ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
With Files from The Canadian Press

TORONTO – It has been somewhat of a role reversal for the Toronto Argonauts in the early part of this season.  At this point last year, the Double Blue were relishing games that seemed to have come down to the final few minutes. 

Hardly by design, the Argonauts seemed to have had a knack for pulling out close games against Winnipeg, Calgary, B.C. and Edmonton en route to their best start since 2007.

So far, it has been a different story for the Scullers in 2011. They are still involved in nail-biting finishes but find themselves on the losing end of three close games in four of their losses.  Not unlike their fellow East Division foes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, from last year (who lost numerous games by six points or less), the Argos have only fallen by a combined 16 points in the aforementioned three losses.

It is something that is irking GM & Head Coach Jim Barker, following another heart-breaker in Edmonton on Friday night.

"That's been our season,” he said. “It's the way our games have gone. Last year we found a way to win those bizarre games and this year we haven't. It's just the way it is."

And a bizarre game it was.  The Argos had the Eskimos completely stunned, up 17-1 on the West Division leaders with just over a minute into the first half.  However, a drive-extending pass interference penalty and a goal line stand by the defence - which was adjusted by confusion with the game clock - led to two quick Edmonton touchdowns. The Argos went into the locker room at halftime (for a second time) with momentum securely in the hands of Ricky Ray and the Esks.

Perhaps more bothersome for the Argonauts was that up until the that final minute of the half at Commonwealth, Toronto had outscored their opponents 34-4 in the last two games in the first half and still managed to come up on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

Defensively, the Argos were very strong against one of the league’s premier passing attacks with Toronto’s front four consistently finding their way into the Edmonton backfield.

Offensively, the Argos were once again trying to get into a rhythm minus their starting quarterback and star running back.  Dalton Bell looked good in the first half, leaning on RB Chad Kackert who had a career game, adding two touchdowns before the break. 

However, the offence began to struggle in the second half with turnovers being their most obvious demise.  Playing consistently well through all four quarters is something that fresh-faced Bell admits he needs to get better at, regardless of whether he gets the nod again against Montreal on Thursday.

“I made some plays and then I didn’t make some plays,” Bell admitted after the game.  “I feel like I was trying to do too much again.  The two picks were huge and didn’t help us out at all, but other than that I thought I played pretty well.  I need to get better, though.  I need to go in this next week, if I get the nod again, [and] I need to get better and help this team have a chance to win.”

As frustrating as the recent four-game losing streak has been, the Argos are, overall, playing decent football, just not at the right times.  They have yet another big challenge coming up this Thursday when they face the Montreal Alouettes on a short week. 

The Als have not looked like the same team since they defeated the Argos two weeks ago, dropping games against Saskatchewan and Hamilton.  After leaving their first loss against the Riders with an injury in the first half, QB Anthony Calvillo returned to the lineup last Friday to face the Tiger-Cats but could not duplicate the often unstoppable production that he and his team usually gets on offence.

That, combined with an Argos defence that is coming off its best performance of the early season, could help the Boatmen in trying to get their season kick started and put them in the win column.