Game thread: Alouettes at Argonauts

[Scooter McCray]

I don’t get why so many people complain about 8 FG’s. Would you rather see 8 punts? The 24 points on FG’s alone is more points that they were scoring most nights in the first half of the season on offence. For the record, Argos have only punted 9 times in the last 3 games. That is unheard of in the CFL.

Argos played a great game. An overthrow for a pick and a punt return TD really the only things that kept this game close.

Great game by Adeleke. He was all over the field last night. Argos started 9 or 10 Canadians last night which gives the so much flexibility during a game.

Stupid, selfish penalty by Hansen after the last kickoff. Good thing it didn’t cost the Argos. 15 yards there could have been huge.

Their strategy should just be to kick the points now. The offence is good enough to get them into the red zone most drives. Most teams can't do that. Kick the points. The problem becomes On the 1 or 2 yard line the overwhelming urge will be to go for the TD and if you fail the defence with a stop puts them in a field position hole.

[ArgoGabe22]

I don’t get why so many people complain about 8 FG’s. Would you rather see 8 punts? The 24 points on FG’s alone is more points that they were scoring most nights in the first half of the season on offence. For the record, Argos have only punted 9 times in the last 3 games. That is unheard of in the CFL.

Scoring FGs from 40+ yards is great. Argos have struggled in the redzone lately, is this not a concern? Sure 3 points is better than nothing but Argos move the ball well, get down around the 20 and then struggle. What's the deal? Is RD struggling to call the right play?

[argolio]

That 3rd down knockdown by Milton was as good a football play as It gets. Give that guy a game ball.

[AngeloV]

I don’t get why so many people complain about 8 FG’s. Would you rather see 8 punts? The 24 points on FG’s alone is more points that they were scoring most nights in the first half of the season on offence. For the record, Argos have only punted 9 times in the last 3 games. That is unheard of in the CFL.

Scoring FGs from 40+ yards is great. Argos have struggled in the redzone lately, is this not a concern? Sure 3 points is better than nothing but Argos move the ball well, get down around the 20 and then struggle. What's the deal? Is RD struggling to call the right play?

My point is they scored 37 points, all on offence. They would have had another TD if our stadium had 20 yard end zones instead of 17 too, and that was from the red zone. I have no concerns of the offence. None at all.

[ArgoGabe22]

I don’t get why so many people complain about 8 FG’s. Would you rather see 8 punts? The 24 points on FG’s alone is more points that they were scoring most nights in the first half of the season on offence. For the record, Argos have only punted 9 times in the last 3 games. That is unheard of in the CFL.

Scoring FGs from 40+ yards is great. Argos have struggled in the redzone lately, is this not a concern? Sure 3 points is better than nothing but Argos move the ball well, get down around the 20 and then struggle. What's the deal? Is RD struggling to call the right play?

My point is they scored 37 points, all on offence. They would have had another TD if our stadium had 20 yard end zones instead of 17 too, and that was from the red zone. I have no concerns of the offence. None at all.

But if TDs were scored, then this game could've been over much sooner. No need for a nail biter near the end with a penalty moving the Als up. Overall, it was a good game as a football fan.

[Scooter McCray]

Scoring FGs from 40+ yards is great. Argos have struggled in the redzone lately, is this not a concern? Sure 3 points is better than nothing but Argos move the ball well, get down around the 20 and then struggle. What's the deal? Is RD struggling to call the right play?

My point is they scored 37 points, all on offence. They would have had another TD if our stadium had 20 yard end zones instead of 17 too, and that was from the red zone. I have no concerns of the offence. None at all.

But if TDs were scored, then this game could've been over much sooner. No need for a nail biter near the end with a penalty moving the Als up. Overall, it was a good game as a football fan.

If they are going to win a championship they will need to do it on the road. If they are unable to score more TDs than the Alouettes and (Lions in Vancouver? IN GC) will hang around and have the opportunity to win. Montreal had no business being in the game yesterday yet they could have won with some bad Argos luck.

[gilthethrill]

Hard to complain when the offense puts up 37 points, I'll take that anytime. 8 FGs (there were 2 TDs as well) over 8 Punts is an easy choice. Kelly again showed that he is the best QB in the league ( Sorry Bo Levi) by far. The D played like they can, showing they can be a force. Good performance by Adeleke and Hamilton cast off Mark Milton. The game plan really kept Fajardo ( aside from 1 drive) looking average.

The Argos are on a bye week yet CFL.ca "writer" K.C. has them losing yet again with her weekly pick.

[GreyCup1971]

Hard to complain when the offense puts up 37 points, I'll take that anytime. 8 FGs (there were 2 TDs as well) over 8 Punts is an easy choice. Kelly again showed that he is the best QB in the league ( Sorry Bo Levi) by far. The D played like they can, showing they can be a force. Good performance by Adeleke and Hamilton cast off Mark Milton. The game plan really kept Fajardo ( aside from 1 drive) looking average.

The Argos are on a bye week yet CFL.ca "writer" K.C. has them losing yet again with her weekly pick.

Gotta love a league that clearly wants to see harm to the league's largest market. Sheesh!

Wasn't the first and foremost initiative of the recent commissioner to restore the Toronto market? How has that initiative worked out?

[paulwoods13]

Argos scored on 10 of their 15 possessions (not counting the kneel-down at the end of the game). They racked up more than 500 yards, including more than 200 on the ground, and they possessed the ball for 36 minutes. That's top-notch offensive production even without a high TD conversion rate. The defence limited Mtl to four scoring drives (not including the 10-yard score immediately after an INT), three of them resulting in FGs, and kept Mtl to less than 300 total yards. Both performances (offence and defence) were the type that you win games with. Add in a FG kicker who rarely misses and it's a promising combination. But I still say Argos need to finish second to have any chance of advancing to the Grey Cup. One road win in the playoffs seems possible, but two is asking a hell of a lot.

If I've done the calculations correctly (and assuming no tie games), to finish second Argos need to either:

* Go 3-0
* Go 2-1 while Ottawa goes 1-2 or 0-3
* Go 1-2 while Ottawa goes 0-3 and Hamilton goes 2-1 or 1-2

[Will]

Argos scored on 10 of their 15 possessions (not counting the kneel-down at the end of the game). They racked up more than 500 yards, including more than 200 on the ground, and they possessed the ball for 36 minutes. That's top-notch offensive production even without a high TD conversion rate. The defence limited Mtl to four scoring drives (not including the 10-yard score immediately after an INT), three of them resulting in FGs, and kept Mtl to less than 300 total yards. Both performances (offence and defence) were the type that you win games with. Add in a FG kicker who rarely misses and it's a promising combination. But I still say Argos need to finish second to have any chance of advancing to the Grey Cup. One road win in the playoffs seems possible, but two is asking a hell of a lot.

If I've done the calculations correctly (and assuming no tie games), to finish second Argos need to either:

* Go 3-0
* Go 2-1 while Ottawa goes 1-2 or 0-3
* Go 1-2 while Ottawa goes 0-3 and Hamilton goes 2-1 or 1-2

I believe that a WPG win over HAM + a BC win over CGY this week and a TOR win over WPG the next week at least clinches the playoff spot. Edmonton at 5-10 cannot crossover on Toronto, because the tiebreaker always goes to the team in the division that would otherwise be knocked out. Calgary at 4-9-1 still theoretically has a shot.

Actually, I don't think it matters if CGY wins this week, an Argos win over Winnipeg would mean that Calgary can finish with the most 17 points (8-9-1) where as Argos would be (9-9), but they still need Winnipeg to be Hamilton.