Toronto Argonauts clinch postseason berth, will host home playoff game

After losses by the Hamilton Tiger cats the Toronto Argonauts will will host a playoff game for the first time since 2013.

It is one thing to secure home field advantage in the playoffs, it is another to get some help with it. The Toronto Argonauts will now host their first postseason game at BMO Field thanks to a loss from the Hamilton Tiger Cats on Friday night.

Unfortunately for the Argos, the team did not get help from the Saskatchewan Roughriders as the Ottawa Redblacks came back to win 33-22 on the road.

This puts the Argos one step closer to the Grey Cup but they can make it easier on themselves if they are able to stay ahead of Ottawa. If they clinch first in the East, the team will play in the East final at home for the first time since 2013.

This will could Toronto get some players healed up prior to the start of the playoffs and it gives them some relief with three games left in the season.

The team still looks to remain focused on the task at hand which is try and come away with a win and make improvements in a crucial stretch.

“He does a good job to give us something to focus on and think about everyday,” said quarterback Ricky Ray. “He started to do that a bit last week, he is trying to turn up the urgency reminding us that we do not have a lot of time left together.”

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It will not be an easy task for the Argos as the Edmonton Eskimos snapped their losing streak in dominating fashion against the Montreal Alouettes. The Argos won last month against Edmonton at home but it will be not be a walk in the park.

The team continues to employ that they have not reached their goal as a team in terms of how they was to identify themselves.

This is what Marc Trestman hopes can rally his team together as they only have three games to get themselves ready for a grueling atmosphere that the playoffs will provide.

It will help that Bear Woods, Chris Van Zeyl and Akwhasi Owusu-Ansah will be back in the lineup which provides a major boost both in terms of talent and veteran leadership.

Brandon Whitaker subs in at running back

After Marc Trestman confirmed that James Wilder Jr. would be unable to suit up, there was not much doubt about who would take his place in the lineup.

For weeks Brandon Whitaker has been out of the Argos lineup but still making an impact, coaching his fellow teammates including Wilder Jr. who took his spot in the lineup.

“I just feel like that’s how it’s supposed to go,” he said to Sean Fitz-Gerald of the Athletic. “I’ve got two little boys that I have to set an example for. Adversity comes, sometimes, and it’s a matter of how you deal with it.”

While it might be frustrating for the 32-year to wait for an opportunity he continues to remain in the mindset of the role model especially with the team in a crucial stretch.

“I just want to help us win, that is my ultimate goal,” “Trestman knows that, Popp knows that, whoever they feel needs to back there, needs to be back there.”

That attitude has not gone unnoticed by his head coach who continues to be amazed with the professionalism of Whitaker who Trestman has a long history with.

“His actions really speak for itself. Everybody can see it on the sideline and during the course of the day,’’ said Trestman of the veteran running back.

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“He’s been nothing but a leader, on and off the field. He’ll get a chance to get up again and he’s well rested and ready to go. I’m sure”