Toronto Argonauts: Storylines to watch in Week 9 vs. Stampeders

For the first time this season, the Toronto Argonauts travel to Western Canada and will be looking to find an offensive spark.

In their victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, it was the defence that set the stage as the offence once again struggled to get going.

The Calgary Stampeders have been struggling a bit, with just one victory in a four-game stretch, but this team has certainly been competitive during that time.

Regardless of Toronto's struggles, this could be the type of matchup the team needs as a reset.

Here are some storylines to watch for Sunday's game at McMahon Stadium.

The Argonauts surprised some by signing Ka'Deem Carey in free agency when the Stampeders let him walk.

It has been a seamless fit between Toronto and Carey as the 31-year-old sits second among CFL running backs with 491 rushing yards and has four touchdowns (3 rushing, 1 receiving).

A return to a team that lets you go in free agency is always a great storyline, but you can bet Carey wants to keep a business approach to this game.

"This is a big game for us," Carey said after practice this week. "Going back, there is going to be a lot of comfort there with the field, the locker area. I'm just going to use that as an advantage. I'm going to use that as momentum."

This has been the strength of the Argonauts' offence, as the team always aims to rush for at least 100 yards per game.

What should make this a matchup to salivate for Toronto is the fact that Calgary is allowing a league-high 6.2 yards per rush attempt.

It's clear the value Wynton McManis brings to the Argonauts defence, not just what he brings on the field with his production and game-changing ability but the leadership and stability is something that doesn't get accounted for.

We're about to find out just how good this Toronto defence is with McManis sidelined with a groin injury. He was placed on the six-game list, but whether he stays the entire time remains to be seen.

Taking his place in the middle of the defence is Jonathan Jones who has been asked to come in for McManis before.

"I think the first thing is just everybody doing their job, doing what the defence calls them to do," Jones said when asked about how the team plans to replace McManis. "Then secondly, just stepping up and fulfilling the role and playing the best that you can play. Wynton is an exceptional player, but we have more exceptional players on this defence."

Despite the injury, McManis still has a presence on the sidelines and has been communicating with his teammates throughout practice. Having the ability to pick his brain in situations is a valuable aspect that Jones thinks shouldn't be overlooked.

"Wynton is like a brother to me," Jones said. "I'll be able to sit back and just say, 'Hey, I've seen this. How would you react in this situation?'"

While they are missing McManis, the defence will get a boost with Folarin Orimolade returning from the six-game injured list.

"It's been working fine even without Flo but he's a disruptive defensive lineman," Dinwiddie said. "He bends that edge pretty good, pretty smart in his assignments. I told Flo this week I need him to have that energy. He's got take on a bigger role as far as leadership."

A lot of attention will be paid to the Argos offence going into this game, as the Argonauts quarterback position has been a highly debated situation the past few weeks.

Cameron Dukes will once again make the start against Calgary but expect Nick Arbuckle to keep his helmet handy.

“We’ll probably use both,” Dinwiddie told the Canadian Press. “I listed Cam as the starter, but Nick’s doing some good things. He knows the system. He’s a little more developed as far as understanding the CFL game and what we’re trying to do. He’s got that edge, but Cam’s got some edge, too. He’s athletic and he’s only in Year 2."

So, what needs to change to get things going offensively for this team?

"We just have to get going and build some confidence. I think we'll execute better," Dinwiddie said after practice this week. "But we're making too many mistakes right now, and we're not good enough to have that many mistakes."

Dukes has shown that he can be a productive quarterback in the league, but he seems to second-guess his decisions and hold onto the ball too long.

At the same time, the Argos are looking to help their quarterbacks by making the simple plays that they should be making.

"It's just the small details that we just really need to lock in," Carey said on what has been missing with this offence. "If it comes from me being more of a leader, demanding and trying to push us on the details because it'll start to translate into the game."