Esks defence out to slow down Harris, Argos

When the top-ranked defence of the Edmonton Eskimos hits the field for Wendy’s Friday Night Football, the unit will be looking to slow the success of breakout star Trevor Harris and the Argonauts' passing attack.

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The Eskimos defence ranks atop the CFL in both total yards and passing yards allowed per game. A week after playing the CFL’s top passing offence in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Eskimos are set to have their hands full once again with the streaking Argos.

In the Ticats’ 49-20 rout of the Eskimos last Friday, Zach Collaros threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, upping his season total to 17 TDs – two back of league leader Harris.

The Toronto quarterback, who is starting in place of the injured Ricky Ray, has dominated the CFL through eight games, and leads the league in passer rating.

Harris’ 2015 campaign began with a three-touchdown torching of the Eskimos defence in Week 1. Playing a “home game” in Fort McMurray, Alta., Harris threw just three incompletions on 27 attempts and racked up 347 yards – the highest passing total allowed by the Eskimos’ defence this season.

Part of the reason the Eskimos average just 226.9 passing yards allowed per game is turnovers. Led by John Ojo, who has a CFL-high four picks, the Esks have intercepted 11 passes through eight games this year. Harris, though, has shown he can protect the ball, throwing just five interceptions all season, and one during the team’s current three-game winning streak.

Stopping Harris’ Weapons

The Argonauts looked as though they could be in receiver trouble when Andre Durie was lost for 2015 before the season even started. The team then was dealt another blow when Chad Owens went down with an ankle injury. However, a trio of first-year CFL wideouts has stepped in to provide a major boost to Harris and the passing attack, calling themselves “The Big Three.”

Vidal Hazelton, Tori Gurley and Kevin Elliott all stand 6-foot-3 or taller, and have been giving defences nightmares with their physical play that has helped fill the void left by the proven stars.

WATCH: The Big Three

Typically, “The Big Three” hold a significant size advantage over cornerbacks, but that advantage will be neutralized by the Eskimo starters. Ojo stands even with Hazelton and Elliot at 6-foot-3, while Patrick Watkins, who starts opposite Ojo, stands one inch taller than Gurley at 6-foot-5.

Ojo and Watkins’ play has keyed the success of the Eskimos defence this season, and the duo will be relied upon again to limit Harris’ options. If Harris is forced to make more reads due to tight coverage, it will allow the Eskimos’ fierce pass rush to reach him. The Eskimos own 27 sacks this season, led by Marcus Howard and his CFL-high six.

The Run Stops Here

While the Argos have received solid production from backups at quarterback and wide receiver, the running game remains a different story.

The Argonauts rank second-last in rushing yards per game with an average of 72.9 – more than five yards less than what the Eskimos average giving up (78.3). Brandon Whitaker sits sixth in the CFL in rushing yards with 317 yards, but the 29-year-old was bottled up for just 20 yards on six carries against the Ottawa Redblacks last week.

The Eskimos will look to have similar success against Whitaker and backup Chad Kackert to force the Argonauts to be one dimensional. Given the success of the Argonauts rushing attack in their past three games, it might not be a difficult task for Edmonton.

Over to You, James

The Eskimos will turn to James Franklin at quarterback on Friday night, seven days after the rookie suffered a lung contusion against the Tiger-Cats.

Franklin came in to last week’s 49-20 loss to replace Matt Nichols facing a 28-6 deficit. As he has in each opportunity this season, Franklin shined – completing 22 of 36 passes for 254 yards. He threw for two touchdowns with one interception.

It’s easy to understand head coach Chris Jones’ decision to give Franklin his first career start. In his three appearances in relief of Nichols this season (due to injury and inefficiency), Franklin has outperformed the veteran.
 

The rookie pivot has a good chance to continue his success against the Argos’ porous pass defence, which ranks seventh in the league. The Argonauts average 284.9 yards allowed through the air, a total that would be a career-high for Franklin in his first start.

Toronto will also have to be concerned with Franklin’s ability to escape the pocket and rack up yards on the ground. Unlike Nichols, who has just 21 rushing yards this season, Franklin is a legitimate threat to break containment move the ball himself. The former Missouri standout burned the Tiger-Cats for 61 yards on four carries last week and could do the same to the Argonauts if he’s not properly accounted for.

Franklin racked up 1,729 rushing yards and 21 rushing scores during his collegiate career, though he ran a disappointing 4.95 40-yard dash time with at his 2013 Pro Day.

Despite their quarterback woes since the injury to starter Mike Reilly, the Eskimos still sit second in CFL’s West Division – two points back of the Calgary Stampeders.

If Franklin can continue to play at the level he has while replacing Nichols in the starting role, the Eskimos should be able to push the Stampeders for the top spot. If Franklin struggles, the Eskimos will have a quarterback controversy on their hands.

Nichols, who unsurprisingly disagreed to Jones’ decision to start Franklin, appears to be ready for that outcome.

“It’s a little frustrating, but at the same time I can only control what I can control,” Nichols told Global News on Monday. “When they ask me to be out on the field I’m gonna give 100 per cent and come in to work each and every week and put in the hours and make sure that I’m continuing to improve each and every week.”

For now, it’s Franklin’s job to lose. His first test comes tonight.