James Franklin

[R.J]

In starting him, I hope the dink and dunk stuff goes out with Franklin.

I wouldn't hold my breath.

[macspectrum]

i wonder if ssk would be in the mood to trade bridge ...... and hopefully messam's case is settle and argos sign him - big body cdn[local boy] who loves bad weather
w/ cross, bridge , messam that would 3 cdn in backfield - never before in cdn history
.
messam and wilder and bridge , makes some very big people

[AngeloV]

Bridge is terrible. Lightning in a bottle off the bench last season but has worse touch than Michael Bishop ever had. He has trouble compleating anything past the line of scrimmage. Messam is washed up and with his legal issues, nobody else would touch him anyway.

[R.J]

Bridge is terrible. Lightning in a bottle off the bench last season but has worse touch than Michael Bishop ever had. He has trouble compleating anything past the line of scrimmage. Messam is washed up and with his legal issues, nobody else would touch him anyway.

Interesting that some also overlook that it's different when you start a game compared to coming off the bench - teams plan differently.

[Neely2005]

So at what point do we start to worry? Last week our former backup Cody Fajardo looked way better than Franklin ever has as an Argonauts starter.

[Argo57]

So at what point do we start to worry? Last week our former backup Cody Fajardo looked way better than Franklin ever has as an Argonauts starter.

I’d say 4 starts, to be fair they also need to clean up the O Line which was a mess on Saturday.

[Argofan_1000]

So at what point do we start to worry? Last week our former backup Cody Fajardo looked way better than Franklin ever has as an Argonauts starter.

I think Franklin is in a deep hole and from what I saw last year and this, he is not going to make it. Nice kid but needs to be on fire if the team needs a lift.

What I don't get is he was number 2 behind some of the best QB's ever in the CFL. He just can't do it.

[KCargosfan]

I think Franklin is in a deep hole and from what I saw last year and this, he is not going to make it. Nice kid but needs to be on fire if the team needs a lift.

What I don't get is he was number 2 behind some of the best QB's ever in the CFL. He just can't do it.

It's tough to judge a qb behind an absolutely awful offensive line.

To your second point, maybe that's all Franklin is, is a backup. He might be a guy you can plug in for 4-5 games a season, but not somebody you want starting 20.

[timlb01]

Like others have said let’s see after another 2 or 3 games. I believe we have good players and good coaches. We have won the cup the last 2 times with a record of 9-9.

[Rich]

Franklin looked pretty shaky at times, but he also made 8 or 9 high-quality throws. That 42 yarder to walker was a thing of beauty. I think Franklin was handcuffed by some terrible offensive schemes, especially when it came to protection and backfield play. Two plays after the Walker catch they had a big second-and-10, and our genius OC puts 87 Walker in to, get this, pass block. Of course Lawrence blows right by him for the sack. Completely bewildering.

For Franklin to do his job better, Chapdelaine has gotta do his job better.

[Jon Gonzo]

Franklin looked pretty shaky at times, but he also made 8 or 9 high-quality throws. That 42 yarder to walker was a thing of beauty. I think Franklin was handcuffed by some terrible offensive schemes, especially when it came to protection and backfield play. Two plays after the Walker catch they had a big second-and-10, and our genius OC puts 87 Walker in to, get this, pass block. Of course Lawrence blows right by him for the sack. Completely bewildering.

For Franklin to do his job better, Chapdelaine has gotta do his job better.

While I agree that everything adds up to the sum of all parts, I thought that Franklin was free to ad lib and improvise? This is what he's been saying makes him happy.

Look, I couldn't help to notice that one of the best QB coaches there ever was, didn't like this Quarterback. I will only put that aside if this guy can show us some results.

I, for one, will not be making any excuses for this QB (again). It's up to him and he's gotta move the chains. That's the bottom line.

[Stevoman]

He's got the physical tools and we'll see over the next month or so whether he has the mental toughness to be the number one guy.

He admitted that being pulled and not being successful was hard on him last year. The first game has not gone well and now face a tough part of the schedule against Western opponents. I am curious to see how he responds.

[Antwon]

The next couple of games will decide his career. He did not handle last year like a pro. And this year talked about more freedom in the offence. But he hung in the pocket and took sacks or made bad passes. After watching Davis in Ott avoid 4-5 sacks by getting out of the pocket and completing passes, what's Franklin's excuse this year?

[lazycro]

After watching Davis in Ott avoid 4-5 sacks by getting out of the pocket and completing passes, what's Franklin's excuse this year?

Davis also threw 4 picks in his first game while Franklin only threw one, what's Davis' excuse?

[AngeloV]

The next couple of games will decide his career.

A bit of an exaggeration IMO.

[Antwon]

Davis also threw 4 picks in his first game while Franklin only threw one, what's Davis' excuse?

The point was more to do with Franklin's lack of desire to get out of the pocket. By the start of the second half it was apparent the line couldn't give him much time. Even if the OC wasn't changing up the plays for more roll out etc, he should have took it upon himself to get out of the pocket.
We'll see how the next few games go.

[Antwon]

A bit of an exaggeration IMO.

I agree it's exaggerated. But this market it different. With the Jays in the tank, Leafs, Raptors off season, this is the time to grab the spotlight.

[paulwoods13]

The point was more to do with Franklin's lack of desire to get out of the pocket. By the start of the second half it was apparent the line couldn't give him much time. Even if the OC wasn't changing up the plays for more roll out etc, he should have took it upon himself to get out of the pocket.

1. Does the offensive system allow that? (I thought it did, based on preseason, but now less sure.) No QB is going to defy explicit instructions/orders from his co-ordinator.

2. Did the protection breakdowns make it a moot point? You can't easily get out of the pocket if the d-line is crashing down on you from both sides (and up the middle) on virtually every play.

Putting this all on Franklin ignores three other huge factors -- the system, the play calls and the pass blocking. Franklin has played well in the past, in a creatively designed offence with good pass blocking. Maybe that was a fluke, maybe it was indicative of what he is actually capable of in the right setting.

["Issues"Mcgee]

How many games has Franklin started for the Argos? How many of them were good starts? How many starts does it take to have a proper assesment of a QB?

These are all honest questions.

[RB957]

1. Does the offensive system allow that? (I thought it did, based on preseason, but now less sure.) No QB is going to defy explicit instructions/orders from his co-ordinator.

2. Did the protection breakdowns make it a moot point? You can't easily get out of the pocket if the d-line is crashing down on you from both sides (and up the middle) on virtually every play.

Putting this all on Franklin ignores three other huge factors -- the system, the play calls and the pass blocking. Franklin has played well in the past, in a creatively designed offence with good pass blocking. Maybe that was a fluke, maybe it was indicative of what he is actually capable of in the right setting.

I completely agree with both of those points. Also, even with receivers with 4.3 speed in the 40 yd dash, you almost that much time to get them the ball. How many times did Franklin have enough time to really set up and let plays develop? And I agree with Paul, that players cannot as a matter of course go against what play was called and how it is to be executed. We need to execute the fundamentals, and every player has to do his job. Too many did not.

On a second point, if Franklin is pulled, I would not hold my breath hoping the answer is Bethel-Thompson. From what I saw, he still has a bad habit of lack of touch and overthrowing receivers, and with innacuracy. Let's take a deep breath and give Franklin a chance.