S.J. Green has little patience for those who might suggest that the Argonauts’ offence remains on a learning curve.

One might interpret the Argos’ situation that way, given the presence of new head coach Marc Trestman, who knows his systems won’t be fully implemented through six games.

Still, Green doesn’t want to hear it.

“I don’t think that’s an excuse,” the veteran receiver said on Saturday night in Regina after the Argos lost 38-27 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“I think it’s just a lack of focus. We have had opportunities to close games out and not make them so close, we have had opportunities to score touchdowns in the red zone and we just haven’t capitalized.

“Moving forward, we have to take advantage of those opportunities because seven points and three points is a big difference and those add up over the course of the game. We have to get those seven points.”

Through six weeks, quarterback Ricky Ray has passed for 2,282 yards, easily the most in the Canadian Football League (Ottawa’s Trevor Harris is second with 1,939). The Argos, however, will head into their home game at BMO Field on Thursday night against the Calgary Stampeders with a middling record of 3-3.

The Argos have had to settle several times for chip-shot field goals by Lirim Hajrullahu, the latest a 12-yarder late in the fourth quarter against the Roughriders that brought the Argos to within three points of tying the game. They didn’t score again.

“You have to put the work in and not take it for granted that it is (going to iron itself out),” Ray said. “I feel like we’ve been working hard as a team. We’re gaining experience together throughout this first part of the season and hopefully we will continue to work hard and finish those drives.”

Trestman didn’t sound overly concerned. There’s confidence in the group as a whole.

“We are just missing a little bit,” Trestman said. “We’re not exactly where we want to be. But I think the last couple of weeks we have got closer to the team we want to be. We’re just going to keep chipping away.”

BETWEEN THE WHISTLES

Turn on your TV, flip to TSN’s football highlights and chances are excellent you’ll see a receiver making a ridiculously good catch, one that can’t be made without pure athleticism. The latest two came on back-to-back drives in the second quarter, with Green going up in double coverage to haul in a touchdown pass from Ray followed by Duron Carter’s one-handed, backhanded touchdown grab, which has to be the leading contender for CFL catch of the year. “I just think it’s been awesome all throughout the league,” Trestman said of various acrobatics displayed by receivers. “The playmaking ability of these guys, they are all really good hand-catchers. This is league-wide. This is not just us. It has been very impressive start to the season.” … Said Green: “Me and Duron go back (to their days as Montreal Alouettes teammates). That’s my little brother. That was a hell of a catch he made and I am just happy he is able to be on a team that appreciates what he can do for them.” … Green is second in the CFL with 586 receiving yards, and has been targeted 60 times, the most in the league heading into Week 7. He’s tied for second in catches with 37, and there is chemistry growing with Ray. “Even that touchdown I caught (in Regina), he probably should have not thrown it to me, but he trusted me to make a play,” Green said. “We’re having fun together, and I think time will only tell what we will be capable of.”

IN THE HUDDLE

Not only did Ray move ahead of Condredge Holloway to become the Argos’ franchise leading passer on Saturday, his three touchdown passes gave him 305 in his career, moving him into fifth overall (past Matt Dunigan) in CFL history. Only Anthony Calvillo, who has the most touchdown passes in CFL history with 455, Damon Allen, Henry Burris and Ron Lancaster threw for touchdowns than Ray … Ray is getting the job done without a ton of protection from the offensive line. The Argos have allowed 17 sacks (including five in Saskatchewan), tying them for most in the league with the B.C. Lions … If the Hamilton Tiger-Cats decided to fire head coach Kent Austin after losing 60-1 in Calgary against the Stampeders, giving the Ticats an 0-5 record, would it really work to the benefit of the organization? A mid-season firing — or, in this case, one before the Ticats have played one-third of their games — wouldn’t make much sense, given that football doesn’t lend itself to having a new coach arrive and hit the ground running. By the time a new man in charge would have his systems instilled, the season mostly would be over. It’s on Austin to get his team through this horrendous stretch, one that’s probable to continue with a loss on Friday in Edmonton against the 5-0 Eskimos. If the Ticats don’t rebound, then by all means, tie the can to Austin once the season is done.