2006 Toronto Argonauts season explained

Team:Toronto Argonauts
Year:2006
Record:10–8
Division Place:2nd, East
Coach:Michael Clemons[1]
Stadium:Rogers Centre[2]
Playoffs:Lost East Final
Uniform:Image:CFL TOR Jersey 2006.png
Shortnavlink:Argonauts seasons

The 2006 Toronto Argonauts season was the 49th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and 134th season overall. The Argonauts finished the regular season 10–8 and finished in second place in the East Division.

Offseason

The Argos made a splash just before training camp when they lured high-profile RB Ricky Williams to Canada.[3] The team also picked up QB and 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch.[4]

CFL draft

Pick # CFL Team Player PositionCollege
5 DL Calgary
10 DB Western Ontario
14 LB Brigham Young
31 WR Central Florida
39 OL New Mexico
47 RB Harvard
[5]

Preseason

Week Date Opponent Location Final score Attendance Record
AJune 2Tiger-CatsRogers CentreL 31 – 321,4690–1
BJune 9@ Tiger-CatsIvor Wynne StadiumL 21 – 1125,3980–2
[6]

Regular season

Quarterback Damon Allen became professional football's all-time leading passer, moving ahead of Warren Moon on Labour Day in Hamilton. The team, however, was decimated by injuries at almost every position and the Argonauts stumbled out of the gate to a 2–5 record. Mid-season health bred new promise as the team gained the majority of its starters back including Allen and Williams, who both fell to injury early in the year. Upon his return, Williams joined forces with fellow RB John Avery to deliver a late-season one-two punch out of the backfield. Combined with the stellar play of their dominant defence, the Double Blue was able to turn the season around and win 8 of their remaining 11 regular season games to finish in a first-place tie with the Montreal Alouettes. The CFL tie-break rule landed the Argos in second place.

Season schedule

Week Date Opponent Location Final score Attendance Record
1June 17Tiger-CatsRogers CentreW 27 – 1727,6891–0
2June 23@ Blue BombersCanad Inns StadiumL 16 – 926,5241–1
3June 30@ LionsBC Place StadiumL 26 – 1930,5141–2
4July 8Blue BombersRogers CentreL 24 – 1726,3041–3
5Bye
6July 22@ RoughridersMosaic StadiumW 26 – 2324,9672–3
7July 29LionsRogers CentreL 28 – 828,3562–4
8August 3@ AlouettesMolson StadiumL 31 – 720,2022–5
9August 12@ Tiger-CatsIvor Wynne StadiumW 20 – 229,0103–5
10August 19AlouettesRogers CentreW 31 – 630,7864–5
11August 25@ Blue BombersCanad Inns StadiumW 18 – 1525,0145–5
12September 4@ Tiger-CatsIvor Wynne StadiumW 40 – 628,8916–5
13September 9Tiger-CatsRogers CentreW 11 – 926,2127–5
14Bye
15September 23@ StampedersMcMahon StadiumL 39 – 1831,5397–6
16September 30StampedersRogers CentreW 23 – 1632,4108–6
17October 9EskimosRogers CentreW 28 – 2326,8919–6
18October 14@ EskimosCommonwealth StadiumW 28 – 2539,53310–6
19October 20RoughridersRogers CentreL 13 – 930,32310–7
20October 28AlouettesRogers CentreL 24 – 2038,12310–8
[6]

Season standings

[7]

Postseason

The Argos hosted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a thrilling East Semi-Final at Rogers Centre. With the season on the line, QB Michael Bishop and LB Chuck Winters teamed up to lead the Boatmen to one of the greatest come-from-behind victories in recent Argo memory. The Argos fell to Montreal in the East Championship.

Round Date Opponent Location Final score Attendance
East Semi-Final November 5 W 31–27 26,214
East Final November 12 L 33–24 35,607
[6]

Awards and records

Despite their early exit from the playoffs, the Boatmen finished the season with 11 East Division All-Stars and three CFL All-Stars. Kicker/Punter Noel Prefontaine was once again named the East's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and elusive receiver Arland Bruce III finished with a division leading 1,370 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns. A bright star on defence came in the form of CB Byron Parker. The speedy defender re-joined the Boatmen mid-season and made his mark in both the Argos and the CFL record books in only nine regular season contests. By season's end, the Tulane product had accumulated 8 interceptions for a CFL record 348 return yards and 4 touchdowns. Linebacker Mike O'Shea became just the third player, and first Canadian, in CFL history to record 1,000 or more defensive tackles in a career.

CFL All-Stars: Offence

[8]

CFL All-Stars: Defence

CFL All-Stars: Special teams

[8]

CFL Eastern All-Stars: Offence

[8]

CFL Eastern All-Stars: Defence

[8]

CFL Eastern All-Stars: Special teams

[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All-Time Coaching. 2011-05-07. Toronto Argonauts. https://web.archive.org/web/20110422084043/http://argonauts.ca/page/all-time-coaching. 2011-04-22. dead.
  2. Web site: Toronto Argonauts Stadium History. 2011-05-07. Toronto Argonauts. https://web.archive.org/web/20110422083852/http://argonauts.ca/page/stadium-history. 2011-04-22. dead.
  3. News: Argos officially unveil Ricky Williams. 2006-05-29. 2011-05-07. CanWest News Service. https://web.archive.org/web/20121110091851/http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=d4e624c4-e733-4f01-ab5f-e9b5a04be975&k=25902. 2012-11-10. dead.
  4. Web site: Pasquarelli. Len. Crouch signs with Toronto Argonauts of CFL. ESPN. 2006-02-15. 2013-10-16.
  5. Web site: All-Time Draft List . 2011-05-07 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110422090154/http://argonauts.ca/page/all-time-draft-list . 22 April 2011 . dead .
  6. Web site: 2006 Toronto Argonauts. 2010-11-07. Pro Football Archives.
  7. Web site: 2006 Regular Season Standings. 2011-05-07. Canadian Football League. https://web.archive.org/web/20080921002245/http://www.cfl.ca/standings/2006/reg. 2008-09-21. dead.
  8. Book: 2010 Toronto Argonauts Media Guide . 2010 . 2011-05-07 . 168 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110430101919/http://argonauts.ca/uploads/assets/TOR/Media_Guide_2010/MediaGuide2010_PART%202.pdf . 30 April 2011 . dead .