Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca
After winning the Grey Cup last season, the Toronto Argonauts are off to their first 6-0 start in 88 years. CFL on TSN stats man extraordinaire Jon Perlberg informed me this week that the last time the Double Blue began a season this hot the Bank of Canada had just begun operations, canned beer made its debut, the average salary in Canada was $313, the best picture winner at The Oscars was “Mutiny on the Bounty” starring Clark Gable and the best song was “Cheek to Cheek” by Fred Astaire.
It’s been a minute. The source of this stellar start is a unique combination of factors, not the least of which is the self-belief gained from last November’s championship glory in Saskatchewan. Add to that the retention of the entire coaching staff, the enthusiasm of the 150th year of Argos football and the fresh feel of new look uniforms and you have a special situation brewing.
On the field of course, the biggest question was Chad Kelly.
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We knew the defence would make plays — perhaps not to the tune of leading the league with a plus-16 turnover margin — and that special teams would hold their own as every Mickey Donovan led group has for some time, but winning a championship with one quarterback and starting another the following season is often a formula for turbulent waters.
This isn’t to say the Argos won’t face some as the year goes on. Last week a CFL head coach told me in regards to Ottawa comeback king Dustin Crum, “the quarterbacks who survive in this league do it through game plans and injuries.”
So far Kelly has laid down enough film to have tendencies and tells, which could explain some of his lighter statistical performances. What has impressed me the most about the man in No. 12 for Toronto, though, is his ability to weather the storm, both in life and in the game.
Kelly was his own worst enemy at times down south, but in Canada it’s all about fresh scenery, new beginnings, a better structure and opportunity. It shows pre-game, in-game and post-game with the way he handles himself, speaks about his teammates, and has taken the team’s perfect start thus far in stride. Maybe behind closed doors there is some ego but with veterans like Andrew Harris and Wynton McManis leading and playing under Head Coach Ryan Dinwiddie that wouldn’t last long.
After Toronto’s dominant Touchdown Atlantic performance last Saturday in Halifax, Harris referenced how far the team had come since the start of 2022, playing hard for each other, caring about the people next to them and never looking to place blame on anything other than the Xs and Os of effort and execution.
A stable coaching staff, an exciting young quarterback, player-led veteran leadership, turnover creating defenders, Grey Cup-winning confidence, maybe some fresh uniforms and a little luck every now and again is how you get to 6-0.
That’s the big picture, but as always the small details lead to the greater successes in the CFL and one number — of many — that the Argos lead the league in caught my attention.
Toronto is averaging 7.3 yards per-first-down-offensive-play this season. That’s just ahead of second place Calgary (7.2) and nearly two yards better per-first-down-play than last place Saskatchewan (5.35).
To lead the league in first down average gain is to set yourself up for success on second down. It opens up the playbook, gets more players involved, keeps the offensive line engaged and forces defences to make decisions they just don’t want to.
By having early down success, the Argos are creating a brighter future for themselves, just like their 6-0 start which has Toronto in line — early on — for a home playoff date and perhaps a third straight regular season East Division crown.
What all of this means by November remains to be seen, but for the first time since a pound of bacon was $25, the Argonauts are the class of the CFL through a third of their games. They’ve yet to show an exploitable weakness so apparent it could destroy their hopes of a Grey Cup repeat.
