June 25, 2017

Green, Ray connection electrifying in Argos win over Ticats

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

TORONTO — After throwing for 506 yards – a career-high for the 37-year-old – Ricky Ray wouldn’t take full credit for his impressive outing.

Instead, the Argonauts’ pivot gave kudos to his receiving corps, saying it was their performances that helped him to his success in Toronto’s 32-15 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in his team’s season-opener.

“I think I’ve only done that one other time,” Ray said, referencing his previous career-high of 505 yards passing. “It was a great win for us. Obviously, the receivers made a ton of plays tonight. In one-on-one situations, (I was) confident to be able to throw it up to them. They were making plays all night.”

One of those receivers was S.J. Green, the former Montreal Alouette that hadn’t seen game action since last July when he completely tore his medial collateral ligament (MCL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and his meniscus in his right knee.

 

For not hitting the field since Week 2 of the 2016 season, Green found instant chemistry with Ray catching seven passes for 124 yards.

“Camp went well,” Ray said of his relationship with the slotback. “For the most part I felt really comfortable with S.J., with the way he runs his routes. Totally confident that we’re seeing the same things out there as far as what to do on certain coverages and tonight was no different. He got right to the spots that he needed to get to and I was able to lay it out there for him.”

It was early on in the contest that Green caught a 13-yard one-handed catch and Ray didn’t seem surprised at all that Green was able to make the play.

“The thing with S.J. is he’s just a big guy,” said Ray. “You saw that one-handed catch tonight. I pretty much just saw the defender with his back turned and I was just trying to throw it high and see what could happen. For him to make that one-handed catch, those are the kinds of plays that he can make.”

Green was one of three Argonaut receivers to pass the 100-yard mark during Sunday’s contest. DeVier Posey was Ray’s favourite target of the afternoon, catching seven passes for 147 yards and one major score while Jeff Fuller caught three passes for 104 yards.

Armanti Edwards, a former Saskatchewan Roughrider, also made an impression, catching six passes for 78 yards in his Argonauts’ debut.

“Guys made plays on deep balls all day long,” said Green. “Myself, DePo (Posey), Jeff (Fuller) made some catches, Armanti (Edwards) made some great catches down field.”

After the Week 1 contest, Argonauts’ head coach Marc Trestman commended his quarterback for his successful night.

“He’s Ricky Ray,” said Trestman. “He’s a decorated veteran. We all know who he is and what he’s accomplished. He came out here today and he’s been working hard, practicing well. Like I said we never really knew what we were going to have until we got out here today.”