Saturday afternoon, the Argos host the Ticats in the middle of the three-way battle for top spot in the East. While neither team is boasting about its record, if you believe in the saying that the “real” CFL season starts after Labour Day, then we’ve got the two giants of the CFL going toe to toe.
It sounds like a stretch, but let’s look at the numbers since Labour Day. Both teams have a combined record of 8-4 including going 5-0 against Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and B.C. Their quarterbacks Ricky Ray and Zach Collaros are two of the top pivots in the game today, and their styles are completely different.
Argonauts, Tiger-Cats on Collision Course for Playoffs
Ricky Ray is a veteran and a classic drop back passer. He reads defences and puts the ball in his receivers’ hands accurately and with incredible touch. He is a distributor and has completed touchdown passes to 14 different receivers this season.
Zach Collaros is younger and plays with excellent instincts considering his relatively short experience. He uses his mobility to extend plays and create offense on the fly. He’s flashier then Ray but on the other hand his skills as a pocket passer can’t be ignored.
No surprise that both are quarterbacking the top two passing offences in the league: the Argos with 281 yards per game, followed by the Ticats on 272.
Last year the Ticats visited Toronto in the 2013 East final where they came back from a second half deficit to defeat the Argos convincingly 36-24. That high feeling of traveling into a rival’s building and dominating a game won’t be lost on the Ticats coaching staff and players. On the other hand, the Argos’ fresh wounds from being defeated at home after a promising season should be plenty of fuel for Saturday’s game.
Ticats vs Argos, round 3 of 3. An East final preview? Let’s hope so.
Thank you for reading. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and@LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest in sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
