Stephen Reaves, who did not dress for a Toronto Argonauts game until October, will start Saturday’s season finale against the Montreal Alouettes, according to the Toronto Sun.

The Tampa native saw his first CFL action last week against the Edmonton Eskimos in a 36-10 loss.

Coming in for Kerry Joseph, Reaves went 10-for-16 with 122 yards passing. He threw two interceptions but also completed Toronto’s lone touchdown strike.

“We’re curious,” Argos head coach Andrus said to the Sun on Tuesday. “We thought he showed some things the other night [in relief of Joseph against the Eskimos].

“He’s young, he’s a rookie, he made some mistakes, but he had some promise. It’s a different kind of pressure to start a game rather than coming off the bench.”

His second quarter was sharp, and it was that 15-minute session during which the Argos scored all 10 of their points.

However, Reaves’s second half wasn’t quite as good, throwing for both of his interceptions and ended up being unable to finish the game after taking a big hit while trying to make a tackled following a pick.

Although Montreal has already clinched first place in the East division, they will still prove to be a stiff challenge for the Argos on Saturday.

Since they will have a week off during the semi-finals, scheduled for Nov. 15, the Alouettes will likely want to get a number of their starters in against Toronto to guard against becoming rusty.

“It’s a tough situation team-wise, but I’m excited to get in there and start the game,” Reaves said to the Sun after practice on Tuesday.

“You want to end the year strong because it is the last thing you do. Hopefully it gives me a shot for next year.”

He will become the third quarterback to start a game for Toronto this season, following Joseph and Cody Pickett.

Reaves last started in 2007 with the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in college. He started five games that season, completing 62.9 per cent of his passes for 943 yards.

A more concerning stat of his, as was somewhat indicative in the lone bit of CFL action, was Reaves’s eight interceptions against just three touchdowns.

His best single game in college came on Oct. 21, 2007, as he led his Golden Eagles to a 33-24 victory over Marshall.

In that game, Reaves was 23-for-30 with 310 yards passing and a touchdown.

Last season, Reaves was a coaching intern with the Oakland Raiders.

The hope for the Argonauts is that the interest in strategy and knowledge of the game can help him pick up the CFL version faster than some of his American counterparts have.

Ricky Ray threw for 332 yards and a touchdown in Edmonton’s (8-9) 36-10 victory at Commonwealth Stadium.

Boxscore: Toronto vs. Edmonton

The loss was Toronto’s (3-14) seventh straight and comes just two weeks after the Eskimos knocked the Boatmen out of playoff contention.

Edmonton entered the game tied with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the final playoff spot, and the win kept the Eskimos hopes for a playoff spot alive. 

Fred Stamps, the CFL’s leading receiver. gained 139 yards through the air for Edmonton, while Arkee Whitlock rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown.

For the Argos, Chad Lucas netted 123 receiving yards and a touchdown while quarterbacks Kerry Joseph and rookie Stephen Reaves threw for 117 and 122 yards respectively.

Auditioning for next year

Argos coach Bart Andrus said earlier this week he wanted to give Reaves (Toronto’s third string quarterback) some playing time when the game was still in reach.

With Toronto trailing 17-0, the 24-year-old made his first career appearance three minutes into the second quarter.

Before leaving, Joseph had completed three out of eight passes, but four of those were dropped by receivers.

Reaves looked impressive with nine completions (including a string of six straight) on 13 attempts by halftime.

He threw his first touchdown on the final play of the second quarter, a two-yard throw to Lucas, narrowing the Argos’ deficit to 20-10.

Rookie Mistakes

Just when things were looking good for the Boatmen, Edmonton’s offence took advantage on a pair of rookie mistakes.

Reaves’ first pass coming out of the break was underthrown to receiver P.K. Sam and picked off by T.J. Hill, who returned it 56 yards for a major, making it 27-10 for the Eskimos.

Two minutes later, Reaves was picked off again, this time by former Argo Byron Parker. The pivot was shaken up by a hit from Maurice Lloyd on the return and left the game.

The Argos trailed 30-10 with nine minutes remaining when Joseph threw an interception to Eskimos safety Scott Gordon.

A few plays later, Ray threw a 33-yard completion to Stamps, placing Edmonton on the 16-yard line, but the Eskimos couldn’t score a major and had to settle on a field goal to go up 33-10.

Moreno’s at it again

Andrus and Zeke Moreno were fined Wednesday for “publicly disparaging” league officiating in last week’s 26-17 loss to Hamilton, and Moreno didn’t seem to learn his lesson.

With eight minutes to go in the first half, the linebacker questioned a call that led to a 30-yard catch from Stamps, and the Argos were given a 10-yard penalty for objectional conduct.

On the next play, Ray completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Jason Barnes, putting the Eskimos up 17-0.

The Argos scored on a field goal the next drive, trimming Edmonton’s lead to 17-3.

Edmonton opened the scoring with a field goal from Derek Schiavone, capping off a nine-play drive three minutes into the game.

Schiavone converted all four field goal attempts on the night.

In the closing minute of the first quarter, Edmonton linebacker Tim St. Pierre recovered a fumble off a dropped snap from Joseph and the Eskimos quickly took advantage of the turnover.

Ray threw a 24-yard pass to Kamau Peterson before Whitlock rushed eight yards for a touchdown, giving Edmonton a 10-0 lead.

NOTES: Argos offensive tackle Rob Murphy was ejected from the game with 1:05 to go after arguing with the referee … Former Argo kicker Noel Prefontaine did not play due to an ankle injury.

Andrus and Moreno made their comments in the aftermath of Friday’s 26-17 loss to arch-rival Hamilton.

“I’m just saying the stuff is not consistent, game to game, crew to crew,” Andrus said Friday. “What’s a penalty one week isn’t a penalty the next week. There are times when I don’t know what to tell our guys.”

Toronto had already been eliminated from the playoffs, but was hoping to end the season on a high note.

A particularly contentious offside call nullified a 47-yard interception that Moreno had returned for a touchdown.

“I don’t really like to complain about officiating,” said Moreno on Friday. “But there were so many calls in this game that kind of make me wonder how much effort and time these officials put into scouting and watching film.”

Hamilton had mounted a 20-0 lead by halftime and held off a second-half charge by the Argonauts, who saw their record fall to 3-13.

The Argonauts (3-12) are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention while the Ticats (6-9) are still in the mix, sitting tied for second place with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the East Division.

Several key injuries will give a couple of Argo subs an opportunity to play.

Second-year Argo Mark DeWit will get his first start of the season, after left guard Jeff Keeping injured his shoulder in last week’s 22-19 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos.

“I really want to prove to the whole organization that I’m not just a guy who is going to be a sixth man my whole career,” DeWit told the media after practice on Tuesday.

“I want to compete for a starting job next year in training camp.”

Joining DeWitt in the starting fold is 26-year-old Fonthill, Ont., native Chris Van Zeyl, who is taking the place of injured tackle Brian Ramsay.

Ramsay injured his knee on the same play that knocked Keeping out of the game against the Eskimos.

Van Zeyl came in as a sub, and Argos coach Bart Andrus was highly impressed with the Canadian’s performance.

“He came in and did a great job,” Andus said.  “He was prepared.  He executed very well.”

Andrus moved Van Zeyl from his usual defensive lineman position to offensive tackle.

“It’s not an easy thing to do,” Andrus said of the switch.

“That’s all about being a pro and that certainly showed through for him.”

Making his first career CFL start, Van Zeyl is savouring the chance to show what he can bring to the struggling Toronto franchise.

“It feels great.  I’m excited to get the opportunity,” the McMaster University product told reporters following Monday’s practice.

“It’s unfortunate it’s come in the circumstances that it has, but I’m glad to be in a position where I can step in and actually contribute to the team.”

To help with their recent string of injuries, the Argos also announced the signing of Canadian offensive linemen Scott Evans and Jean-Francois Morin-Roberge on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Ticats are coming off a disheartening 41-38 loss to the hot Motreal Alouettes (13-2) Monday.

A victory over its hated rivals Friday would keep Hamilton in good position to secure second place in the East, along with home-field advantage for the division semifinal.

After dropping nine of their last 10 games and with injuries starting to mount, it would be fitting if the Toronto Argonauts‘ coaching staff decided to try something different on Friday.

The tentative proposal for the game against the Edmonton Eskimos: Start third-string pivot Stephen Reaves ahead of the struggling Kerry Joseph.

If that happens, the opportunity would allow the 24-year-old southpaw to trade in the headset for a helmet and dress in his first CFL game.

“These next few days are going to be pretty important getting ready to go in case I’m needed,” Reaves told the Toronto Star on Wednesday.

Unlike most other clubs, the Boatmen (3-11) have dressed just two quarterbacks (Cody Pickett and Joseph) through the 2009 season. 

The diverse skill set of Reggie McNeal allowed the Argos to take a chance and play McNeal as a receiver while also counting on him to step in at quarterback if need be. 

With McNeal hurt however, and Pickett still recovering from an oblique injury, Toronto’s head coach Bart Andrus has yet another quarterback decision to make this season.

Andrus said he liked Reaves’ accuracy and quick release when he watched him at the free-agent camp in Florida earlier in the year. 

After practice on Wednesday, the coach added “He’s still pretty sharp.”

Joseph himself was confident in his backup’s ability. 

“All through the season he’s prepared like he was going to play even though he hasn’t dressed,” he said.

Despite spending the year on the Argos’ practice roster, Reaves is a true student of the game. 

Last year, the Tampa Bay, Florida, native relocated to Oakland to serve as a coaching intern with the Raiders of the NFL.

This season, Reaves has been close by Andrus’ side, sending in signs from the sidelines to both Pickett and the veteran Joseph.

Back in June in limited pre-season action, Reaves generated 83 yards and completed 60 per cent of his passes in the third quarter of the club’s first exhibition contest versus the Montreal Alouettes.

NOTES: As poorly as the Argonauts have played thus far, the team has performed rather well in recent meetings with Edmonton (6-8), winning five of its last six … Toronto is now close to tying the all-time regular-season series with the Eskimos (37-38-1) … The Argos will be the home team for a regular-season game that will be played in Moncton, New Brunswick next season at the local university’s new track stadium. This will mark the first time the CFL has ever played a regular season game in the Maritimes.

When the Argos travel to Saskatchewan to take on the Roughriders Saturday night (9 p.m. ET), Toronto will need a win to keep pace in the post-season race.

The Argonauts are last in the CFL, sporting a 3-10 record for six points. With just five games remaining in the season, they are four points behind the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the final East playoff berth.

Head coach Bart Andrus will start Kerry Joseph at quarterback for Saturday’s tilt in Regina. Joseph hasn’t started a game since Toronto’s shutout loss to Montreal on Aug. 7.

However, Joseph’s teammates aren’t concerned who is under centre.

“In the last two games, we have had reps with both quarterbacks and they both have good huddle presence,” offensive lineman Jeff Keeping told Argonauts.ca on Thursday.

“We are comfortable with both [quarterbacks] so we don’t really notice a difference”.

Neither Joseph or Cody Pickett have been particularly effective during Toronto’s current three-game winless streak, putting more pressure on the ground game.

Running back Jamal Robertson picked up 77 yards on 15 carries during Toronto’s 27-8 loss to Montreal last Saturday, scoring the team’s lone touchdown. He has also had the bulk of the carries for the Argos in recent games.

Last year’s special teams player of the year, Dominique Dorsey, has been used solely on kick and punt returns. The five-foot-seven running back shared carries with Robertson last season.

An advantage of having Joseph behind centre on Saturday will be his mobility. The 2007 CFL’s Most Outstanding Player runs significantly better than Pickett, possibly opening up the passing game.

Thus far, Joseph has not had any luck with his offensive coordinators. Both Steve Burratto and Andrus have shown a preference to a pocket passing game, a weak point in Joseph’s skill set.

If the team can find a way to put points on the board, its defence will give them a chance to win. The Argonauts defence held Montreal to just one offensive touchdown last week, and kept the score to within a major until into the fourth quarter.

Toronto will be facing a Saskatchewan squad that is in the thick of a playoff race in the West. The Roughriders are in second in the division with a 7-6 record, just two points behind Calgary for top spot.

Saskatchewan has not won its division since 1976, the longest drought for any CFL team.

The Green Riders are coming off of a tough 19-16 loss to the Lions. After Saskatchewan tied the game with less than three minutes to go, B.C. kicker Sean Whyte’s 33-yard field goal with less than 10 seconds remaining won the contest.

These two teams have not met since the Riders 46-36 victory on July 11, which spoiled Toronto’s home opener. Saskatchewan has won the last three meetings over the Argos, averaging just less 40 points a game.

The CFL’s Most Outstanding Player from 2007 hasn’t started since the Argos were shutout 25-0 at Montreal on Aug. 7. On Monday, Joseph said his two-year stint with the team has been “a fiasco.”

But by Tuesday he had changed his tune.

“I made the comments,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t to take shots towards anybody, it’s just I felt it was my opinion about some things.

“It wasn’t to bring any type of distraction to this team or the quarterback position. We have a great group in that room and we have to continue to communicate.”

Joseph was the third Argo to openly express his frustrations about Andrus to the media.

Receiver Arland Bruce III (now with Hamilton) and cornerback Byron Parker (now with Edmonton) had disputes with their coach earlier this season and were traded away just days after their concerns were made public.

Andrus, also the team’s offensive coordinator, said everything is fine now between him and Joseph.

“I think he just got caught off-guard [by the media]. It’s something that’s in the past now.” Andrus said. “I understand the frustration, that’s something that’s going to go hand in hand with where we’re at right now.”

During Joseph’s time in Toronto, the Argos have won only seven games. They went 4-14 last year and are 3-10 heading into Saturday’s tilt against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-6) at Mosaic Stadium.

Joseph was the starting QB for the first six games of the season, but after the Argos went 2-4 during that stretch, Andrus gave the job to Cody Pickett.

The second year pivot hasn’t performed any better, losing all but one of his seven games behind centre. He has not thrown a touchdown pass since Aug. 28 against Calgary.

He was replaced by Joseph in both of the last two games, but the Argo pivots continue to split reps in practice with no idea of who will start on Saturday.

“I want to make sure they’re both ready just like every week we prepare both guys to play,” Andrus said. “They know they’re paid to get ready to play and when they go out, they play as well as they can.”

Argos general manager Adam Rita wasn’t angered by Joseph’s comments. In fact, he appreciated the veteran’s honesty and the passion that came along with it.

“He said what he said from his heart and that’s cool, so let’s go out and win one now,” Rita said.

“I’m glad there’s a little fire [there] in a good way. I don’t think if you talk to a guy who has been in and out of the lineup he’s going to be real happy.

“I don’t think he meant it maliciously, I think he meant it out of frustration.”

Andrus and Joseph may have resolved their differences, but the coach will look closely at both QBs, and decide whether Pickett starts in his eighth straight game, or Joseph takes the snaps against the team he lead to Grey Cup glory in 2007.

The Argos (3-10) hung tough in the first half, but ultimately fell victim to the CFL’s top-ranked defence, which limited them to just 218 yards and forced three turnovers.

After an ineffective first-half performance, Toronto head coach Bart Andrus replaced Cody Pickett with Kerry Joseph at quarterback.

Joseph’s numbers were no more impressive than Pickett’s, as he completed 8 of 15 passes for 46 yards after Pickett was just 7-17 for 64 yards.

Trailing 11-1, Kevin Eiben gave Toronto hope with his third interception of the season with 9:23 to go in the third, and punter Justin Medlock added to that with a first-down run on a botched punt snap.

Jamal Robertson capped the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run to pull the Argos within three.

However, that was as close as they would get, as Damon Duval added a pair of field goals to extend the margin to 17-8.

As Joseph tried to rally the Argos, he lost a fumble that was returned 61 yards for a touchdown by Chip Cox that put the game on ice.

Montreal (11-2) opened the scoring when Calvillo connected with Jamel Richardson on a 10-yard scoring strike, and Duval kicked a field goal at the end of the first quarter to jump out to a 10-0 lead.

Despite allowing the fewest sacks in the league entering play Saturday, Montreal saw Calvillo go down three times in the opening quarter and four overall in the first half.

Calvillo still was able to make plays with his legs, as he picked up 30 yards on a first-quarter run to set up the game’s initial score.

Penalties and missed opportunities were the story early for the Argos. In the first half, a pair of big punt returns were called back due to penalties, and Medlock’s first field goal attempt was blocked.

The Argos got a point when the Alouettes recovered in the end zone to make the score 10-1 late in the second quarter.

Robertson was the lone bright spot on an otherwise bleak day for Toronto, as he rushed for 77 yards and the lone touchdown while also adding three receptions.

The Argonauts travel to Saskatchewan next Saturday to take on the Roughriders.