TORONTO – Two teams accustomed to having success are searching for bounce back efforts when they square off on Saturday night.
After winning back-to-back games, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers fell to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 7. The Toronto Argonauts return home after a 27-24 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field last week.
Consistency is key for the Blue Bombers’ offence as it heads to BMO Field in search of its third win of the season.
It starts with quarterback Zach Collaros, who has the ability to take over a game with talented receivers Nic Demski and the emerging Ontaria Wilson and Kevens Clercius.
Running back Brady Oliveira has also shown a knack for jumping into the pass game, giving the Argos’ secondary another look to worry about. It’s a secondary that’s improved considerably against the pass game over recent weeks.
DaShaun Amos leads the way for the Argos and is coming off an interception against Hamilton. Benjie Franklin, Royce Metchie and the recently re-signed Tarvarus McFadden also help Ryan Dinwiddie’s defence cover the field.
Better play from the Argos’ secondary is complimenting their strong run defence, a unit that sees one of the top rushers in Oliveira this week. Oliveira was one of only two running backs with 400-plus yards coming into Week 8, with the other being his opponent Ka’Deem Carey.
Jake Ceresna anchors the Argos’ defensive line with three sacks and has backup at linebacker with Wynton McManis and his 33 defensive tackles as the front tries to slow the run and force the ball into the air.
After making what he said were “too many mistakes” in their Week 7 loss, Collaros knows his team needs to be accountable going forward.
“You have to stick to your process and believe in what you’re doing every single day,” Collaros told reporters.
“Everybody looking in the mirror, individually and then collectively coming together and trying to get one per cent better day-in and day-out. It’s all the cliché things that we talk about but you have to put it into practice. We’re all in it together. It’s a great group, we just have to put it together. This is a results oriented business.”
Questions have swirled around the Argos at quarterback as they used both Cameron Dukes and backup Nick Arbuckle in Hamilton, the latter of which threw for 118 yards and a touchdown.
While both saw first team looks this week at practice, it’ll be Dukes under centre to start.
No matter who’s taking the snaps, Janarion Grant hopes to put them in good field position, if not on the board. Grant has returned a kick for a touchdown in three straight games and would certainly love to make it four against a team he spent the previous four seasons with.
Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea is looking forward to the challenge of stopping his former returner.
“Our job is to stop him and it hasn’t proved easy for anybody else yet,” O’Shea told reporters.
“It’ll be tough. We know what he can do. He’ll go down on that list of great returners. He keeps climbing with the numbers he’s putting up. I would imagine based on what he was like with us, his old teammates are probably pleased for him, just not this week.”
Grant can take pressure off the Argos’ receivers and give Damonte Coxie and Makai Polk a chance to spread the defence in the Bombers’ half of the field.
Field positioning is important for a Toronto team facing a secondary that can make life tough thanks to a mix of veterans and younger players.
Tyrell Ford has two interceptions for the Bombers and is joined by Brandon Alexander, Terrell Bonds, Evan Holm and Marquise Bridges in preventing big plays down field.
