Xs and Argos Podcast

The regular season is over, and the Argos are headed to the playoffs. But after a 33-16 loss to the Montreal Alouettes, Toronto may have picked up a few more injuries than it can afford.

With both teams resting a number of starters and Toronto dressing 15 new faces, Friday night's regular-season finale at BMO Field was never going to be a showcase of either team's best football. Instead, it was an opportunity to evaluate some young talent, give inexperienced players valuable game reps, and hopefully get through the night healthy.

The first two objectives went reasonably well. The third? Not so much.

There were certainly some encouraging performances.

Quarterback Tucker Horn made the most of his opportunity, completing 20 of 26 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Dymere Miller was one of the night's brightest offensive stars, hauling in seven passes for 115 yards, including a spectacular 71-yard touchdown reception.

And much of that offensive success started up front, where fifth-round draft picks Domenico Piazza and Frank Vreugdenhil provided some impressive protection, giving Horn the time he needed to operate.

On defence, Nic Toomer was outstanding. The defensive back flashed his athleticism with some terrific open-field tackles, impressive work in coverage, and an interception that capped off a very encouraging performance.

But unfortunately, the biggest story of the night wasn't what Toronto's young players accomplished. It was how many Argos ended up getting helped off the field.

Derek Slywka, Makai Polk, Da'Marcus Johnson, Sam Hicks, Nolan Ulm, Paris Shand and Nic Toomer all suffered injuries during the game. Some appeared more concerning than others, but with the playoffs just around the corner, losing any players in a relatively meaningless regular-season finale is hardly the outcome Toronto was hoping for.

Ben Grant and JB break down what they know about the injuries, which young players made the strongest impressions, and what the performances of Horn, Miller, Toomer and Toronto's inexperienced offensive linemen might mean moving forward.

There's also the matter of the playoffs.

With the regular season officially in the books, the Argos now await their East Semi-Final opponent, with Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Calgary all part of the playoff picture heading into the final weekend.

Toronto will host the East Semi-Final next Saturday, October 31, at 1:00 p.m. ET, and the stakes are about to get considerably higher.

The exhibition-like atmosphere of Friday night's finale is behind us. The evaluation opportunities are over. And now the Argos have one week to get healthy and prepare for the games that really matter.

Ben Grant and JB are back for the final regular-season edition of the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough, getting you set for Friday night's matchup with the Montreal Alouettes at BMO Field.

First, there's the biggest question hanging over Toronto's playoff preparations: How concerned should we be about Chad Kelly? The Argos quarterback has been ruled out for the regular-season finale after suffering an injury in Ottawa, and the guys discuss everything they know about his condition and what it could mean for the upcoming East Semi-Final.

There's also a complicated West Division playoff picture to sort through, along with several roster moves, including the addition of former NFL linebacker Vi Jones.

Then it's time to talk about game management.

After a frustrating finish in Ottawa, the guys take a closer look at why seemingly obvious clock-management mistakes continue to plague not just Toronto, but professional football in general. From the CFL to the NFL, even some of the most experienced coaches in the game get these decisions wrong. Why does it happen so often, and what makes managing the final minutes of a football game so difficult?

Then Ben and JB dig into the extraordinary level of detail that goes into film study, from identifying subtle player tendencies and individual tells to uncovering an opponent's defensive rules and exploiting them. It's a fascinating look at the chess match behind the game, and why teams headed for the playoffs might prefer to keep a few things hidden.

There's also a full Game Preview and Injury Report, a look at three Argos players worth keeping an eye on Friday night, and details on Fan Appreciation Night, including $1 hot dogs and some major merchandise discounts at BMO Field.

The playoffs are almost here, but there's still plenty to discuss before the regular season is in the books.

The Argos lost the game. But the real concern is WHO they may have lost along the way.

In a wild Friday night affair in Ottawa, the Redblacks scored a touchdown in the final seconds to escape with a 40-39 victory over Toronto. It was a thrilling finish to a game that ultimately meant nothing for the Argonauts, but the result was hardly the biggest story.

With a home playoff game just two weeks away, Toronto's primary objective was to get through the night healthy.

That didn't happen.

Chad Kelly went down with what appeared to be a knee injury before he even had an opportunity to throw a pass. The Argos' starting quarterback left the game, leaving Nick Arbuckle to take over and raising an enormous question about Kelly's availability for the playoffs.

And he wasn't the only one.

Adarius Pickett, the leading candidate for the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player award, also left the game with an injury and didn't return. So did Janarion Grant, one of the league's top special teams performers. Three enormously important players, all forced out of a game Toronto didn't particularly need to win.

As for the football itself, there was plenty to like about the Argos' performance.

Arbuckle stepped in and delivered another strong outing, completing 27 of 35 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Kevin Mital was outstanding, hauling in six passes for 110 yards and two scores, as Toronto put up 39 points despite losing its starting quarterback almost immediately.

And yet, somehow, 39 points weren't enough.

With the Argos seemingly in position to escape Ottawa with a victory, some questionable late-game management gave the Redblacks one final opportunity. And they made the most of it, marching 67 yards in just 27 seconds for the winning touchdown.

The coaching decisions deserve scrutiny, but the players weren't without blame. A costly roughing-the-passer penalty and a huge quarterback run helped Ottawa cover the field in a matter of seconds, turning what looked like a Toronto victory into a stunning defeat.

It wasn't a heartbreaking loss. But it was eyebrow-raising.

The Argos showed they could move the football with Arbuckle under centre, and there were encouraging performances from players getting opportunities to prove themselves. But with the playoffs rapidly approaching, the health of Kelly, Pickett and Grant overshadows just about everything else.

Ben Grant breaks down the injuries, Arbuckle's performance, the defensive breakdowns, and the late-game decisions that helped Ottawa steal a victory on the latest Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

Because with two weeks until the playoffs, the biggest question isn't why Toronto lost. It's who will be available when the games matter.

With just two weeks remaining in the CFL regular season, the Argonauts are headed to Ottawa for a matchup with the Redblacks. But with Toronto's playoff position already secure, how much does winning this game really matter?

Ben Grant and JB are back for another edition of the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough, and this week there's plenty to discuss beyond the game itself.

The Argos have added Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton to their negotiation list. He's the starting quarterback of the NCAA's top-ranked college football team, but does that make him a realistic CFL prospect? The guys explain why the economics of modern college football, the NFL's willingness to keep developing big-name quarterbacks, and the type of adversity quarterbacks face in college all suggest this is a long shot.

Then it's back to the one-yard line.

After Toronto's costly short-yardage failures against BC, the debate over quarterback sneaks continues. Ben has crunched the numbers from around the CFL, and the results might surprise anyone convinced there's a better way to score from the one, including JB.

With the playoffs approaching, the guys also revisit the West Division crossover picture. Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Calgary are all potential East Semi-Final opponents, but which would present the toughest challenge for Toronto? And is there really much difference between them?

Then there's the matter of the final two regular-season games. Should the Argos prioritize winning, resting key players, experimenting with personnel, or fixing the things that haven't worked all season? Ben and JB discuss how Toronto should approach the stretch run with November football in mind.

Of course, there's also a full Game Preview and Injury Report ahead of Saturday's matchup in Ottawa, along with another edition of Put Me Down for 20 and Challenge Flag.

And it's the final Pick Six of the regular season, featuring a question about AJ Ouellette's unusual accusation concerning the BMO Field grass, plus the draw for a signed Adam Guillemette jersey!

The playoffs are almost here, but there's still plenty to sort out.

It's the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough!

For this Bye Week Special, we're turning the show over to the listeners for a jam-packed mailbag featuring some terrific questions about the Argos, the CFL, and the finer points of football strategy.

And where better to start than Toronto's recent short-yardage struggles?

Why would a team voluntarily kick off to start the second half? Why don't more offences use an up-tempo, no-huddle attack to prevent defensive substitutions? And if second-and-inches is practically a free play, why not take a shot downfield instead of simply moving the chains?

Ben also tackles questions about Toronto's remarkable ability to uncover hidden talent, the biggest priorities for the coaching staff heading toward the playoffs, controversial tackling techniques, CFL replay rules, and some of the quirks that make Canadian football unique.

Plus, there's another edition of Put Me Down for 20, and Ben throws down a Challenge Flag before wrapping things up.

It's the Xs and Argos Bye Week Special, brought to you by Something in the Water Brewing!

The Argos came up one yard short.

With Chad Kelly sitting this one out because of his hand injury, Nick Arbuckle stepped in and played well enough to give Toronto a chance to knock off one of the hottest teams in the CFL. But after driving all the way to the BC one-yard line in the final minute, the Argos were stopped on second and third down, ending a 24-17 Lions victory at BMO Field.

JB is back alongside Ben Grant for the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction, and there's plenty to unpack from a game Toronto easily could have won.

Start with the defence, because it was outstanding. Nathan Rourke and a dangerous BC offence never reached the end zone. The Lions were forced to settle for eight field goals, several of them after drives stalled deep in Toronto territory. Rourke completed just 15 of 32 passes, and the Argos defence repeatedly kept the game within reach.

They also deserved a little better luck.

BC put the football on the ground four different times - and recovered every one of them. Instead of potentially game-changing takeaways for Toronto, the Lions kept possession each time and escaped without paying for their mistakes.

On offence, Arbuckle acquitted himself very well in Kelly's absence, completing 27 of 33 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Dave Ungerer III had a huge afternoon with 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown, and Toronto moved the ball well enough to have an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds.

Unfortunately, the turnovers mattered. Arbuckle was careless with one throw that was intercepted, while his second pick came on one of the strangest plays you'll see - a tipped ball that Arbuckle tried to knock down, only for it to land in the hands of a BC defender lying on the turf.

And yet, despite all of it, Toronto still had a chance.

Trailing by seven, Arbuckle marched the Argos down the field in the final minutes and got them to the BC one-yard line. But on third down, Toronto couldn't punch it in.

One yard.

Ben and JB break down the defence, Arbuckle's performance, the turnovers, some rotten luck and that final sequence on the latest Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

Two of the hottest teams in the CFL collide at BMO Field.

With JB away, 3DownNation's JC Abbott joins Ben Grant as the BC Lions, winners of seven of their last eight, come to Toronto to face an Argonauts team that has quietly won seven of its last nine. And there's another trend working in Toronto's favour: BC has won just once in Toronto over the last decade. Is there anything behind the Lions' struggles when they make the trip east?

The show starts with the biggest concern of the week: Chad Kelly's throwing hand. Kelly finished last week's dramatic win in Winnipeg, but sat out Tuesday's practice with a hand injury. Ben and JC look at a couple of plays where the injury may have occurred and discuss what we know about his status heading into Saturday.

Then there's the CFL's secret trade deadline - or at least that's what it felt like. The deadline came and went with remarkably little fanfare, so what did the Argos do, what didn't they do, and was there an area of the roster Toronto should have tried to address before the playoffs?

There are a couple of intriguing additions to discuss as well. Former Oregon and Missouri defensive tackle Kristian Williams joins the Argos after spending time with the Denver Broncos. Ben went back to Williams' college film and found a potential CFL nose tackle. And a familiar face is back in Double Blue, with Ali Fayad returning to Toronto.

Then Ben sits down with Dr. David Greenberg, Head General Practitioner for the Toronto Argonauts, for a special conversation about sleep, travel and athletic performance. The Lions will cross three time zones for a 3 p.m. ET kickoff - noon according to their West Coast body clocks. How much can that actually matter? Dr. Greenberg explains what happens when athletes travel across time zones, how teams can prepare, and what all of us can learn about sleep and recovery.

Plus, we've got Pick Six, the Injury Report, OCDC, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and Challenge Flag!

It's BC and Toronto, two of the hottest teams in the CFL, and we've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

How on earth did the Argos win this game?

Ben Grant goes solo with JB away for a Postgame Reaction to one of Toronto's strangest victories of the season - a 30-28 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a night when the Argos spent much of the first half looking completely out of sorts before finding big plays everywhere they needed them.

Toronto fell behind 21-7 and, offensively, was going nowhere. At halftime the Argos had run just 14 offensive plays, produced only 100 yards of offence and six rushing yards, and possessed the football for a remarkable 8:21. The reason they were even within a touchdown? Janarion Grant's 128-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown.

Then the game changed.

Chad Kelly and the offence finally found some explosives. Tyler Kahmann hauled in a 56-yard touchdown, and then Damonte Coxie blew the game open with an 84-yard touchdown reception. Coxie finished with 149 yards receiving as Kelly rebounded from a difficult start to throw for 290 yards and two touchdowns.

The defence found another gear as well. After Winnipeg controlled the first half, Toronto began creating pressure and turnovers, finishing with four sacks and two interceptions. But even then, the Bombers weren't done. A 76-yard QB sneak by Bryce Perkins put Winnipeg back in front 28-27 with just over six minutes remaining.

Which set the stage for one more bit of chaos.

With Toronto needing something from its return game, Grant fielded the ball and pulled off a Music City Miracle-style lateral pass to Dave Ungerer III, giving the Argos the field position they needed for one final drive. From there, Lirim Hajrullahu did what he's been doing since returning from injury: delivered. His late field goal put Toronto ahead, and James Ceasar's interception on Winnipeg's final possession slammed the door.

It was a night when special teams didn't just contribute, they were absolutely central to the victory. Grant scored one touchdown and helped manufacture the field position for the winning points, while Hajrullahu was clutch.

The Argos didn't run the ball particularly well, but it was better than last week. They lost the time-of-possession battle again. They were outgained on the ground 232-62. And for a good portion of the night, Winnipeg looked like the better football team.

But Toronto found explosive plays on offence, takeaways and sacks on defence, and game-changing moments on special teams.

Argos 30, Bombers 28.

Ben breaks down a wild one from Winnipeg, solo, on the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

JB is away this week, so 3DownNation's John Hodge returns to the co-host chair for the first time since 2024 as the Toronto Argonauts head to Winnipeg for a Friday night matchup with the Blue Bombers.

There's some breaking news to discuss, with signs of actual movement toward CFL expansion in Quebec City.

Then it's on to the Argos, beginning with the loss of Tarvarus McFadden. The defensive back has been placed on the six-game injured list with only four games remaining in the regular season after injuring his hand while making the game-clinching interception against Edmonton. Ben and John discuss McFadden's remarkable road from being released by Toronto, then Ottawa, to becoming a Grey Cup champion and key part of this Argos secondary - and, most importantly, who can possibly replace him.

Toronto has also added an intriguing potential replacement in Nic Toomer, a long, athletic defensive back with experience throughout the secondary and some striking physical similarities to McFadden.

Then comes a bigger football question: Do you actually need a running game to win in the CFL?

Toronto somehow won last week despite finishing with minus-one rushing yard, which John notes is a record for a Canadian CFL team. But the issue goes beyond the rushing total. The Argos possessed the football for only 21 minutes, leaving their defence on the field far too long. Ben and John debate whether Toronto can simply lean into being an elite passing offence or whether developing a credible ground game is essential before the playoffs arrive.

There's also the latest on Chad Kelly's contract situation. Kelly and his agent have reportedly shut down extension talks for the remainder of the season. Is that actually something Argos fans should be concerned about, or simply business that can wait until the games are over?

In Pick Six, which potential West Division crossover opponent Toronto should fear most. The Argos have shown they can beat anybody, particularly at home, but Edmonton, Saskatchewan and BC present an uncomfortable common problem - Toronto hasn't consistently demonstrated that it can run the football against those kinds of fronts.

Then it's on to Winnipeg. Toronto has already secured second place in the East, so this game carries considerably more urgency for the Blue Bombers.

Plus, OCDC, the Injury Report, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and John takes over Challenge Flag.

It's Argos-Bombers, Hodge is back in the co-host chair, and we've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

The Argos have clinched a home playoff game, but they certainly didn't make it easy on themselves.

Ben Grant goes solo for this edition of the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction after Toronto held on for a 24-19 win over the Edmonton Elks, guaranteeing postseason football at BMO Field with four games still remaining in the regular season.

For a half, the Argos threw the football all over the field. Chad Kelly piled up yards through the air, but Toronto was almost completely one-dimensional, managing just one rushing yard on three attempts. After halftime, even the passing attack disappeared as the offence was held scoreless in the second half.

Fortunately, the defence was ready to carry them.

Ralph Holley's 55-yard scoop-and-score provided the only Toronto points of the second half and ultimately gave the Argos just enough of a cushion. But Edmonton kept coming, and in the final minute the Elks drove all the way to the Toronto 17 with a chance to steal the game.

That's when Tarvarus McFadden ended it, intercepting Cody Fajardo in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

It wasn't pretty. The offence vanished for an entire half, Edmonton piled up yards and Toronto was one play away from watching the game slip away. But the defence made plays with the game on the line.

Argos 24, Elks 19. A home playoff game is officially coming to BMO Field.

Ben breaks it all down, solo, and may even go on a bit of a rant on the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.