2011 Grey Cup Predictions – Team Preview – Toronto Argonauts
Long live Jim Barker. The 2010 Coach of the Year was the single biggest reason for the Toronto Argonauts’ return to relevance last season. Sure, Toronto only went 9-9 and lost seven of its final 11 regular-season games, but the team won seven games in 2008 and 2009 combined.
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2011 Toronto Argonauts CFL Team Preview/Predictions
2010 record: 9-9
ATS: 9-9
Barker changed the team culture and provided the city of Toronto with one of the more charismatic football personalities it had seen in years.
This season, Barker will also wear the general manager’s hat, as the team chose to let Adam Rita walk. Can the Argos continue their ascension in the East Division? Anthony Calvillo will return to Montreal and the Hamilton Ti-Cats look vastly improved but the Als lost some major personnel in the offseason and Toronto did knock Hamilton out of the playoffs last year.
The Argos didn’t lose too much in the offseason. Defensive tackle Eric Taylor left for B.C. and Adriano Belli retired but the rest of the defense remains largely intact. The Argos were a bend-but-don’t-break unit last year, ranking fourth in total D, fourth against the run and sixth against the pass but allowing the fewest points per game in the league.
Offense is where Toronto needs to make the biggest gains. The Argos were last in total offense, last in passing offense and last in points per game a year ago. Can they improve?
It appears the Argos’ ground game is in good hands with Cory Boyd emerging as the bellcow guy last season. Despite missing two games due to a concussion during his rookie campaign, he finished second in the CFL with 1,359 rushing yards. That said, we can’t ignore the two games missed. Boyd took a major pounding even in his first season and concussions are always tricky. The Argos can only hope his body holds up, as he was by most accounts their best player in 2010.
What about Toronto’s passing game? It’s very tough to predict how it will fare in 2011. Cleo Lemon got the starting quarterback reins last season but really struggled, throwing 19 interceptions compared to 15 touchdown passes. [ad-4437448]
The Argos wisely brought in some competition for Lemon this offseason. Steven Jyles, acquired from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, hopes to win the job. He started 10 games for the Bombers last season. He flashed some major ability, throwing for 19 scores versus just seven interceptions and rushing for 452 yards and four scores.
Talent isn’t the problem for Jyles; it’s health. He suffered a season-ending injury to his throwing shoulder last season and reportedly hasn’t really pushed it with hard throws in the offseason. Considering that Lemon also had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his hands, the Argos’ quarterbacking situation looks muddy.
Argonauts 2011 Outlook
Toronto has plenty of talent on its roster and its defense should be decent enough. However, I see 2011 as a season of stunted growth. The offense is a house of cards. Boyd, Lemon and Jyles, two of which will be the offensive centerpieces, are major injury risks. I thus can’t justify picking the Argos over Hamilton or Montreal in the East. Flirting with .500 again and snagging the last playoff berth seems more realistic than a contending season.
Argonauts 2011 Futures
Grey Cup odds: +1200
Eastern Division odds: +700
Argonauts 2011 Predictions
East Division: 3rd
Over/Under Season Wins prediction: UNDER 9.5 wins
One reply on “2011 Toronto Argonauts CFL Team Preview/Predictions”
your comments are pretty much spot on….Argos will finish third…..If Buck Pierce can play a full season in Winnipeg the Argos may fall to 4th…….But Pierce is injury proned and will be lucking to start 8 games…so I think Argos in 3rd is a safe bet.