LIVESTREAM CFL: Ottawa REDBLACKS @ Toronto Argonauts, Oct. 15, 01:00 CET (1 am, 7 pm Oct. 14 EDT)
TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts welcome the Ottawa REDBLACKS to BMO Field on Saturday night as an East Division matchup wraps up the Week 19 schedule.
Both teams have their playoff fates decided heading into the game.
Toronto will host the Eastern Final on Nov. 11, while the REDBLACKS were eliminated from post-season contention with their 29-3 loss to Montreal last week.
The focus turns to fine tuning for the Argonauts and making sure the offence and defence is firing on all cylinders heading into the most important time of the year.
» Depth Charts: TOR | OTT
Offensively, Chad Kelly leads his team onto the field armed with 3,561 passing yards and 21 touchdowns.
Maintaining consistency with his receivers is now the task at hand. The last time the two teams hooked up, a 44-31 Argos win back in Week 10, DaVaris Daniels broke out for 180 yards and three touchdown. He’ll once again be a top target along with Damonte Coxie and Tommy Nield.
Watch live. Ottawa REDBLACKS @ Toronto Argonauts, Oct. 15, 01:00 CET (1 am, 7 pm Oct. 14 EDT).
Going up against a REDBLACKS defence surrendering a league worst 310.3 yards through the air per game, it’s an opportunity to build confidence. Top defensive back Brandin Dandridge is out with a hand issue so Damon Webb and Justin Howell will be asked to step up in his absence.
Running back AJ Ouellette had 90 yards on the ground in that last game and sits 41 shy of 1,000 for the season but is listed as out for the Argos. With a fluid roster, Daniel Adeboboye and Deonta McMahon should see touches.
The REDBLACKS are second best at stopping opposing rushers thanks to their physical front. To gain yardage on the ground this week, Adeboboye and McMahon will have to make their way through defensive lineman Bryce Carter and Cleyon Laing. Carter, who sits second in the league with 12 sacks, will attempt to halt the run game while simultaneously making Kelly uncomfortable in the pocket. Team leader Lorenzo Mauldin also returns to bolster the line.
Ottawa quarterback Dustin Crum had one of his best games back in Week 10, throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns. With the Argos ranking ninth against the pass and averaging 295.5 yards against, Crum will be looking downfield for top targets Jaelon Acklin and Justin Hardy. Acklin pulled down 157 of those 292 yards in the last meeting.
Defensive back Mason Pierce and linebacker Wynton McManis are coming off interceptions against Edmonton. They’ll be joined by Tarvarus McFadden and Qwan’tez Stiggers in the secondary in trying to shut down the REDBLACKS receivers.
McManis is hopeful his strong play of late can carry into the remaining regular season games and playoffs.
“Right now I have some good habits going,” McManis told reporters. “I’m just staying on top of everything I’m doing off the field. It’s working, it’s starting to show. With us being in the position that we’re in, you want to go out and compete and just try to be as good as we can into the playoffs.”
Even with the success in the air the last time they met, the REDBLACKS offence is still heavily reliant on their ground game. Devonte Williams has two games to amass 173 yards to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career and Crum is more than capable of calling his own number in any situation.
It’s going to be challenging for Williams to get to the milestone considering both of his teams remaining games are against an Argos front that’s the best at stopping the run. After holding the Elks talented rushing duo of Tre Ford and Kevin Brown to 60 yards, they’re well tested against multi-faceted attacks.
The talent starts on the line with Shawn Oakman, Folarin Orimolade and Robbie Smith. If Williams finds his way through them, he’ll be greeted by McManis and Adarius Pickett at linebacker.
It’s the Argos final regular season game at BMO Field and playing well at home is a focus for head coach Ryan Dinwiddie.
“We always want to play good for our crowd,” Dinwiddie told reporters. “We want to keep building our fan base. We always say protect our house when we play at home. I think defence and special teams more than anything, they play into the crowd.”
Toronto is searching for their second win over Ottawa this season while the REDBLACKS are trying to snap a two-game losing streak.
Watch live. Ottawa REDBLACKS @ Toronto Argonauts, Oct. 15, 01:00 CET (1 am, 7 pm Oct. 14 EDT).
