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Shane Ray gained a Tremendous Bowl ring on a defence that includes Von Miller.
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The 2 stay shut and Ray reached out to Miller when the sack specialist signed with the Buffalo Payments after incomes his second championship with the L.A. Rams final season.
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Ray, in the meantime, has taken his recreation on the defensive position of the Argonauts to a degree that gamers of Miller’s ilk would respect by being a presence off the sting and attacking the backfield.
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Ray enters this Saturday’s matinee in Ottawa having posted back-to-back video games of recording a sack, an indication that he has lastly discovered his footing within the CFL.
When he joined the Argos final season, Ray was a revelation throughout coaching camp, however he bought harm within the first quarter of his first recreation,
Accidents lower brief his NFL profession they usually adopted him via the 2021 schedule. He didn’t document his first sack in Double Blue till the East ultimate loss to the Tiger-Cats.
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At 6-foot-3 and 255 kilos, Ray, when wholesome, is an explosive participant who is hard to dam. And he’s lastly been capable of play harm free — a relative time period in soccer right now of the season when most, if not all, gamers are coping with some form of ailment.
“He’s wholesome,’’ stated head coach Ryan Dinwiddie of Ray. “He’s beginning to hit his stride.”
Each the coach and participant insist there’s one other degree that may, and might be reached, which may solely assist the Argos defence.
In profitable two video games in a row, the Argos feasted on a quarterback-poor Ticats workforce.
The Redblacks have additionally gained two in succession and determine to supply the Argos with a much bigger problem.
Ray’s objective is to dominate the sting on each snap. He’s greater than able to having that form of presence, the sort Miller had when he was named MVP of Tremendous Bowl 50 in 2016, when the Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10.
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Sooner or later this NFL season, Ray — a first-round decide of the Broncos in 2015 — is hoping to move to Orchard Park, N.Y., and watch Miller line up for the Payments.
He’s additionally attempting to rearrange a reunion with one other Broncos defender, DeMarcus Ware.
Ray can also be seeking to have Miller and Ware attend an Argos dwelling recreation.
For now, although, his focus is on Ottawa and sustaining his present degree of efficiency.
“After I’m wholesome, I’m top-of-the-line there may be, no query,’’ stated Ray. “However that’s simply a part of the sport. Soccer is a troublesome recreation. You face loads of accidents.”
Taking higher care of his physique was one among Ray’s low season objectives and he realizes he can solely get higher.
“I’m feeling pretty much as good as I have to really feel,’’ stated Ray. “You must benefit from this (assembly) as a result of it’s one other divisional recreation and we want this recreation.”
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The Redblacks upset the Argos in late July at BMO Area — their first win of the season with Caleb Evans as their beginning quarterback.
Saturday’s starter might be Nick Arbuckle, Ray’s teammate final season till the Argos traded the QB to Edmonton halfway via the season.
“Numerous respect to Nick,’’ stated Ray. “The man works tremendous, tremendous arduous. He’s one of many first guys in (when reporting for work), one of many final guys out.”
Ray believes the Redblacks are a greater passing workforce with Arbuckle on the helm.
“He’s taking part in at a extremely excessive degree,’’ added Ray.
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Like Ray, cornerback Jamal Peters joined the Argos final season.
In contrast to Ray, Peters by no means bought an actual shot at taking part in within the NFL following a knee harm.
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And like Ray, Peters is taking part in at excessive degree, knocking down 5 interceptions — together with a pick-six — in his previous two video games alone.
“That’s Aqib Talib,’’ stated Ray of Peters, evaluating him to the star shut-down nook on Denver’s Tremendous Bowl defence.
“That’s an honour,’’ stated Peters when instructed of the Talib comparability. “Being constant is the important thing, however there’s extra to be finished. I can get higher.”
The sport has slowed down for Peters, who says his confidence is at a excessive degree.
“I’m in that zone proper now and when you get into that zone, there’s actually nothing you may’t do,’’ he stated. “I simply need to maintain working as a result of there’s nonetheless loads of work that must be finished.”
When a participant similar to Ray is attending to the quarterback and a participant within the again finish similar to Peters is producing picks, good issues are inclined to occur on defence.
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“He’s a wholesome Shane Ray,’’ stated Peters. “Unbelievable. He can’t be stopped. The work ethic he has, his get-off, the facility he has, the title speaks for itself.”
The participant Peters should neutralize in Ottawa on Saturday is Redblacks wideout Jaelon Acklin, who leads the CFL in receiving yards.
“He’s a superb receiver,’’ stated Peters. “There’s nothing that must be stated aside from he’s an excellent receiver. If we play our recreation, the whole lot else will communicate for itself.”
The Peters-Acklin matchup looms giant.
“I take pleasure in going up towards the highest guys,’’ stated Peters.
Acklin had 144 receiving yards and hauled in a landing on July 31 when the groups first met and is coming off a 159-yard recreation final week when Ottawa beat the Als in Montreal.
JUSTIN TIME
Beginning centre Justin Lawrence (knee) was restricted in apply Thursday and formally listed as questionable for Saturday’s huge recreation.
He’s anticipated to play.
Veteran Philip Blake dealt with the duties at centre on Thursday.
