Argos defence lead 3 matchups to watch on Friday Night Football

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO — A sure sign that business is picking up in the CFL season is that we’ve moved into regular double headers on Friday Night Football on TSN.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts get things going for us at 7:00 p.m. ET, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders travelling to Calgary to face the Stampeders in our late (9:30 p.m. ET) game.

There’s a lot at stake for each team in both games. The Ticats are fighting to get into the playoff race, while the Argos are working on closing the standings gap on second-place Ottawa in the East Division. Out West, the Riders and Stamps are each starved for a win, but thanks to the parity in the division, they’re still very much a part of the playoff race.

How’s it going to shake out tonight? CFL.ca brings you three matchups to watch on Friday Night Football.

BO LEVI MITCHELL VS. TORONTO’S DEFENCE

Over their last three games (where they have a 2-1 record) Bo Levi Mitchell and the Ticats have generated 1,220 yards of net offence. Mitchell, who was benched when his interception total hit double digits in Week 10, has taken good care of the ball in that span, throwing just one interception while going for four touchdowns. That includes an excellent showing on OK Tire Labour Day Weekend, where the Ticats ran up a 21-2 first quarter lead, en route to a 31-28 win.

The Argos head into their third and final regular season meeting with the Ticats looking for their first win against their arch-rival. To do that, they’ll try to feed off of the defensive showing they had against Nathan Rourke, Vernon Adams Jr. and the BC Lions in Week 15. BC managed just 222 yards of net offence, while the team’s two-headed quarterback monster didn’t instil much fear in anyone, going a combined 10-17 for 185 yards and an interception in a 33-17 game. The Argos’ defensive line played a big part in creating QB discomfort, going for seven sacks on the night. Ralph Holley is now tied for the league lead with seven sacks and Jake Ceresna is fifth, with six. Linebacker Wynton McManis’ return should help the Argos attempt to string together their first winning streak since Week 10 and 11.

JAMES BUTLER VS. KA’DEEM CAREY

An injury to Greg Bell has opened the door for a very interesting running backs matchup on Friday night. James Butler will see his first action since Week 10, giving us a showdown between two of the league’s top running backs. Carey is third in the league in rushing, with 811 yards and five touchdowns on 152 carries. Butler has broken the 1,000-yard rushing mark in back-to-back seasons and has 92 carries for 440 yards with a touchdown, along with 37 catches for 312 yards and a touchdown. Should either team’s passing game be limited by a pair of very good defences, expect to see the ground game take on an increased significance.

JAKE MAIER VS. AMARI HENDERSON

Wins have proven elusive for both the Riders and the Stamps. The green team is struggling through a seven-game winless stretch, while the Stamps are dealing with a five-game skid. Each team has a tie in that process, too. On Friday night, the odds are that someone will finally get a win and put this stale stretch behind them. Jake Maier and the Stamps may have felt a tinge of relief when the Riders’ depth chart came out on Thursday. Rolan Milligan Jr., who is tied for a league-leading six interceptions on the season, is out due to a personal matter. Amari Henderson will step in at the boundary halfback spot. The 27-year-old is in his third season with the Riders and in four games this year has 17 tackles and a forced fumble. Henderson had a pair of interceptions for the Riders last year and could be an X-factor in a game that his team is desperate to win.

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