You knew it was going to catch up to them but you just didnt know when. Im relating the reality of the slow starts in games by the Toronto Argonauts and how it had to stop as you cant always depend on fourth quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. The Argos have had an excellent year. At 9-4, they control the East and, unless they implode, should have the East Final at home. Thats a major advantage but they need Ricky Ray back. Zack Collaros has been entertaining and exciting and has established himself as a player in this league. But he is not Ricky Ray. Henry Burris completed his first seven passes and created an early lead. As important as it is to have come-from-behind skills, it is just as important to have create-a-lead skills and Ray has both. Getting a team ready to play is a process and takes a week. Why the Argos dont begin games better is a mystery but I do know what it takes: perfect preparation, emotional intensity and the combination of the two creates a unique and genuine level of focus. But the key factor is it has to be everybody; not just the starters but all 42 that dress for the game. In some ways, when the ball is kicked off, the vast majority of the work for coaches is over. But for the player, the important part has begun; seeing if your preparation and emotional intensity which creates your focus is there. This is by no means heavy psychological stuff, quite the opposite. It is easy to master if youre aware and make the effort over and over again. The Argos are a very good team that can be great if they would start games fast and hard and finish the same way. In Saskatchewan, it is a brand new season. The 31-17 win over the B.C. Lions breaks a four-game losing cycle and makes those four games complete history. And what is even more important is that it puts the Riders in second place and re-energizes the fact they still can host the 101st Grey Cup at home come November 24th. Im not sure about the trade. Patrick Neufeld is going to have a long career in CFL football but Alex Hall could be gone by next season. I know in other sports you "rent a player" for a block of time and it works but I am not sure it works in football. One is Canadian, one is American. There are countless football players of quality in the United States. In Canada, sometimes I think I can count them. I realize offensive line depth is a strength for Saskatchewan but Im still not sure who will win this deal as time moves on. The last two games on Saturday were painful to watch. Montreal took apart the Eskimos and Calgary did the same to the Blue Bombers. On the positive side, Mike Reilly played, survived and will play again. Im happy about that because the Montreal defence is intimidating. To me, Kyries Herbert and Chip Cox are the best two defensive players on the field at the same time on any team. You add Shea Emry and an excellent player in Mike Edem and the Alouettes can steal playoff games because of the hitting ability on that side of the field alone. The Calgary Stampeder are a complete team. In just about ever aspect of football, Calgary is as good or better than any team. One of their least recognized performers is kicker Rene Paredes. He has made almost every field goal that you can make and by doing so, either wins the close games or keeps the games close. You cant underrate his value. Lets be honest, with four games left in the regular season, Winnipeg and Edmonton are building for 2014. I realize it is not over until its over mathematically but the lack of energy expressed by both teams on Saturday was distressing. Not all players but for some, it came accross as a practice game, not a regular season battle. With four games left, teams are looking to host at least one game at home in the playoffs. During the regular season, home field is not as big an advantage as you might think. It is an advantage, but in an eight-team league, its not always a game-changer. In the playoffs? Oh yes! In the West, first place is no guarantee but the energy of playing at home in the Semi-Final, Final or Grey Cup Game is a feeling you never forget. The next four games mean everything to give yourself the best possible chance to win it all. China Jerseys Stitched . -- Jay Haas and Peter Jacobsen took the second-round lead Saturday in the Champions Tours Legends of Golf, teaming for a 6-under 48 in windy conditions on the par-3 Top of the Rock course. China Jerseys Cheap . 4 jersey of former defenseman Rob Blake this coming season. The ceremony will take place prior to the Kings January 17 game against Anaheim. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/. The veteran fighter will be squaring off with Henderson in a five-round lightweight bout as part of another network televised card at the United Center on Saturday night. China Jerseys Wholesale . General manager David Poile called signing Ribeiro a great opportunity to add a talented, experienced and creative centre Tuesday when he introduced the veteran at a news conference. Ribeiros contract is worth $1.05 million after being bought out of the final three years of a $22 million contract by the Coyotes recently. Cheap Jerseys From China .ca. In addition to the game being aired in its entirety on CTV Two Vancouver Island and TSN.ca, TSN2 will also have coverage of Whitecaps FC immediately following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Toyota Owners 400.MONTREAL - The Alouettes could be pushed past their breaking point if Montreal ends up on the wrong side of another lopsided loss. Montreal lost to the BC on July 19 and the Toronto Argonauts last week by a combined score of 72-10 — their lowest two-game point tally in almost three decades — and will have a hard time against the high-scoring Edmonton Eskimos on Friday. Catch the game on TSN starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. "Theres always a breaking point," said head coach Tom Higgins, whose Alouettes have lost three games in a row and have not scored a touchdown in their last two. "Right now, — and Im not threatening anybody — we havent gotten to the breaking point, but it could be Friday. And I dont want it to be Friday. I would like for it to be smooth sailing, but there are still things that have to be tweaked here and there." Higgins said it wasnt time to sit quarterback Troy Smith, whos started all five games this season for Montreal (1-4), but the Alouettes coach wants his QB to start coming out of the gate firing. That hasnt happened much this season. Montreal has trailed at the half four times this year, has scored a league-low six touchdowns, and Smith has the worst pass rating amongst starting quarterbacks. Against the Lions, the 30-year-old Smith threw a measly 45 passing yards in three quarters of play before he was taken out in the fourth. B.C. took an early lead and never looked back, pounding Montreal 41-5. Against Toronto, the Als conceded four consecutive touchdowns en route to a 31-5 loss. But Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly, who has yet to beat Montreal in two career starts, doesnt think hell pick apart the Als defence when Edmonton (4-1) rolls into town on Friday. "I dont look at how many points theyve given up; I look at their personnel," said Reilly, who will make his 26th career start on Friday. "Theyre a very good defence. They have a lot of good athletes out there. We really have to be on our A game to go in and play against these guys. "The way their season has gone so far, you know theyre that much hungrier for a win. Theyre a dangerous football team to play against. Its going to be a hard-fought football game." The numbers, however, tilt heavily in Reillys favour. The Eskimos are unbeaten on the road so far this season (2-0), and theyre playing some of their best defence in years. Chris Joness men have given up the fewest yards in the Canadian Football League, have given up the fewest first downs, and have the leagues best pass defence. Edmonton has only allowed 84 points in five games this season — what the Alouettes have given up in theirr last nine quarters.dddddddddddd. "Dont think for a moment its a rollover game, that Edmonton will just come in here and take two points from us," said Higgins. "Id be very disappointed if the team had that kind of mindset. They dont." Off the field, Montreal has been doing what it can to shake things up. On Monday, the Alouettes added former NFL and CFL quarterback Jeff Garcia to their coaching staff. A week earlier, the Als brought on their former coach and CFL Hall of Famer Don Matthews as a consultant. But the additions behind the bench wont intimidate Reilly and the Eskimos offence. Edmonton is second in the league with nine passing TDs, and second with 35 rushing first downs. Wide receiver Adarius Bowman leads the league with 359 receiving yards. "Everybody on our offence can play," said Reilly. "Were not building around a single guy, a superstar. We go and execute based on what the defence is doing. Other guys in our offence have stepped up. We go into every game expecting to win, and knowing that we should win." The Eskimos also make a point of holding onto the ball for long drives, ensuring their opponents defence stays on the field. The team keeps possession of the ball, on average, for a league-best 32 minutes per game. Montreal, on the other hand, is dead last in that category. "Theyre going to pin their ears back," said Higgins, conjuring the image of an attack dog, ready to pounce. "Edmontons coming in and theyre licking their chops. Theyre thinking: Good, this is what were going to do. Were going to shut them out, and were going to score 50 points. And its our job to not let us be shutout, and not let them score 50 points." Over the last two games, Montreal has converted just 22 of 59 pass plays, and has not visited the red zone in its last 37 possessions. "You have to show up on game day with an understanding of what youre going to execute: be nasty, be tenacious, be a dog," said Smith. "Understand that were in a slump. We dont want to be here, so something has to change. Become a different player, so to speak, mentally, and hopefully you get a different outcome." Notes: Als slotback S.J. Green (ribs) and offensive tackle Josh Bourke (knee) will be game-time decisions on Friday. … In 1985, the Alouettes scored a total eight points in two consecutive matches. … Montreal has yet to win a game when trailing after the first quarter. … The West has won 13 of 15 inter-divisional matches this season. … The Eskimos are coming off their only loss of the season, after falling 26-22 to the Calgary Stampeders. ' ' '