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Shane Ray reached a personal milestone last Saturday in Ottawa when Argos scored a three-point victory over the lowly Redlbacks.
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In fact, one game ended.
For Ray, who hasn’t been able to rid himself of the injury virus since joining Argos in the offseason, it was a breakthrough for a player the team believes can make a difference.
Staying healthy has been a problem, but it wasn’t last week that Ray began to impose his will late in the race in the second half.
It was an encouraging sign for Ray, whose presence will be required this Friday night when the Ticats arrive in town for what will be the CFL game of the year.
At stake will be first place in the East and a move to the divisional final for the Argos if they can continue their winning streak at home.
Both teams will have to be solid at the line of scrimmage, which is where Friday’s game will be won.
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On paper, the Ticats have the four most dominant defensive forwards, a group that will put pressure on the backfield and stop the race.
Hamilton’s D line has been much more consistent than Toronto’s, given the constant change the Argos have had to go through this season due to injuries.
Ray started the year, only to hurt himself in the first game of the season in Calgary. When he returned a month later, also against the Redblacks, Ray would once again succumb to an injury that kept him out for another month.
“It felt great,” Ray said of finishing Saturday’s game in Ottawa, an Argos 23-20 win.
And it should only get better for the 6-foot-3, 245-pound player who spent four seasons (2015-18) with the NFL’s Denver Broncos and has a Super Bowl ring. The 28-year-old is quick and athletic.
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A committed and healthy Ray makes Argos better, a team that needs to be at its best this week against a Ticats team that has won three games in a row.
“He hasn’t been able to get through the first half of the entire year,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said of Ray, one of Toronto’s best players when camp ended. “We expect it to impact the game this week.”
A lot was expected of Argos’ defensive line when the season began. On paper, it looked like the unit would serve as the backbone of the team.
The biggest disappointment has been the highly publicized signing of Charleston Hughes, the CFL’s active leader in sacks who has recorded only two as Argo.
A close second would be Ray, but only because he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
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Freshman lineman Shawn Oakman has been the best in the unit, while veteran Cordarro Law is emerging, having played his best game as Argo in Ottawa.
In Ottawa’s final drive, Law had two sacks, including a forced fumble that sealed Toronto’s victory. He finished with five tackles, the season-high, and a passing break in his fourth game as Argo.
The stakes will be high on Friday, the competition will be even greater, the kind of backdrop
Ray has been waiting for years to experiment. The games of the great times are not alien to him, but this will be the first in the CFL.
The key to any game is preparation, Ray said.
“Whatever my urgent plan is, I have to make sure I am prepared for the game,” he said. “That week of preparation allows me to relax when the game comes around and flow with the game.
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“I’m going to approach this week like I did last week, working on my game, working on the game plan with my coaches and playing soccer. I’ll be ready to go. “
You’ll get your first look at Ticats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who started the year with four interceptions in back-to-back losses to Winnipeg and Saskatchewan.
Masoli is not the same quarterback who missed most of the 2019 season with a knee injury. He’s getting better readings, getting the ball out of his hands in a timely fashion, and making plays with his feet to move the chains.
The emergence of running back Don Jackson has given the offense another dimension, a player capable of producing explosive plays and an additional receiving option.
Much will depend on how Argos’ defensive line can control the line of scrimmage. But from the way the Argos have been giving up yards, Ray won’t be surprised if Hamilton tries to establish the run.
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The Ticats should feel right at home in Toronto with so many club fans expected to attend.
“The guys feel great here,” Ray said when asked about the Argos’ undefeated home record. “I think guys appreciate crowd noise.”
Ray knows what is at stake.
“You look at the end of the schedule and the position we are in, this is a game that you don’t take lightly,” he said. “Our preparation will be based on everything, 100%, being ready to play a great game. Great players make great plays and we have to get this. “
HUGHES NEWS
Hughes was once a great player, but his season in Toronto has been nothing short of disappointing. But the team has been better off without him and it looks like Hughes will again be out of the lineup on Friday.
Kony Ealy, who has been suffering from a groin injury, should return to a line where Fabion Foote is also expected to return after a backhand to the knee.
Jonathan Zamora, who was pulled from Calgary’s practice list last week only to be moved to the one-game disabled list, looks ready to make his offensive line debut.
Reference-torontosun.com