Berg vs. Ferg: With Ray out, are the Argos still a contender?

Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week they debate over the Argos’ slow start and whether they can rebound.

After a late-season surge and a Cinderella run, the Toronto Argonauts hoped that last November’s Grey Cup win was just the beginning.

A busy off-season that saw the team fortify the quarterback depth chart and add some key pieces on defence created optimism, but it was quickly erased after a slow start to the season.

Just eight quarters in to the new year, the Argos have been outscored 68-26, lost both of their games and likely lost their future Hall of Fame quarterback to a devastating injury that saw him carried off the field on a stretcher.

A new page is turned as the club turns to highly-touted prospect James Franklin, acquired in an off-season trade. But the margin for error has been diminished — next on tap is a home-and-home with the Eskimos, two games any team in the league could lose, and an 0-4 start isn’t unthinkable.

So with the Ticats and the REDBLACKS looking impressive early on, and the other three teams in the East winning at least a game, are the Argos still a contender?

Steinberg and Ferguson weigh in with their choices in the latest Berg vs. Ferg.

BERG (1-3): THE ARGOS ARE FACING AN UPHILL CLIMB

Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg

I have nothing against James Franklin or the Toronto Argonauts. But with Ricky Ray likely done for the season, I think it’s going to be difficult for them to be true contenders. Not only are there questions surrounding a first-time starting quarterback in Franklin, the Argos also have to figure out what’s going on with their defence and have to deal with improved East Division competition.

Franklin’s results with a limited sample size are very impressive and he’s been groomed as somewhat of a prodigy under Mike Reilly. But now he’s the guy in Toronto, and there are no guarantees Franklin will be able to drive the bus effectively, especially right away. I think it’ll take some time for Franklin to get into a groove, and during that time Toronto has four straight games against West Division opponents. Will they be too far behind the eight ball once Franklin is into that aforementioned groove?

To make matters worse, the Argos have had their struggles defensively through their first two games, too. While it’s early, seeing a team allow an average of 428 yards against is not a promising trend, albeit one that is correctable. Toronto has given up 316 yards rushing and 562 yards passing in two games so far, and if you couple that with some potential growing pains with Franklin, it is not a good combination.

Finally, the East Division does look a little more competitive in 2018. Hamilton looks like a transformed team on both sides of the ball and they don’t look like a group that’s going away anytime soon. And, despite their Week 3 loss in Calgary, Ottawa has an offence to be reckoned with, including the guy emerging as the league’s top tailback in William Powell.

I hope the Argos prove me wrong, because I want Franklin to succeed and I wan this team to be competitive. However, due to a number of factors, not just Ray’s injury, I think Toronto is facing an uphill climb for the next number of weeks.

FERG (3-1): FRANKLIN MAKES THE ARGOS A THREAT

Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh

Not only are the Argos a contender in the East with James Franklin in at quarterback, I believe they’re actually more of a threat.

I know that seems sacrilegious to all the lifelong CFL fans who have admired Ricky Ray’s poise and demeanour forever, but hear me out.

Despite what you might remember from the Grey Cup last year the Argos did not walk into the snowy sunset in Ottawa with a championship solely because of Ricky Ray.

Ray absolutely won them the Eastern Final with a late drive, but father time is undefeated and injuries are rarely ever fair. Just weeks after receiving another Grey Cup ring, Ray moves to the sidelines, creating an opening for a young, talented quarterback who has been longing for a chance to show his worth for years.

In James Franklin, Marc Trestman has what could be the perfect combination of patience and explosive play-making ability. Franklin is not your typical inexperienced starter. He carries himself with a tenure far beyond his tangible experience but possesses the athletic ability to open Trestman’s playbook to a place it hasn’t been under Ricky Ray.

Regardless of his effectiveness, Franklin will at the very least offer a change of pace at the CFL’s most important position which just might be enough to light a fire under the Argos who quickly appear to be in an East Division dog fight with Hamilton, Ottawa and maybe even Montreal.

DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!

While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?

You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.

The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.

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