Ferguson: Studying the signal callers

Marshall Ferguson

CFL.ca

@TSN_Marsh

After a couple weeks of three games on your CFL weekend slate, the league returned to its usual four game schedule for Week 17. This past weekend saw 15 quarterbacks take snaps, of those 10 registered enough throws to be worthy of a target chart. Apologies to Dakota Prukop, Tommy Stevens, Caleb Evans, Dominique Davis and Antonio Pipkin.

Let’s dive into Week 17’s passing performances of note as we enter the final month of the regular season. By this point there is more than enough data to study in order to truly understand who is hot and who is about to get caught down the stretch.

Cody Fajardo, Saskatchewan Roughriders

With the Saskatchewan Roughriders likely headed towards a crossover game in Montreal – where they lost in the regular season – Saskatchewan’s passing attack continues to morph and shift with each game.

This week offensive coordinator Jason Maas gave Cody Fajardo some different schemes to work with. The Riders used six receiver sets, however they got forced into using a three receiver, three fullback set after running back Kienan LaFrance was dinged, and Maas even called a fake running back screen where he slipped full back James Tuck out on a wheel route of sorts.

Through it all Fajardo used his legs a bit more than usual and continued to hammer the under, crossers and screens while barely targeting at any depth between the hashes.

Mason Fine, Saskatchewan Roughriders

On the same weekend Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett set the NFL record with 13 pass attempts that didn’t hit the ground (10 completions, 3 interceptions), Riders backup Mason Fine had four completions to his receivers and threw two interceptions, one which was negated by a roughing the passer call. In other words, classic clean-up duty stuff from a young CFL quarterback.

Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The excellence is just laughable when Zach Collaros is on. 10 touchdown passes and zero interceptions against Saskatchewan over the three September meetings, including this gem of a four touchdown game to highlight it all.

The best part was the precision on double moves that he threw with an uncommon confidence. From a deep crossing (or diagonal) route turned vertical to an in and up using Riders safety Mike Edem’s aggression against him, Collaros reigns once again in week 17.

Nick Arbuckle, Ottawa REDBLACKS

In what would be his final game as the Ottawa REDBLACKS head coach, Paul LaPolice leaned on the run a bit more and Nick Arbuckle threw a ton of check downs early and often in an attempt to stay patient.

Ottawa’s football patience ran out and with the REDBLACKS dangerously close to being eliminated from playoff contention, everything is up in the air all over again.

Vernon Adams Jr., BC Lions

When I think of Vernon Adams Jr. at his best, it’s scrambling, throwing it deep and having fun.

Check, check and check.

The BC Lions new leading man nearly reached Nathan Rourke completion percentage levels against the REDBLACKS, while keeping the ball out of harms way in a must-win home game.

Trevor Harris, Montreal Alouettes

Trevor Harris is the only passer in the top-20 all-time of CFL passing yards who has completed more than 70 per cent of his passes, much of that is due to days like this.

Nothing flashy, just a series of shovels, screens, on time deliveries and a couple shots down the sideline to Eugene Lewis to keep defences guessing. Unquestionably the cleanest game of the week.

Taylor Cornelius, Edmonton Elks

They could have won, they should have won, how did they not win?

As the Edmonton Elks home losing streak found another new and exciting way to continue, Taylor Cornelius’ progression as a passer and his comfort with the big field continue to grow.

This was demonstrated by a cross field throw to receiver Vincent Forbes-Mombleau with nine minutes left in the opening quarter. A throw that travelled 20 yards in depth, but 46-yards wide after Cornelius rolled away from pressure to the sideline changing his launch point and creating the anomaly of a throw.

Jake Maier, Calgary Stampeders

In what was far from his smoothest outing since being named starter in Calgary and receiving a contract extension, Jake Maier mostly relied on play-calling and guaranteed completions to move the ball in Week 17.

Aside from a few tight windows throws to Reggie Begelton, more than half (nine of 17) of Maier’s completions were behind the line of scrimmage. That tells me everything I need to know about this Calgary outing, as it was their defence who won the game.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Toronto Argonauts

This target chart is something to behold. The Toronto Argonauts tried relentlessly to throw their way back into this game despite early struggles. They even called what appeared to be the same route for DaVaris Daniels after a nasty drop, the second attempt was also incomplete. The Toronto aerial attack would not connect in any meaningful way as the Double Blue failed to score Saturday in Calgary.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson finished 0-7 on throws of 20 or more air yards, dropping his season stats on the deep ball to 25 completions on 80 attempts for a CFL-low 31.3 per cent completion rate.

Chad Kelly, Toronto Argonauts

Well, in a league that averages around 12 air yards per target you have to respect Chad Kelly coming in and taking some shots down big to the tune of a 23.6 yard average depth of target.

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