Ferguson: Dissecting the deep ball

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In the final three game slate of 2022 we were without Zach Collaros as the bye week denied the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ quarterback a chance to quickly answer for Winnipeg’s Week 15 loss in Hamilton.

Saskatchewan’s Cody Fajardo and Edmonton’s Taylor Cornelius also had the weekend off after their head-to-head battle in Week 15, meaning that all four East Division teams were in action for Week 16. We also saw the Calgary Stampeders making a statement with a big road victory.

The playoff picture is starting become more clear each week, so let’s take a look at the passing performances of note from the week that was.

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Trevor Harris, Montreal Alouettes

For the second time in a month Hamilton entered Montreal looking to gain ground in the East Division standings, and for the second time Trevor Harris and the Montreal Alouettes found a way to escape with a narrow victory.

Harris worked his usual areas of the field in an offence that I’m hoping begins to open up with some more variety as the playoffs near. The predictability of high efficiency throws is king, but the emergence of receiver Kaion Julien-Grant this week was a bright spot for the Als offence.

The outburst from the former St.FX graduate could be something to watch for all of the CFL fantasy fans out there as Julien-Grant and Harris are clearly seeing the game the same way.

Dane Evans, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Dane Evans said he believed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were headed to win the game before rookie receiver Kiondre Smith fumbled the ball late in the fourth quarter, and I believe him.

With a couple of nice chunk plays to Steven Dunbar Jr. the offence was moving and Dane’s throwing arm was clearly happy in this game. His deepest completion of the day was a 38-yard throw down the right sideline, that travelled 30 yards in the air. It was also an absolute dime that couldn’t have been thrown any better.

For Hamilton to hold off any crossover discussion Evans will need to replicate throws like that on a more consistent basis, or we could be headed to a Saskatchewan-Montreal Eastern Semi-Final in my estimation.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Toronto Argonauts

Let’s be honest, the defence was going to win this game for the Toronto Argonauts as long as McLeod Bethel-Thompson didn’t implode. However, his steady leadership and intermediate accuracy was exactly what the Argos ordered as they earned their second win in the nation’s capital over the last three weeks.

Nick Arbuckle, Ottawa REDBLACKS

I’m not sure I’ve seen a quarterback start, get pulled, and have to go back in a game more in a single season than Nick Arbuckle has in 2022. It happened in Edmonton and it happened again in Week 16 as the REDBLACKS lead-man continues to struggle when playing at home.

He threw a pair of interceptions against Toronto, the first coming on a fake-toss play-action attempt, which would become the tone setter for a long day in the nation’s capital.

Caleb Evans, Ottawa REDBLACKS

Head coach Paul LaPolice was put in a tough spot in Saturday’s game. After confusing clock management at the end of the first half and indecision by Arbuckle, he gave Caleb Evans a chance to provide a spark for Ottawa in the second half.

Evans tried to replicate the same performance which saw him earn the REDBLACKS a road victory in Toronto earlier this season. However, it just wasn’t meant to be as the Argos defence intercepted three of Evans’ 10 attempts.

The REDBLACKS’ passer situation suddenly looks as dire as any point this year. The big question now becomes, when is Masoli ready? And is it worth bringing him back this year?

Jake Maier, Calgary Stampeders

Following the Week 16,, Calgary made a strong statement about their future by extending the contract of quarterback, Jake Maier. The extension will keep Maier in Calgary through the 2024 season.

With Maier a the helm, the new-look Calgary offence has become built on a foundation of precision, pre-snap calculations and high efficiency throws. All that green you see under ten air yards and the number of check downs between the newly squeezed hashes? Those are here to stay as long as Maier has the controls.

Antonio Pipkin, BC Lions

Handling short yardage responsibilities for most of the game, Antonio Pipkin was thrown in during garbage-time and completed a couple deep-shots down the right sideline. Despite a few long plays and a touchdown, with his limited reps Pipkin didn’t make a compelling case to challenge Adams Jr. for the starting role anytime soon.

Vernon Adams Jr., BC Lions

Vernon Adams Jr. continues to acclimate himself to the BC offence, and I have to admit he continues to throw one of, if not the prettiest of deep balls in the league, despite the ineffectiveness of it since joining the BC Lions.

He was extremely left side dominant in this game, which is usually a concerning trend for right hand passers in my studies. It typically reveals a lack of comfort and getting off of the front side of a route combination quickly in hopes of finding a better answer when it might now exist. It’s all a process in BC right now.

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