not given enough time to eat it.

I think there was, on that play at least.

[TheHammer]

Against a Western team tonight, I think the Ticats lose by 40 points. Against the current structure of the Argos, the Ticats win by 13.

Play to the level of your competition

[Ron]

Turning point was the Ray INT in the end zone. Had he not been hit just as he threw he had Durie wide open for an easy six. They guy who got the INT only got it because he was so out of position to cover Durie that the ball floated right to him. Had the DB been more competent ... it would have dropped incomplete.

For what it's worth. As Stubler walked off the field he was having a heated one way discussion with another coach.

[R.J]

Predicted the Ticats to win, but I was happy to see Ray pushing the ball early on. The picks were not from pushing the ball, but the oline failing to protect Ray. Ray's slow release isn't helping though.

We need a running back, and I mean need.

We also need Greenwood back, maybe put Greenwood at Mike when he returns, and Miles at Wil (Miles plays better at will than mike IMO). I disagree with the idea that letting Jones go was a mistake, with the aerial offences of the CFL this season, Jones has pretty much been invisible for the Riders and struggled last season in passing downs with the Argos - Jones is a run stopper, and we need more of a wil type linebacker at Mike (hence why I like Greenwood at the spot).

Argos were outcoached again, as the Ticats made the necessary adjustments at the half, and the Argos couldn't match 'em. Only 6 points off of non turnovers isn't good enough.

Lastly, the Refs, Glen Johnson, and Jake Ireland need to figure out what illegal contact and interference are - it's gotten ridiculous.

Play to the level of your competition

Yup

[ArgoRavi]

Tough loss in a game where the Argos played well and even great at times (especially Gurley, Spencer, and Isaac). However, 30 turnover assisted points in the first half and only six in the second is not enough. I was happy to see Ray mixing his check off style with some aggressive deep throws to take advantage of the blitz but when the offence could not get one touchdown that was not assisted by a turnover, the score became misleading.
Credit to the Tiger Cats as they truly are a better team than .500 but I still can't stand em!

Ray threw for almost 400 yards tonight and hit some big plays in the second half too so I have a hard time blaming the offence for this loss. The only play offensively I wish they had back was the INT in the endzone near the end of the third quarter. Looking ahead, the Argos need to build on their strong offensive performance tonight. This was only the second game where the Argos had the offence on the field that they want to have and Ray and the offence played much better tonight than they did against B.C.

At this point, the Argos need to continue doing what they did well and improve on the things that they didn't which I know sounds quite obvious. Offensively though, there is hope and their special teams coverage has been much better over the past two games. The punt block by Brian Jones tonight was a real highlight as well. Defensively, they played so well against the Lions but struggled against the Ticats. In fairness though, Hamilton has made a lot of defences look bad so far this season. The Argos have to find a way to limit the big plays against while forcing turnovers.

We are at a point now where the next two games may determine the season. Win both (vs. Hamilton, in Winnipeg) and there is still lots of hope for a great outcome. Lose one or both and it becomes a tougher haul the rest of the way. Milanovich has never lost 5 in a row as Argos' head coach so hopefully that stays the same after this Sunday.

[argolio]

Elliot's effort on the (penalty-negated) TD was terrific. I suspect that Spencer will do some pushups for that one. Will getting three instead of seven hurt us? We'll see...

Marginal call I thought.

Wake the f**k up and challenge that interference call coach!!
Total bullshit call IMO.

It's possible the bench didn't think it was worth challenging. It's also possible the spotters upstairs decided it shouldn't be challenged, or were too slow telling the bench to challenge it. Regardless, it's something that needs to be addressed this week.

Agree that it was a terrible call in the first place.

Call it even from the BS PI call earlier.

Not even. The Ticats actually did have 13 on the field. We didn't commit PI.

Should've just took the sack but a wide open Durie must of been tempting. Why not just run the ball?

What it should have been was first and goal from the one. That was clearly PI, not illegal contact. Likely cost us a TD.

Spencer is doing what he can to get an Argo win taking the ball on a 63 yard play down to the five only to be followed by an interception. Then he has a great 41 yard return deep into Ticat territory wiped out by a blocking penalty.

Another crappy call. That was a legal block.

The coaching staff (not just Milanovich) HAS to be better about challenging calls.
That play was a complete pass and went unchallenged.
Next play, pick 6.

Agree that it needed to be challenged, but how about the G-D officials getting the call right? It wasn't even that close a play, and it was right in the middle of the field. No excuse to get that wrong.

I didn't think that he looked that great as a returner. We need to find someone as our kickoff return game is terrible. Our punt return game with Spencer is better but a flag always seems to come down when he has a huge return. Two big 4th quarter returns in two games called back and the call tonight was an iffy one to boot.

At least Noel got to the 30 most of the time. That's an improvement from before. I like how he made some space for himself, and I'd keep him on kickoffs to see if he can grow into that role.


Really bad week for the officials with the horrible job by Valessi's crew and that brutal PI call against Justin Cox of the Riders. I generally live with bad calls, and I'm not even going the argue the Argos would have won with a decently officiated game, but when you're substandard for an entire game, or make a terrible call in crunch time that decides a game, guys need to get suspended or lose their jobs.

[mint83]

That was hard to take. Kind of reminded me of the 2014 game in Calgary that I attended.

Great to see some solid offensive performances despite our weak O-line. I think injuries in the secondary caught up with the defence against a good team. Seems like there have been lots of big plays taken away around the CFL this year by over- officiating.

Agree it is getting down to must win time to have any hope for the playoffs.

[Blue90]

I'm really surprised that no one is pointing the fingers at our china doll QB. Great percentage passing again. Lots of 5 yard passes. No ability to avoid the rush. No emotion or ability to inspire the team. On every hit or sack he looks like he won't get back up. He is DONE.

Who here would prefer Ricky Ray versus Zach or Trevor Harris?

[1971GreyCup]

Toronto Star reported

"“I just told the guys it can go one of two ways,” Argos coach Scott Milanovich said. “It’s two weeks in a row, they played their hearts out.
“I didn’t yell and scream at them in there. They gave everything they had and again it didn’t go our way in the fourth quarter. That’s tough to swallow for professional guys that put their heart and soul into it. We’ll have to lick our wounds and find out what kind of character we have.”


Character. You can add coaching and talent to those remarks.

Coach Kent Austin figured out how to beat SM in the 2nd half of the 2013 Eastern Finals during Ricky Rays (almost) MVP season. Since then he has soundly out coached SM. Unless coaching changes in Hamilton, it has to change in TO.

[eiben35]

In regards to our spotters in the booth. I bet you we do not have as many spotters as other teams. Their football admin is a joke. Also, Milanovich admits that he hates challenges. The difference between Zach and Ricky is avoiding the sack which Zack does unbelievingly well and Ray does not. Barker and Milanovich made a huge mistake for this organization when they let both of those guys walk. One of them should be let go at seasons end.

[Will]

I'm really surprised that no one is pointing the fingers at our china doll QB. Great percentage passing again. Lots of 5 yard passes. No ability to avoid the rush. No emotion or ability to inspire the team. On every hit or sack he looks like he won't get back up. He is DONE.

Who here would prefer Ricky Ray versus Zach or Trevor Harris?

I don't think many are going to dispute at this point that Collaros or Harris should have been kept over Ray, but the "china doll QB" was not the reason that the Argos lost the game. Those interceptions hurt, but that is on the offensive line for giving Hamilton players a free shot at the QB. I will say this though, with the game on the line in a close game, have we ever seen Ray march the Argos down the field? I'm not sure (but feel free to correct me).

I don't think there is too much to add here: Milanovich keeping hisshmata in his pocket was not helpful. You got the sense that in spite of the Hamilton turnovers that the Tiger-Cats (once they eliminated that) were able to move the ball up and down the field with impunity. This "three-man" front got eaten alive by Gable all night long and the Argos had no adjustments.

[paulwoods13]

Turning point was the Ray INT in the end zone. Had he not been hit just as he threw he had Durie wide open for an easy six. They guy who got the INT only got it because he was so out of position to cover Durie that the ball floated right to him. Had the DB been more competent ... it would have dropped incomplete.

For what it's worth. As Stubler walked off the field he was having a heated one way discussion with another coach.

I wasn't there but I would bet it was Kit Lathrop. Stubler went at him hard on the sideline during either the Edm or Wpg game. He should be ripping himself, IMO.