July 13, 2018

Hogan: 4 Things for Week 5

Mike Reilly (13) of the Edmonton Eskimos and Justin Tuggle (24) of the Toronto Argonauts during the game at BMO Field in Toronto, ON, Saturday, September 16, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)

THE IMPORTANCE OF LAST WEEK’s WIN

It was far from being a pristine performance, but it’s better to win ugly than to lose pretty.

The Argos did enough to earn a 20-17 win over the Edmonton Eskimos at BMO Field last Saturday. They get a chance to go for the season sweep tonight in Northern Alberta (9:00 TSN, TSN 1050), something they haven’t accomplished since 2013.

Getting the first win of the season took a giant monkey off the club’s back. If the Argos found themselves 0-3, facing a tough opponent in their home stadium would elevate the need for a victory.

Instead, the team had a more relaxed week, practising with great tempo and less stress at Lamport Stadium before flying west after Wednesday’s workout.

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES

The Argos have some new faces in the lineup this week.

Offensively the club has added 6’6” receiver Rodney Smith to the roster. His only appearance in Double Blue was in the pre-season game in Guelph, where he caught five passes for 26 yards.

When Smith arrived in camp he was greeted by an old college teammate. He and James Wilder Jr. were both on the Florida State Seminoles for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Brian Jones sits this week, as does Brandon Burks. Rookie fullback Simon Gingras-Gagnon is back on the 46-man roster.

On defence, the Argos lost a couple of middle linebackers to injury. Both Terrance Plummer and Akeem Jordan are out – both on the one-game injured list – meaning Justin Tuggle moves from defensive end to MLB. That’s not a huge concern as Tuggle’s experience in the NCAA and NFL was as a linebacker, though he actually started his college career as a quarterback at Boston College before transferring to Kansas State where he would covert to linebacker.

The injuries allow two Argos to make their debut with the team.

Eric Striker will get a look at defensive end. He was a terror in college, wreaking havoc as an Oklahoma Sooner. He was a two-time All-Big 12 and AP All-American. He’s undersized at 5’11”, but has a ridiculously high motor.

Jonathan Dowling will back up Cassius Vaughn at the ‘Sam’ linebacker spot. Dowling played in the pre-season games and got a look at corner. He’s historically played at safety as a pro, so moving closer to the box would seem to be a good fit for the 6’3” Western Kentucky product.

GREEN IN ELITE COMPANY

S.J. Green enters tonight’s game with 8,193 yards. That ranks him 41st on the CFL’s all-time receiving yards list. With a decent game tonight he will move ahead of two legendary Argos.

With a 31-yard night he will pass Bobby Taylor (8,223). Taylor played with a character-laden group of Argos from 1966-1970, before heading back to Toronto for the ’74 season.

With a 50-yard game, Green will pass Darrell K. Smith (8.242) on the all-time list.

Smith was a fan favourite who passed away last year after a battle with cancer at the age of 55. He was a focal point of the offensive juggernaut of the late 80’s and early 90’s.

A member of the 1991 Grey Cup champions, Smith’s best individual season was the year before, where he became the first CFL receiver to record 20 touchdown catches in one season.

THE RETURN OF VANZILLA

If you ever have the chance to meet offensive tackle Chris Van Zeyl in person, the first thing you will notice is his size. The 6’8”, 320 pound native of Fonthill, Ont. is an imposing man, but truly is a gentle giant.

The 11-year Argo veteran is almost always sporting a smile, therefore it shouldn’t be too surprising that he takes that disposition to the field with him.

TSN put his combination of physicality and quick wit on display for this week’s edition of ‘Wired’.

Enjoy, and good luck looking at Edmonton’s Chris Edwards the same way ever again.

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO