All eyes are on quarterback Nick Arbuckle when the Toronto Argonauts face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers within the 111th Gray Cup at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver on Sunday.
Arbuckle is unexpectedly underneath middle on the CFL’s grandest stage after the league’s 2023 Most Excellent Participant Chad Kelly sustained fractures to the fibula and tibia within the Argonauts’ 30-28 victory over the Montreal Alouettes within the East Division remaining.
Arbuckle made one begin within the common season, faring nicely in basically a meaningless sport for Toronto (10-8). The 31-year-old accomplished 23 of 32 passes for 378 yards with two touchdowns in a 31-30 loss to the Edmonton Elks on Oct. 25.
Arbuckle’s scenario is a bit too acquainted to Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, who again in 2007 discovered himself beginning within the Gray Cup for Winnipeg after fellow quarterback Kevin Glenn sustained a damaged arm within the East remaining. Dinwiddie threw three interceptions and the Blue Bombers dropped a 23-19 resolution to the Saskatchewan Roughriders within the finale.
“I belief Nick, I imagine in Nick,” Dinwiddie stated. “We did not change our sport plan when he went in, we have been aggressive. Happily, Nick’s performed in large video games, in contrast to myself as that was my first time beginning. I simply instructed him I will give him an advantageous alternative to achieve success in comparison with what our coaches requested us to do in 2007.”
Arbuckle can lean on working again Ka’Deem Carey (third within the CFL with 1,060 dashing yards) as Toronto tries to defeat Winnipeg (11-7) for the third time this season. The Argonauts posted a 16-14 win in additional time over the Blue Bombers on July 27 in Toronto and 14-11 on Oct. 11 in Winnipeg.
The Blue Bombers additionally fell to Toronto within the 2022 Gray Cup.
Winnipeg superior to a fifth consecutive title sport, claiming a 38-22 victory over Saskatchewan within the West Division remaining.
Zach Collaros, the 2021 and 2022 CFL Most Excellent Participant, threw for 301 yards and 4 touchdowns, with trusted goal Kenny Lawler recording 177 receiving yards and three scores.
Lawler’s return from an eight-game absence after a season-opening harm has fueled Winnipeg, which has gained eight in a row.
Collaros wasn’t enthusiastic about any win streaks or harm information associated to Kelly — or his personal group — for that matter.
“These issues do not matter,” he stated. “All that issues to us is our preparation. I do know we’ve not scored a ton of factors towards this protection. So we have our work reduce out for us.”
–Discipline Stage Media
