Why regular-season finale still means something to Toronto Argonauts players

Clinching a playoff spot and first place in your division has its perks especially when you do it early enough to ensure that the regular season finale isn’t a must-win game.

For the Toronto Argonauts, this allows them to rest some of the important starters and give others a chance for their moment in the spotlight.

Among those players are Daniel Adeboboye and Juwan Brescacin who are expected to earn more reps on offence. It’s an opportunity neither one takes for granted given the work they put in this season.

In his rookie season, Adeboboye put in the work on special teams teaching his body how to adjust to playing 17 games in a season which is something he’s never had to do in his career. Not only was there a physical obstacle to overcome but mental hurdles as well.

“Over time my body has been feeling a little more every single week. Once we hit Week 10, I started thinking: ‘Oh man, I’m starting to enter unchartered territory,’” Adeboboye said after practice this week. “In college, I’m playing no more than 11, 12 games in a season. Once we got past that mark I was starting to take my sleeping and nutrition more seriously.”

The 23-year-old will move up the depth chart along with Javon Leake as they look to showcase what they can provide to the team when they get more reps.

In his sixth CFL season, Brescacin was reminded that any time you get on the field you are adding to your resume. Unfortunately over the last two seasons, the Mississauga, Ont., native hasn’t been able to get on the field as much as he wanted to as he battled through injuries but when he did he made sure to play as hard as possible and find other ways to contribute to the team’s success.

“I’ve been feeling great all year and for me, I’ve been trying to do what I can if it’s not on the field, trying to be a mentor to some of the younger guys,” Brescacin explained when asked about his approach to a roller coaster season for him. “I feel like I’m one of those guys in the locker room, doesn’t what position I play, my teammates come to, they gravitate towards me. I just embrace that role and try to help those guys whether it’s real-life stuff or football stuff.”

While Brescacin has done what he can to support his teammates, no one has supported him like his mother has throughout his career and it’s something he’s never taken for granted.

“My mom's support has meant everything to me, like my whole life. She's somebody that inspired me, who I've played for, and the pride and the joy that I see on her face, I know it means a lot to her,” Brescacin explained. “Being able to represent her and do the things that I'm able to do. It's a blessing.”

With McLeod Bethel-Thompson getting the day off, Chad Kelly will be making his first career CFL start. It’s a moment many fans will be watching closely as they hope Kelly can make good on this audition.

“You obviously have different expectations for yourself,” Kelly told Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun. “You come in each day and work as hard as you can to get better, mentally and physically, just be happy to be in this situation where I can play football.

I’m just excited to go out there and put something on film, throw the ball, hand the ball off and just keep defences on their toes.”

Brescacin is someone who knows exactly what Kelly is capable of and has seen the progress he has made since joining the team catching a lot of his passes in practice.

“I think there's a lot of confidence in himself and he's seeing things better towards the end of the season because he's more comfortable with the game and the style of play,” Brescacin explained “On top of that, a lot of the guys that he'll be playing with on Saturday we've had a lot of opportunities in practice with the scout team to build some chemistry. We're confident in him and his abilities and I know he's confident in himself and his ability. I don't think that we're gonna see a major dropoff.”

In the locker room, Kelly is known simply as Chad although you know some won’t resist to throw out a “Swag Kelly” if he makes a big play in the game.

So while the game isn’t viewed as a meaningful one, the players don’t share that view completely, especially the ones who will get their opportunity to show what they can do.