OTTAWA — With a playoff spot clinched, the Toronto Argonauts travel to Ottawa to take on the REDBLACKS where a valuable pair of points are on the line.
With just three weeks remaining in the 2021 CFL season, the Toronto Argonauts (7-4) currently sit first in the East Division. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes are directly behind them at a respective record of 6-5. Heading into the nation’s capital this week, the Argos have a chance to improve their divisional record. Ottawa, on the other hand, has been eliminated from playoff contention and will look to play the role of “spoiler” against Toronto.
Coming off an overtime win against the BC Lions last week, the Toronto Argonauts hope for a more emphatic win this week.
With a plethora of external factors that could get in the way of his team’s focus this week; a potential first-round bye, injuries and other distractions, Ryan Dinwiddie is stressing the importance of taking it game by game.
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“I think right now we’re just really focused on this game first, we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves,” said Dinwiddie. “For right now, for me, it’s more about getting healthy and that bye week, if we do get a bye, it gives us another week to get healthy. We’re in a tough spot right now, we have a few injuries – seems like there’s new ones each week – so hopefully we get some guys back here in the near future. But we just got to focus on winning this next game and take it one game at a time.”
After having nearly a decade of success since their inaugural season in 2014 and highlighted by a Grey Cup title in 2016, the scene is now different in Ottawa.
Instead of gearing up for a playoff run, like the franchise has done so many times in their short existence, the REDBLACKS have their eyes now on the future.
With plans of coming back better in 2022, the REDBLACKS re-signed a trio of league leaders on special teams in DeVonte Dedmon, Richie Leone and Lewis Ward who will all play important roles Saturday.
Dedmon has brought fans to their feet countless times this season due to his returning capabilities. In both punt and kickoff situations, he has recorded a pair of touchdowns and a combined 1,648 yards. Dedmon has also had his number called on the offensive side of the ball, recording 10 catches for 98 yards with an additional touchdown and 65 yards coming on the ground.
On the opposite end of special teams responsibilities, both Leone and Ward have been some of the league’s most consistent kickers. Averaging a career 48.1 yards-per-punt, Leone will be tasked with pinning the Argos offence in unfavourable field positions. Ward, on the other hand, has accounted for 93 of the REDBLACKS’ points this year off of field goals and at a conversion rate of 90 per cent and will be leaned on for even more points.
While the REDBLACKS sit last in the East, they have taken even the best teams in the CFL down to the wire, with one of their most notable efforts coming in Week 3 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Then, they held the Green and White to just 23 points.
“We made it an emphasis earlier on in the week that we can’t take these guys lightly, they played us tough last time,” said Dinwiddie on the REDBLACKS. “At their place, they’re going to play a lot better than they did on the road. They have guys that are fighting for jobs, guys who are looking for opportunities to improve themselves to that organization for next year and also auditions for other teams. Those guys will be ready to go.”
One area Dinwiddie is looking to have a game against the REDBLACKS is his defensive line. Having recorded 23 sacks on the season, the front four of Charleston Hughes, Shane Ray, Shawn Oakman and Junior Turner will have their opportunities to alter the game against an offensive line that has given up 46 sacks on the season.
“The D-line is key this week,” said Dinwiddie. “Those guys know what our expectations are, we got to be better there from last week and get a constant pass rush to make a young quarterback uncomfortable.”
Be it Devlin Hodges or Caleb Evans, the REDBLACKS quarterbacks will be in for a tough matchup, but both have shown the ability to combat defensive line pressure through the air. In his six appearances this season, Evans has thrown for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns. In his one appearance so far this season for the REDBLACKS, Hodges has tossed for 49 yards but threw for 1,063 and five touchdowns during his time as a Pittsburgh Steeler. Hodges is listed as the starter for Saturday’s contest.
Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. ET can be watched on TSN, RDS and ESPN+ or followed along with CFL.ca’s Game Tracker.
– With files from Argonauts.ca
