Photo courtesy: Steven Chang/B.C. Lions
The Toronto Argonauts wrapped up their seven-game road trip with a 26–12 win over the B.C. Lions on Saturday night to improve to 3-4. Below are my thoughts on the game.
Kelly knocked out
It looked like Chad Kelly brought back some of that classic “Swag Kelly” flair, as he carved up the B.C. secondary.
However, it all came to a sudden halt when he went into a slide, and his head collided with the shoulder of Darnell Sankey. The impact caused Kelly to immediately raise his hands in what appeared to be the fencing response, a telltale sign of a concussion.
The veteran quarterback was quickly removed from the game, with backup Nick Arbuckle stepping in.
Kelly finished his night with an impressive stat line, completing 15-of-18 pass attempts for 197 yards and two touchdowns to Makai Polk.
In the game’s aftermath, questions quickly emerged about whether or not Sankey’s hit crossed the line.
Head coach Mike Miller indicated he didn’t clearly see the hit, while Nick Arbuckle suggested that intent is what ultimately determines whether or not a hit is dirty.
For what it’s worth, I don’t believe the hit was entirely dirty, as it wasn’t direct head-to-head contact. Nonetheless, it served as a sobering reminder of just how violent the game of football can be.
Stiff arm Arbuckle
With Kelly sidelined due to injury, Nick Arbuckle was called upon to step in and finish what had been started in the first half.
Arbuckle completed 13-of-20 pass attempts for 134 yards and added 28 yards on the ground. One of those runs featured a stiff arm that sent Darnell Sankey to the turf, a play that showed impressive running ability from the veteran passer.
“That was definitely a heat-of-the-moment thing,” Arbuckle said postgame. “I think I remember I tried to stiff-arm once before back in 2019 on Henoc Muamba, and it did not go as successfully as it went today.”
Arbuckle also joked about his conditioning.
“I’ve got to work on the conditioning because that scramble, I was pretty tired.”
Popping the Lid-ster
Last week, the kicking game cost the Argonauts a win, as Lirim Hajrullahu missed a potential 31-yard walk-off field goal and went just two-for-three on his convert attempts.
In Vancouver, rookie Brady Lidster out of the University of Windsor was called upon and he delivered.
The St. Thomas, Ont. native had a strong performance, going four-for-five on field goals. His longest successful kick came from 48 yards out, while his miss came from a distance of 43 yards.
As the Argonauts head into the bye week, there are legitimate questions about the future at kicker. Is Hajrullahu still the guy, or will Miller continue to lean on Lidster as the season moves forward?
When asked about the kicker situation postgame, Miller simply said, “This is something that we reassess every day.” Take that for what it’s worth.
The Argonauts would probably be wise to roll with Lidster for the time being, considering his strong debut.
Hajrullahu was placed on the reserve roster this week.
Defence chases Brice away
When news broke that Nathan Rourke would not play due on Saturday to a shoulder injury, it presented a prime opportunity for the Argonauts’ defence to step up and get back into the win column.
The unit took full advantage, chasing Chase Brice from the game and forcing the Lions to turn to rookie Kaidon Salter.
Toronto’s defence delivered in a big way, recording four sacks and not allowing a single touchdown. They also held the Lions to just 9-of-25 on second down, a 36 percent conversion rate and an all-around dominant performance.
It also marked the Argonauts’ lowest point total allowed this season, all coming via four field goals. However, the challenge will be much tougher coming out of the bye week, as they prepare to host a Stampeders team that hung 56 points on this same unit just three weeks ago.
Where’s the running game?
With everything that unfolded, one clear issue stood out tonight: the Argonauts’ lack of a true running game.
Nick Arbuckle led the team with just 28 rushing yards, while Isaiah Smith added 19 yards on five carries. That is simply not a sustainable formula for offensive success, especially as the season shifts into a more physical and demanding stretch.
The lack of a consistent ground attack puts added pressure on the passing game, which becomes even more concerning given Kelly’s injury status. If Kelly is forced to miss time, establishing the run will be critical not only to create balance, but also to control the tempo of games and keep opposing defences honest.
It also impacts situational football. Without a reliable run game, short-yardage and second-down efficiency become more difficult, and drives are more likely to stall.
Against stronger defensive units, like the one they will face in the Stampeders coming out of the bye week, those shortcomings can quickly become the difference between winning and losing.
When life gives you Lemons
With injuries continuing to pile up, the Argonauts turned to a familiar face in Shawn Lemon.
Playing in his first game since September 6 of last season, Lemon stepped into his role and did not miss a beat. He recorded two tackles on the night, both of them sacks. While the sample size is small, coming in off the street and delivering two sacks provided a much-needed boost to the Argonauts’ pass rush.
If Lemon can maintain that level of production, it will go a long way in helping propel the Argonauts forward and keep them in the race as they push toward a return to the CFL playoffs.
307 days later
The Argonauts head into their second bye week of the season at 3-4. On the other side of the bye is their official home opener set for Thursday, August 6, when they welcome the Calgary Stampeders to BMO Field.
It has not been an easy stretch, as the team has been forced to relocate to the University of Guelph since May. Still, in front of what should be a solid and energetic home crowd, the Argonauts will look to keep their playoff hopes alive and avenge their previous meeting against the Stampeders, in which Vernon Adams Jr. threw six of his 20 touchdown passes in a dominant Stampeders blowout.
