Litmus test awaits first-place Argonauts as they prepare for Saturday night’s date in Calgary

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The Argos haven’t lost a game since Bo Levi Mitchell lost his job as Calgary’s starting quarterback.

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In such a quarterback-driven league, which also applies down south, teams have no shot of posting a win if their signal caller isn’t good.

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Jake Maier officially took over as the franchise quarterback when he entered the game to begin the second half of the Aug. 20 game against the Argos with his team trailing 16-10.

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Calgary won the game 22-19, which was aided by a timely pick six produced by safety Elie Bouka.

Maier ended the game by completing 14 of 18 passes.

For Argos QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, it was the start of a five-game stretch that would see him throw at least one interception in every outing.

When discussing his QB, head coach Ryan Dinwiddie acknowledged the next step in MBT’s evolution is to avoid the errant throw.

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“He’s working to clean things up, but more the most part he’s playing football,’’ said Dinwiddie following Tuesday’s practice.

It is true the Argos have been winning, their latest victory clinching a home playoff date.

Eventually, for the team to be viewed as legitimate Grey Cup contenders it will be incumbent on its quarterback to be clean and make throws he wishes he had back.

Coincidentally, the Argos had two players, MBT and DB Maurice Carnell IV, being named as CFL top performers for Week 16.

The third player named to the weekly honour roll was Maier.

For the first time since Maier entered the game against the Argos, a legitimate quarterback will be on the opposing team.

In back-to-back wins over Hamilton, the Argos feasted on the quarterback-challenged Tabbies.

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In back-to-back wins over Ottawa, the Argos, outside of a late push in the first game, weren’t threatened.

Toronto’s two-game sweep of the Redblacks on their home turf was highlighted by a five-interception night by the defence, including two by Carnell IV.

In other words, Saturday night’s visit to Calgary is shaping up as a measuring stick for the 8-5 Argos, who sit atop the East.

“You have Winnipeg at the top of the class and then you have Calgary,’’ said Dinwiddie. “To be the best you have to beat the best.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge. We understand we’re going to a place where they don’t normally lose. They’ve made the playoffs 17 years in a row. We know what’s at stake.”

PETER PRINCIPLE

During their visit to Calgary, the Argos will reconnect with Peter Nicastro, the team’s talented offensive lineman who continues to recover from off-season knee surgery.

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A Calgary native, Nicastro and his dad made the flight to Vancouver to be with the Argos when Toronto played the Lions back in Week 3.

“He’s getting close,’’ said Dinwiddie of Nicastro, a revelation during his rookie season in 2021. “Hopefully we get him back for the last two weeks (home and home set with Montreal).”

There is the potential of Nicastro suiting up for the Argos, who figures to be deep along the line of scrimmage.

Ryan Hunter, whom the team signed last week, practised Tuesday and will dress in Calgary, according to Dinwiddie.

“He’s picked it up, but he’s not quite there yet,’’ said Dinwiddie of the North Bay, Ont. native who decided to head to Western New York to forge his football path.

A Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, Hunter, who can play guard or centre, has never played three-down football.

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“We want to get him going,’’ added Dinwiddie of Hunter, a former first-round pick of the Argos. “We want to give him as many reps as possible in practice and see where he’s at.”

Given his extensive background in the United States, Hunter will have to adjust to playing one yard off the line.

As a unit, Dinwiddie believes his linemen had one of their better games of the season in Ottawa.

“We got the run game going,’’ said Dinwiddie of a unit that starts four Canadians. “Our second down run game was the best since Andrew (Harris) went off against Winnipeg.

“And for the most part, I thought they did a solid job in handling their (Redblacks) front seven. It was one of our better performances.”

CARNELL COMES OF AGE

In back-to-back away games against the Redblacks, Carnell IV recorded three interceptions.

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Dinwiddie saw the kid make plays in training camp and admits Carnell IV was projected to start at boundary halfback as veteran Shaq Richardson continued to recover from an off-season procedure.

Carnell IV got hurt in camp and only recently returned.

“He just finds the ball,’’ said Dinwiddie of the rookie DB. “He has great cover skills.”

Richardson is set to make his return from a groin injury, providing the Argos with depth in the back end and a nice problem to deal with as they manage their roster.

Richardson looked pretty good on Tuesday.

“Maybe we’ll have to shuffle some guys in the back end,’’ said Dinwiddie.

Dinwiddie did say how Jamal Peters was banged up in Ottawa.

CAM IS A GO

Cam Phillips will be back in the starting lineup this week at receiver.

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If you recall, the big, physical and fast wideout hurt his groin in the pre-game warmups in Hamilton last month that landed Phillips on the six game injured list.

According to Dinwiddie, the plan is to rotate receivers such as Phillips, Brandon Banks and Kurleigh Gittens Jr.

Dinwiddie doesn’t want to throw Phillips into the fray on a full-time basis.

“He’ll get enough of a taste,’’ said the head coach.

Dinwiddie doesn’t know how he’ll manage his receivers knowing he’ll have more healthy bodies than roster spots.

“We knew these guys would be coming back at the right time,’’ said Dinwiddie. “It’s not a bad problem to have.”

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