July 25, 2016: Montreal Alouettes @ Toronto Argonauts Game Thread

[ArgoGabe22]

Without Ray? I would say one of the next three, maybe the Winnipeg game is winnable.

If the Riders can beat Brock Jensen and the Black & Reds with an inexperienced QB then so can the Argos with Kilgore. The Argos should've actually beat Ottawa the first time.

[AngeloV]

If Kilgore acts like a robot, turns and fires the ball into the other teams hands again you yank him. He has to feel the game. You can't just have him hand off 40 times. This isn't college ball. Hope with a ton of reps this week the young guys do well on Sunday.

Honestly, Kilgore is taking way too much heat on here for that pick. It was a throw back screen pass. The guy that picked it off was likely supposed to be blocked, and the QB doesn't even account for that. Similar to the one that Phillips dropped against Ray in BC.

[gilthethrill]

Honestly, Kilgore is taking way too much heat on here for that pick. It was a throw back screen pass. The guy that picked it off was likely supposed to be blocked, and the QB doesn't even account for that. Similar to the one that Phillips dropped against Ray in BC.

Personally I did not like the play call. Kilgore looked great in preseason and deserves to start. Picking up McPherson is looking like a great move IMO. Seeing Ray sitting on the bench with ice on his knee and a smile on his face makes me wonder if anything bothers him. Odd watching a possession offence in the CFL. 38:00 TOP....incredible.

[R.J]

If the Riders can beat Brock Jensen and the Black & Reds with an inexperienced QB then so can the Argos with Kilgore. The Argos should've actually beat Ottawa the first time.

So does this mean Calgary can officially take over the Redblacks name ?

[ArgoGabe22]

So does this mean Calgary can officially take over the Redblacks name ?

I'm not sure who has more red anymore. Ok, it's obviously Calgary but you get my drift.

[Reggiemac]

Bourque needs to step up and earn his pay. If he would have done his job Ricky would not have been injured. He hasnt played well at all and several penalties along the way too. He needs an attitude adjustment in the woodshed.
My polite way of saying he needs his ass kicked.

[argolio]

With one exception, that was a superb offensive game plan. We took what Mtl gave us, threw enough short passes to force Mtl to eventually bite, opening up mid-range routes, and we ran the ball. Incredibly we had 65 offensive snaps -- 38 passes and 27 runs. Haven't seen numbers like that in a dog's age.

The one exception was the pick Kilgore threw. That was an insane call. At that point in the game you hand off, punt and play a field position game. So that one is on the coach.

We were in FG range, and a successful FG would have made it a three-score game.

On the other hand, the D reacted well to that adversity. I was expecting a nervous onside kick, but they didn't give up anything deep on the last Alouette drive, and came up with a great goal-line stand.

Also good to see that our tackling was much improved.

[Wobbler]

good mop up guy, with the others assigned to contain he better make those tackles

Pretty good for receiver, don't you think? I don't think that there are any other offensive players in the STT top 10.

[ArgoRavi]

Based on the fact that Collaros was with the Argos for a full season and a half as the backup before getting those string of games in 2013. Harris last year, had been with the team for three full seasons before getting his opportunity. Kilgore has had one season on the practice roster and now 5 games as a backup. So, yes, I am more nervous having him take over, because he has had much less time in the system than the other two.

Should be interesting though and do think that the playing time will be valuable and will give the fanbase an opportunity to see if there is some potential for when Ricky is done.

Kilgore arrived midway through the 2014 season so he is now into his third season with the Argos. Collaros was only in his second when he took over from Ray.

[ArgoRavi]

DTs looking ordinary - like to see Bulcke & Waud both in to provide some rotation depth or maybe an upgrade in play;

Bishop looked like a beast against Montreal and has played well in every game that he has played. It will be nice to have both Bulcke and Waud back but Bishop has been dynamite so far IMO.

[PullTogether73]

Disagree. That does nothing to help the situation. I wouldn't pull Kilgore no matter what the score is on Sunday. He needs as many live reps as he can get.

While I don't agree that the leash should be short for either Kilgore or Fajardo, not pulling either of them no matter what is the score is unrealistic.
If the offence hasn't been moving for 2-3 quarters, switching the QB is always an option, no matter who it is.
A team of 46 players plus the coaching staff is there to win games, not nurture a QB.

[1argoholic]

I don't know as that Kilgore completion to Montreal could have been the nicest one of the game.haha. To me it looked like robotic mixed in with panic. We need to keep winning no matter who's behind centre. Can you tell I'm a Farjardo fan. Who knows maybe they start McPherson to throw everyone off.

[Double Dare]

Who knows maybe they start McPherson to throw everyone off.

Too bad McPherson wasn't around to do some of the dives that Ray had to take for short yardage in the game. I would have put him in after Ray's injury.

[paulwoods13]

We were in FG range, and a successful FG would have made it a three-score game.

On the other hand, the D reacted well to that adversity. I was expecting a nervous onside kick, but they didn't give up anything deep on the last Alouette drive, and came up with a great goal-line stand.

Also good to see that our tackling was much improved.

You are correct, we were in FG range at the 35 when LK came in. All the more reason not to pass. And our running game had been pretty effective. Two consecutive throws was unnecessarily aggressive.

[paulwoods13]

Kilgore arrived midway through the 2014 season so he is now into his third season with the Argos. Collaros was only in his second when he took over from Ray.

Yes, and it was very early in Collaros's second season, like game 3 or 4, when he took over. Kilgore has actually been "in the system" quite a bit longer.

[mchesher03]

Too bad McPherson wasn't around to do some of the dives that Ray had to take for short yardage in the game. I would have put him in after Ray's injury.

disagree - McPherson has had opportunities to show himself and imo isn't very good. I'm fine with Kilgore getting a shot here. I'd even rather have Fajardo have a shot over McPherson, who I think should be limited to running the sneaks at most. sorry i'm just not high on him and I thought it was a huge get the first time we picked him up - too bad.

[Jayahre]

If the Riders can beat Brock Jensen and the Black & Reds with an inexperienced QB then so can the Argos with Kilgore. The Argos should've actually beat Ottawa the first time.

No, I was at that game and Ottawa completely shut down the Argos in the second half. Ray had no protection a lot of overthrows and sacked about 3 times.
With Kilgore I can see Ottawa dominating in the second half again.
To be fair Jensen came in cold off the bench in the one point loss, Kilgore will have a weeks practice. If Jensen starts again it could be a close game, if Burris or Harris starts it won't be a close game.

[ArgoGabe22]

No, I was at that game and Ottawa completely shut down the Argos in the second half. Ray had no protection a lot of overthrows and sacked about 3 times.
With Kilgore I can see Ottawa dominating in the second half again.
To be fair Jensen came in cold off the bench in the one point loss, Kilgore will have a weeks practice. If Jensen starts again it could be a close game, if Burris or Harris starts it won't be a close game.

Ok, I guess since you were there then you must be right. I guess all those missed tackles I witnessed in the stands didn't mean much in the end.

There really isn't much film on Kilgore so it will be interesting to see what looks the defence will give him. Kilgore may actually take a chance throwing a few deep instead of checking down.

[Will]

I openly mused on Twitter whether Hajrullahu's struggles on Monday night influenced the play call that led to Kilgore's INT? The Argos might not have been as aggressive with that play call if Lirim had hit those first two field goals. Special teams coverage weren't very good so maybe they didn't want to risk a big Logan return?

[Argo]

While I don't agree that the leash should be short for either Kilgore or Fajardo, not pulling either of them no matter what is the score is unrealistic.
If the offence hasn't been moving for 2-3 quarters, switching the QB is always an option, no matter who it is.
A team of 46 players plus the coaching staff is there to win games, not nurture a QB.

[fixed typo] Two or three quarters is the definition of a short leash in this universe.