Are We Afraid To Expect Big Things From This Team This Season?

[Rich]

If any other team had our coaching and personnel, and was coming off a Grey Cup win, their fan boards would be full of people crowing about how great their team was going to be this year. But people around here seem to be pretty cautious about this team's prospects, which I guess is understandable since we've been burned by some very promising off-seasons many times before. Plus, it's been more than 20 seasons since we won as many as 12 games, it's sorta like we've become accustomed to mediocre so-so regular seasons.

Well I think it's time to start crowing. This team went 7-2 to finish 2017 and by any objective measure they've improved, particularly at backup QB and on defence. I think Wilder is the key. If he has a big season I see no reason why the Argonauts can't be 14-4 or better this year.

[Stevoman]

The Argos have been boom and bust for most of my fandom and I would love to see a sustained run of winning seasons with championships mixed in. Last year was a great start and I do think they can build on it this season and I agree that they have upgraded depth in lots of areas.

[paulwoods13]

Anything less than 11-7 and first place will be a disappointment to me. Obviously stuff can happen, like injuries, to derail a season. But IMO we have the talent to win 12 games and finish first if nothing unexpected screws things up.

The counter-argument is that we were fortunate in many ways last year, and won't have as much luck and/or positive karma on our side in 2018. And the fact we were three games below .500 after Labour Day is more indicative of our true talent base. I don't agree with this view, obviously, but I can see why some non-Argo-fans (and maybe even some fans) would.

[RB957]

A big thing in the CFL is unpredictability. Things can change so much from season to season, even within the same season. As another poster has written, the Argos went 7 - 2 to finish the season and launch themselves to an eventual Grey Cup win. Hamilton turned their season around after a disastrous start. As for next year in the East, I think the only thing that is certain to me is that the Alouettes are going to be bad again. I think the rest of the division is going to be fighting for supremacy all year. A major factor may again be how well East division teams do against the West and how injuries play out. I for one would love for the Argos to have a dominant regular season, which they haven't done in a long time, but I just don't see it happening. There is just too much competitiveness and just about every team has made significant changes to become better. It is going to be interesting to watch, for sure.

[Jon Gonzo]

Without the risk of loss, Sports would be pretty uninteresting wouldn't it?

[ArgoGabe22]

No reason why the Argos can't at least dominate the East IMO.

[gilthethrill]

Argos are the team to beat in the East. 12-6. No Crossover this season.

[mchesher03]

This is one of the interesting things about being an Argos fan. I’m not surprised it’s been a long time since this team won 12 or more games as it feels like forever since an Argo team showed dominance in the regular season.

Like 2004, 2012 and even 2017, I wouldn’t have had any expectations going into the season but the team got hot when it counted and made the most of their chances.

So like some other posters have said, I think 11 or 12 wins is a reasonable “expectation” for the year. However injuries and inconsistencies happen.Ideally, I’d like to think the Argos are the favourite to host the east final next season.I’m not overly fussed about how many wins that requires.

If it doesn’t happen, such is life. It’s sports, while it’s fun and I get as riled up as the next guy during games, etc. it’s unpredictable and that makes it fun imo.

[jerrym]

The Argos started looking like a different team last year when Wilder started playing first string. Teams could no longer ignore the Argo running game and focus only on getting to Ray. Having him for the entire season should help, but RBs often go down to injury for at least a few games. So finding a decent backup is important.
Franklin provides the Argos with a backup QB who could win games as opposed to at best manage them, which was what happened with Fajardo at this point in his career development.
So I expect the Argos to win at least 11 games, although IMO, they are not yet as good as Edmonton or Calgary.

[Scooter McCray]

I believe the Argos at present are the best team in the league and capable of 12 wins. They got better in the off season while I see other teams like Edmonton and Calgary with large holes to fill. They were full value for their GC win and it was a total team effort. Repeating will not be easy and require the same effort. There is nothing I see before me that makes me think they are not up to the challenge. What I would like to see is the front office get behind this championship team and sell the hell out of it to this city.

[ArgoZ]

Almost the whole Argofans forum predicted around 9 wins last year! It was sensible to expect some modest improvement with better coaching and a potentially better roster.

This upcoming season, the defence looks improved, offense about the same and coaching same, giving overall continuity. I would be in agreement with posters that 11-12 wins seems reasonable at this point before training camp.

Football is so crazy, no one thought they would win last year and it makes the ride so enjoyable. Sometimes I wonder, is 9-9 with a Grey Cup more exciting that 15-3 and a Cup?

[AngeloV]

Sometimes I wonder, is 9-9 with a Grey Cup more exciting that 15-3 and a Cup?

The best thing about the Argos 9-9 record last season is that with the exception of the Calgary game, the Argos were very entertaining at home, and led at some point in the 4th quarter in every game. I'll take last years season any year.

["Issues"Mcgee]

The CFL is a very unpredictable league but one thing you can always count on is the Argos are in for a turbulent season. I don't necessarily believe that is a bad thing. Even this offseason seems too smooth, everything went too well. Sure the Wilder debacle was a little nuts but that stabilized in the end. Maybe I just don't know what it feels like to have excellent management. Perhaps it's because this is the first off season where the fate of the Argonauts and the CFL is no longer a reoccurring theme in the works of our beloved Toronto media. I just can't help but feel some on or off field disturbance that levels the team is just waiting around the corner. Who knows what it will be?

Do we really want stability though? Do we really want the team to go 15-3? I'm not so sure. Why? I don't know what it feels like. I've never had that happen in my time as a religious Argo fan, and quite frankly, I fear the unknown. I mean the end of 2017 and this offseason went so well and this forum had so little to gripe about, that we went after each other. We as fans are so conditioned to chaos that we have to fill the empty void when things are going well. If the Argos go 15-3 this forum will descend into a mad fury of animosity and partisan politics. I pray this never happens, but if it does, I'm gunning straight for Angelo.

I predict the Argos will go 10-8 in 2018. Sure it's easy to say the Argos will be competing with Ottawa and an improving Hamilton, but that's just too predictable and not CFL enough. I think the Alouettes will shock everyone and be a competitive team, at least in the East. I have no evidence to support this prediction other than the fact that the CFL is absolutely ridiculous and a gambler's nightmare. The East will be a sloppy, four-way bloodbath this year with no possibility for a crossover.

I just don't see the Argos winning the Grey Cup unless if the season is turbulent, confusing and absurd. Hopefully those days are over though.

[OV Argo]

Very tough sched. for the Argos to open the season - in Sask. to face the Riders, then next 3 games = Esks twice + Calgary = have to play 4 games against arguably the top 3 CFL teams (outside of the #1 Argos) out of the gate. Big challenge.

Offence should be very good IMO. Defence will be the question maybe (plus kicking game maybe?) - who can replace Butler at DE to be a force in pass rush? And the talent is there in the LB corps and the D-backfield, but can the new DC put it together? Love to see a ball-hawking secondary, and a real hard-hitting LB corps (Ball, Woods & Plummer - with the latter 2 interchangeable at MLB and Will OLB?)

Love to see a beat-down $hit-kicking of the Riders in their barn to open the season; Collaros sacked & picked a bunch of times; and Jones's supposedly incredible talent defence exposed as not that good, by a diverse, smart offence - Ray throwing accurate strikes, Wilder gets LOTS of carries and Declan Cross the x factor again (get it Cross = x) who produces yardage and punishes some wimpy Rider DBs. Coudln\t picture a better season opener. ;o)

[argolio]

The CFL is a very unpredictable league but one thing you can always count on is the Argos are in for a turbulent season. I don't necessarily believe that is a bad thing. Even this offseason seems too smooth, everything went too well. Sure the Wilder debacle was a little nuts but that stabilized in the end. Maybe I just don't know what it feels like to have excellent management. Perhaps it's because this is the first off season where the fate of the Argonauts and the CFL is no longer a reoccurring theme in the works of our beloved Toronto media. I just can't help but feel some on or off field disturbance that levels the team is just waiting around the corner. Who knows what it will be?

Do we really want stability though? Do we really want the team to go 15-3? I'm not so sure. Why? I don't know what it feels like. I've never had that happen in my time as a religious Argo fan, and quite frankly, I fear the unknown. I mean the end of 2017 and this offseason went so well and this forum had so little to gripe about, that we went after each other. We as fans are so conditioned to chaos that we have to fill the empty void when things are going well. If the Argos go 15-3 this forum will descend into a mad fury of animosity and partisan politics. I pray this never happens, but if it does, I'm gunning straight for Angelo.

I predict the Argos will go 10-8 in 2018. Sure it's easy to say the Argos will be competing with Ottawa and an improving Hamilton, but that's just too predictable and not CFL enough. I think the Alouettes will shock everyone and be a competitive team, at least in the East. I have no evidence to support this prediction other than the fact that the CFL is absolutely ridiculous and a gambler's nightmare. The East will be a sloppy, four-way bloodbath this year with no possibility for a crossover.

I just don't see the Argos winning the Grey Cup unless if the season is turbulent, confusing and absurd. Hopefully those days are over though.

Post of the month!

[AngeloV]

If the Argos go 15-3 this forum will descend into a mad fury of animosity and partisan politics. I pray this never happens, but if it does, I'm gunning straight for Angelo.

HAHAHAHA!!! Awesome. I can handle it.

[macspectrum]

2017 gc win was unexpected but wonderful,
2018 - 12 wins - win east regular - i think argos have good shot at berth in grey cup, host eastern final
popp really did well signing line backers and also DBs
maybe argos go with 3-4 defence this yr
after last yr gc win i learned to trust popp and trestman - they want to win !

[macspectrum]

as long as they get to 2018 grey cup it would be a successful season in my eyes
tho' they have a better team this yr - they should have even a better shot at winning gc and they won it last yr !
a lot will ride on ray being able to play being w/o injury, he is old and that qb popp traded for needs some real world snaps not just when ray is hurt
i wish ray had retired as it would have freed up some $
i do like swayze back - i think he's more reliable

[jerrym]

If the Argos go 15-3 this forum will descend into a mad fury of animosity and partisan politics.

Only if the they then lose the Grey Cup. If they do win it, the flow of endorphins should keep the animosity and partisan politics at the usual 90 decibel level.

[Stevoman]

13-5 in 91, 15-3 in 96 and 97. The best we've been since then was 11-7. I would love an 11-15 win season and of course another championship!