Perusing the Passers: Ferguson's Week 4 target charts

Marshall Ferguson

CFL.ca

@TSN_Marsh

Week 4 brought on another exciting showing of quarterback play across the CFL, not to mention that we got to see two Canadian quarterbacks starting in the same weekend.

So, let’s dive into Week 4’s quarterback target charts and piece together the story that each one is attempting to tell.

Jeremiah Masoli, Ottawa REDBLACKS

As the Ottawa REDBLACKS fell to 0-3 on the season in a hard fought loss to the BC Lions, Jeremiah Masoli struggled to find consistency. Including a third quarter in which he had just a pair of attempts and no completions.

Aided by a pair of Nathan Rourke interceptions, Masoli took advantage of short fields with the ground game, but couldn’t come close to matching Rourke’s fourth quarter offensive production.

Nathan Rourke, BC Lions

Kid Canada does it again, but differently.

This time there would be no blowouts, no three quarters worth of touchdown celebrations. Instead, it was the sweet smell of adversity that lofted across the nose of Lions’ head coach, Rick Campbell who said postgame that this win was their best of the three to start 2022.

Who could blame him as he watched his burgeoning star quarterback make two poor throws that created immediate points against BC, only to rebound and go 10/11 for 208 yards after the poor decisions.

Up next, the equally undefeated Winnipeg Blue Bombers and their daunting defence, a true test for the Lions’ young pivot to show once again that he’s here to stay.

Tre Ford, Edmonton Elks

Without a completion beyond 16-yards in the air and nothing between the hashes, Tre Ford’s debut performance was essentially what you would expect from a young passer who was thrust into the starring role after being drafted just two months ago.

What you can’t see here is the quality of his touchdown throw to Kenny Lawler, a pass that led the stud receiver perfectly between defenders for the score. You also can’t see the pure athleticism and quick decision making to take off and make plays with his feet. The future is bright and this was a great starting point.

Dane Evans, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

You have to feel for Dane Evans. I’ve never seen a season start with so many random tips, bounces and unfortunate redirections and the frustration is visceral for the Ticats’ leading man.

Evans and the Ticats next take the field on July 16th at home against his old running mate Jeremiah Masoli, in a game with the potential that both could be winless depending on how Ottawa fairs in Saskatchewan on Friday.

Evans’ arm strength, footwork and processing aren’t broken. The bounces will stop being so ridiculous at some point and the Ticats’ real potential will start to show through. Whether or not it’s good enough to challenge in the East, remains to be seen.

Cody Fajardo, Saskatchewan Roughriders

While a win was the ultimate result in the rematch with Montreal, I was really frustrated watching Fajardo’s process in this one.

The Riders are playing with heavy formations more than any other team in the league, attempting to bludgeon their opponents to death while mixing in home run shots to Duke Williams and quick hitters to Kian Schaffer-Baker.

The formula could improve as the season wears on but it left a lot of opportunity on the table in both games against Montreal, and Fajardo’s deep ball is scarily trending backwards toward 2021 levels since going 6/9 on passes of 20+ yards in the air against Hamilton week one.

Trevor Harris, Montreal Alouettes

With no attempts beyond 22-yards in the air it feels like the Alouettes passing attack is distancing itself further and further from what we thought we’d see, with Vernon Adams Jr. at the helm to start the season.

One prominent trend that jumped out to me in this game was Harris falling in love with the back shoulder throw to Geno Lewis. Who can blame him after success in week three?

The problem is that passers often fall in love with the concept and forget its an alternative, not a primary throw. That reality caused a dangerous incompletion late in the game as Montreal got close enough to make it interesting before Nick Marshall’s game-ending pick six.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Toronto Argonauts

In a night that started with two tough interceptions, McLeod Bethel-Thompson rebounded to post a respectable stat line that included a lot of passes completed behind the line and a fourth quarter scoring drive to give Toronto a chance to win. It’s always an adventure, and this one fell just short.

Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Ho hum, what you might have missed in the Argos theatrics and a historically memorable shank to end the evening, was the two time defending Grey Cup champion quarterback casually completing 80% of his passes to stay undefeated.

The best throw for me was a touchdown strike to Drew Wolitarsky where Zach Collaros set, reset, and fired a bullet pass standing flat footed for the score. Vintage stuff from Collaros.

Perusing the Passers: Ferguson’s Week 4 target charts

Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca