Saskatchewan-Toronto Thanksgiving clash showcases two teams mid-turnaround

In many ways, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts are the least similar of CFL teams, which makes their clash in the late game (4 p.m. Eastern, TSN/ESPN3) of Monday's Thanksgiving doubleheader an intriguing one. From a strictly on-field perspective, these are starkly different teams; the Riders have effectively run the ball with rookie star Kory Sheets and stopped other teams' ground-based attacks, while the Argonauts have opted for a more passing-focused offence and defence on the year, but have had to revise their offensive strategy following Ricky Ray's injury and the insertion of backup Jarious Jackson. From an off-field perspective, the differences become even more notable; Saskatchewan's many passionate fans (explored in the TSN documentary The 13th Man, which will be aired following this game) have made the Roughriders arguably the economic engine of the CFL, while the Argonauts' attendance was the lowest in the league last year and looks likely to pick up that dubious distinction again in 2012 (although it has improved year-over-year so far). However, these teams do have one thing in common; they're both in the middle of remarkable turnarounds this year.

The Argonauts were widely expected to bounce back from their 6-12 2011 campaign, especially following their offseason acquisitions of quarterback Ricky Ray, head coach Scott Milanovich and defensive coordinator Chris Jones. With the 100th Grey Cup held in Toronto this fall, it was clear the team was gearing up for a quest for the Holy Grail and focusing on trying to win this season. Things haven't exactly gone as smoothly as planned, especially with Ray's injury and the midseason release of Cory Boyd, and the Argos have actually allowed four more points (321) than they've scored this year. Still, they're 7-6 on the season, so they're already ahead of last year in terms of total wins, they're in second place in the East and they're only one game behind division leader Montreal heading into Monday's action. Yes, they haven't been a dominant team, but they're far better than they were in 2011, and they certainly can't be ruled out as a team that might make a playoff run.

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's resurgence has been perhaps a little more surprising. Yes, the Riders showed off promising potential at moments in 2011, but they finished a league-worst 5-13 and faced serious questions about their organizational structure. They made a few nice offseason acquisitions, including star guard Brendon LaBatte, but also lost some big names, including Canadian wide receiver Andy Fantuz (to Hamilton) and Canadian slotback Rob Bagg (to injury). Against predictions, their success this year hasn't been thanks to their passing attack, but rather two key turnarounds in the ground game. Thanks largely to the addition of the unknown Sheets, the Riders have gone from one of the league's worst rushing attacks to one of its best (they had the second-most rushing first downs and the third-most total rushing yards heading into this week), and an impressive defensive effort across the board has helped lift them from a terrible run defence to one of the CFL's best (they were second in rushing yards allowed and rushing first downs allowed before this week's games). However, they're just 2-4 on the road, which doesn't bode well for their chances in Toronto Monday.

Will both of these teams be able to continue their turnarounds? It's not out of the question. Neither really looks like a Grey Cup favourite right now, but they're well inside the playoff picture for the moment, with each sitting at 7-6. Heading into Monday's games, Toronto's in second place in the East while Saskatchewan's in third in the West, but both still have chances to move up in the standings. Plus, anything can happen in the CFL playoffs, especially in a topsy-turvy season such as this. Both teams still have to get there, though, and neither's locked into a playoff spot just yet. A win Monday could go a long ways towards ensuring the resurgence will continue.