Did we overrate 4-0 on the road trip?

[Will]

I certainly won't argue that having to go on a four-game road trip and winning all four of those games isn't a significant accomplishment. However, the team had to come back in all four of those games. I think I was guilty at the time of chalking up a lot of those struggles to the fact that they were on the road for such a long time. It is easy to when your team was 9-4 at the time. However, the team wasn't the same when it returned to Toronto and perhaps what the Saskatchewan game meant in 2012 the home-and-home against Hamilton represented the opposite. Were there warning signs from the road trip that we ignored?

[ArgoRavi]

I certainly won't argue that having to go on a four-game road trip and winning all four of those games isn't a significant accomplishment. However, the team had to come back in all four of those games. I think I was guilty at the time of chalking up a lot of those struggles to the fact that they were on the road for such a long time. It is easy to when your team was 9-4 at the time. However, the team wasn't the same when it returned to Toronto and perhaps what the Saskatchewan game meant in 2012 the home-and-home against Hamilton represented the opposite. Were there warning signs from the road trip that we ignored?

The Argos played three great games in a row back in late July/early August when they routed Winnipeg, B.C., and Montreal in consecutive games. The team played well in every facet of the game but never played that well again. So, yes, we probably did overrate the team after the four game road trip. The closest thing to a complete game that the Argos played on that road trip was in Calgary. That was the only game in which they got off to a decent start. There were still too many penalties and other mistakes being made during that trip but they were able to overcome those. And, yes, the team never was quite the same after that road trip with the two losses to Hamilton and two wins over Winnipeg in which the defence still didn't look quite up to snuff.

[Tau Ceti]

I think a problem that developed during the road trip was complacency with regards to Ray coming back. If we could sneak out victories out west without him wouldn't we be unstoppable at home against the east with him in? I know that's what I was thinking. I'm curious if that feeling actually developed amongst the players.


The closest thing to a complete game that the Argos played on that road trip was in Calgary.

Agreed. That was a superb effort.

[Ron]

Simple. Argos looked great when Zack was in control. When Ray came back they went back to the "Ricky .500" club.

[Cordo]

I don't think people overrated the Argos for what they did on that trip. Going 4-0 in some of the toughest places to play in the league, without your starting quarterback is a big deal. I'll be honest, at the time I thought their season was on the verge of being in trouble with Ricky going down.

The signs for what did this Argos team in were there long before the Hamilton home & home. The Argos defence could never really get it together, gave up yards consistently against almost every quarterback. Offensively they were inconsistent after Ricky's injury no matter whether Zach or Ricky was at the helm. It didn't help that the offense didn't have Kackert. Also both their OL & DL really let them down. Couldn't protect the QB & had trouble putting pressure on the opposing team's QB.

[ArgoRavi]

I don't think people overrated the Argos for what they did on that trip. Going 4-0 in some of the toughest places to play in the league, without your starting quarterback is a big deal. I'll be honest, at the time I thought their season was on the verge of being in trouble with Ricky going down.

The signs for what did this Argos team in were there long before the Hamilton home & home. The Argos defence could never really get it together, gave up yards consistently against almost every quarterback. Offensively they were inconsistent after Ricky's injury no matter whether Zach or Ricky was at the helm. It didn't help that the offense didn't have Kackert. Also both their OL & DL really let them down. Couldn't protect the QB & had trouble putting pressure on the opposing team's QB.

I am going to defend the offensive line. Nobody threw more passes than the Argos but I am pretty sure that the Argos were near the top of the league in fewest sacks allowed. In fact, I know that for much of the season, the Argos led the league in fewest sacks allowed per passes thrown. The offensive line had some games where they struggled, as did every other o-line in the league, but I thought did a pretty good job in pass protection at least this year. Watching the final 19 minutes or so of the EF again last night, the Ticats did get some pressure in the third quarter but Ray only had pressure on one play in the fourth quarter which resulted in him making a throw to a covered Watt. I agree that our defensive line was not good and was arguably the weakest in the league.

[Gill The Thrill]

I am going to defend the offensive line. Nobody threw more passes than the Argos but I am pretty sure that the Argos were near the top of the league in fewest sacks allowed. In fact, I know that for much of the season, the Argos led the league in fewest sacks allowed per passes thrown. The offensive line had some games where they struggled, as did every other o-line in the league, but I thought did a pretty good job in pass protection at least this year. Watching the final 19 minutes or so of the EF again last night, the Ticats did get some pressure in the third quarter but Ray only had pressure on one play in the fourth quarter which resulted in him making a throw to a covered Watt. I agree that our defensive line was not good and was arguably the weakest in the league.

This all comes to play calling and that was one of the glaring faults of the Milanovich and Brady offence...this was especially glaring in the Eastern Final loss, and especially glaring without Kackert. I just think the Argos became too dependent and one-dimensional once Ray got back into the lineup. Norwood and Steele were not that awful to never get any touches. I remember that victory in Saskatchewan during that 4 game road trip being sealed with some terrific running late in the 4th quarter by Jarius Norwood, who bullied his way to several first downs while chewing up valuable seconds off the clock...it was some great fullback running...bulldozer style and definitely something we should have seen more of on Sunday in the Eastern Final. I'm a firm believer in maintaining a running game even if it is initially ineffective because it still has the job of keeping the defence honest by not having them load up on DB's in the secondary.

I have to admit, a lot of my posts in the last several months have had probably more to do with my chagrin over the Argos situation at the dome than the actual play on the field, and it relates to the play on the field. It's no surprise that the Argos have had a terrible record at home all season. From lacklustre crowds supporting the team at home to lacklustre play calling because the Argos don't have to consider the elements as they would playing in a true outdoor football stadium...it's another reason and probably an even better one for getting out of the dome...the football style played by many dome teams in any league stinks. Sure the St.Louis Rams won the Super Bowl in that one year (1999) without a run game, (the greatest show on turf or whatever they called it) but think how lucky they were as the only major injury they suffered that year was in the pre-season, when they lost their supposed #1 QB in Trent Green, to only stumble on former grocery stock boy Kurt Warner who unexpectedly took the league by storm with an MVP season.

More times than not, dome teams choke because they no longer consider the elements when game planning...the Colts choked for years before winning and the Houston Oilers with Warren Moon did not win anything, in fact they're remembered for blowing a 35-3 lead because they did not choose to run the ball in a playoff game despite having a huge lead. Ask Dan Marino if a run game could have helped him win the big game, or ask John Elway if he could have won without Terrell Davis in his backfield. In CFL history, I'm sure you'd agree that Anthony Calvillo could have won more Grey Cups with a more balanced pass/run attack and remember those Division Final losses Doug Flutie endured with Calgary, in 1993 and 1994 and even in the 1995 Grey Cup, when their run game was either ignored or abandoned early.

[Cordo]

I am going to defend the offensive line. Nobody threw more passes than the Argos but I am pretty sure that the Argos were near the top of the league in fewest sacks allowed. In fact, I know that for much of the season, the Argos led the league in fewest sacks allowed per passes thrown. The offensive line had some games where they struggled, as did every other o-line in the league, but I thought did a pretty good job in pass protection at least this year. Watching the final 19 minutes or so of the EF again last night, the Ticats did get some pressure in the third quarter but Ray only had pressure on one play in the fourth quarter which resulted in him making a throw to a covered Watt. I agree that our defensive line was not good and was arguably the weakest in the league.

Wasn't aware that they allowed the fewest sacks. Could be that I'm being hard on the OL due to Ricky's injury.

The pressure the Ticats put on in the third, combined with a defence that couldn't get off the field changed the momentum in that game. By the 4th quarter the Argos offense was completely out of sync.

[AngeloV]

Wasn't aware that they allowed the fewest sacks. Could be that I'm being hard on the OL due to Ricky's injury.

The pressure the Ticats put on in the third, combined with a defence that couldn't get off the field changed the momentum in that game. By the 4th quarter the Argos offense was completely out of sync.

I think on the low sack numbers Ricky Ray deserves a lot of the credit. He never hangs on to the ball when he shouldn't. Pretty sure the ratio of sack/drop backs was considerably higher when Collaros was behind center despite the fact that he's much more mobile. That's not a shot at ZC, just a fact when a young QB is playing that recognition of what a defence is doing is not as quick.