4 road games in 21 days

[ArgoRedneck]

Ouch! Tough part of the year now and they better get things turned around FAST. Ray is great, and the team can play good and get away with it. Without Ray, Collaros is good but the team now needs to be great for them to win. Last night was brutal. They had 9 days to prepare for the game and took half of them off according to practice schedule. They won against BC without Ray and played great. Thats why I am not buying into the Ray is out factor. He does matter but should not effect the play of every player when he is not in the line up.

[Skinny G]

Will they throw Harris in for a change up if the offense struggles with inconsistency in the next game? I was wondering if they may have given him some time last night, but they didn't.

[1argoholic]

Yesterday's game should be a wakeup call to the whole organization. Everyone needs to step up without Ray,Waters and Kackert. The 2nd stringers all blew chunks last night. This stretch could have us fall right down the east standings and fast.

[argonaut11xx]

am i the only one who is worried about the argo defence?....it was exposed bigtime against a weak montreal offence...

cant stop the run...smallish...cant tackle in the open field...suspect secondary....

i want that "chris jones" defence everyone was talking about, when i saw swiss cheese....

[doubleblue]

Well, IMO players cut or let go from last years defense haven't been replaced except for maybe Mitchell for Huntley. Black for Younger? No, several guys trying to replace McCullough? Big No, Williams or Tripp for Armstead? No (Williams is decent though), Lee and Brown for Foley? No, English for Flemons? No, Lawrence for Horne? Not yet, and Hortan for Issac? Maybe. But they went out last night and just allowed 13 points against them. Although they weren't playing against Cavillo. The next four games on the road will tell the tale I guess. IMO only Mitchell, Lawrence, Hortan, Laing and Williams are worth keeping of the new guys.

[Argo57]

Well, IMO players cut or let go from last years defense haven't been replaced except for maybe Mitchell for Huntley. Black for Younger? No, several guys trying to replace McCullough? Big No, Williams or Tripp for Armstead? No (Williams is decent though), Lee and Brown for Foley? No, English for Flemons? No, Lawrence for Horne? Not yet, and Hortan for Issac? Maybe. But they went out last night and just allowed 13 points against them. Although they weren't playing against Cavillo. The next four games on the road will tell the tale I guess. IMO only Mitchell, Lawrence, Hortan, Laing and Williams are worth keeping of the new guys.

All great points, the other piss off is that Hamilton seems to be rebuilding their D with some key guys from last season, some who were cast away (Horne-Isaac) and chose to leave (McCollough), sometimes wonder if Chris Jones starts to rub some guys the wrong way after time???

[Gill The Thrill]

am i the only one who is worried about the argo defence?....it was exposed bigtime against a weak montreal offence...

cant stop the run...smallish...cant tackle in the open field...suspect secondary....

i want that "chris jones" defence everyone was talking about, when i saw swiss cheese....

Very suspect record at the dome, being just .500 at 3-3. I started getting concerned when they had a difficult time closing out the Edmonton game and just won by 3 after having a huge lead going into the 4th quarter, and that was before Ray got hurt in the following game vs Calgary.

They got to step it up big time and show some character. I don't like the way the team sort of folded after Ray got hurt vs the Stamps. I watched most of the 2nd half last night and the damage had already been done, but I certainly hope the O-line was not as suspect as they were against the Stamps. I know Collaros is a rook and the defenses are pinning their ears back and rushing but I don't like the way he was forced to scramble out of the pocket.

It's one thing when the plays are designed to see a QB roll out, but another when he is scrambling and running for his life...Unfortunately we've been seeing the later in the last few games, particularly against Calgary.

[ArgoRavi]

Very suspect record at the dome, being just .500 at 3-3. I started getting concerned when they had a difficult time closing out the Edmonton game and just won by 3 after having a huge lead going into the 4th quarter, and that was before Ray got hurt in the following game vs Calgary.

Over the last few years, the Argos have played at least as well on the road as they have at home. Going on the road for four straight may not be a bad thing for this team.

[jerrym]

sometimes wonder if Chris Jones starts to rub some guys the wrong way after time???
I sometimes wonder the same thing. Even last year, he often seemed angry on the sidelines and that can work but not when its your basic mode of operation in the long run. The history of coaches who had short-term success but had problems long-term with such an approach is lengthy in many supports. Doug Berry is just one example. Don't get me wrong, I think Jones is one of the best defensive coaches, and quite possibly the best in the league, tactically, but I sometimes wonder if he alienates players and is too ready to dump players, resulting in a carousel of new players that do not even have time to develop good teamwork. One reason the Atlanta Braves won 14 league titles in a row is they knew both when to replace a player and when to display the patience needed to give a player time to overcome their mistakes. Another reason for their success was that free agents often signed with the team for less money because, based on the team's past history, the team would never embarrass them in public, even when they were on the verge of getting rid of them. On the other hand, at least Jones is no Ed Hervey, proclaiming that Simeon Rottier should not play another down. What a wonderful message that was to the rest of the team.

[Argo57]

All great points Jerry, I think the way Hervey and Kavis Reed call out their players in the public is a joke and if I was a player I'd be pissed as well. Don't think for a minute that these players don't talk amongst themselves or even former college teammates that may be entering the CFL and deciding which team they would like to try out for, will hurt Edmonton long term!!

[Cordo]

All great points Jerry, I think the way Hervey and Kavis Reed call out their players in the public is a joke and if I was a player I'd be pissed as well. Don't think for a minute that these players don't talk amongst themselves or even former college teammates that may be entering the CFL and deciding which team they would like to try out for, will hurt Edmonton long term!!

Agreed. I can understand why they feel like they have to do it. Reilly, who has looked pretty good at times is taking a beating because they can't protect him but you don't do it in public. Did you guys see their OL coach in last nights Calgary game? Pretty funny stuff...looked like something out of a football movie.

As far as the Argos go, no Owens for the Montreal game. This road trip is looking more & more daunting.

[ArgoRavi]

Agreed. I can understand why they feel like they have to do it. Reilly, who has looked pretty good at times is taking a beating because they can't protect him but you don't do it in public. Did you guys see their OL coach in last nights Calgary game? Pretty funny stuff...looked like something out of a football movie.

Kris Sweet seems to be a respected o-line coach in this league and he certainly was frustrated on at least a couple of occasions last night. I think that one of the issues with the Edmonton o-line is their youth. Their two most experienced o-linemen are, Simeon Rottier who Hervey doesn't want to see play a down the rest of the season, and former Argo Brian Ramsey who is a perennial backup. The five who started last night do not have much experience and are still figuring out how to play with one another. Of course, it could also be the case that they just don't have the horses.