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“We stress everything as we stress it,” added McDiarmid. “You put in your game plan and it has to be executed. And sometimes it’s not. When you put in a poor game plan you know that as well. It’s not finger pointing; it’s all of us working together to improve week to week and get the results we want.

“The thing about special teams is when you give up a big play it’s glaring because of all the space that’s out there. You give up a 40-yard run to a running back, it’s glaring. You don’t throw out what you’re doing. You find the issue, correct it and move on, same with special teams”

Toronto’s special teams have featured injury losses to Declan Cross, Jake Reinhart and Ronnie Pfeffer.

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“We’re putting in new guys, but we’re not expecting any less from them,” said McDiarmid. “I don’t ever want to say it’s because of this, it’s because of that. If we didn’t think the guys stepping up into those starting roles could play then we need to get new players in here. But that’s not what we’re doing. We have full faith in these players. We need to rise to the occasion when it’s our chance to do that.”

Chris Rainey has a return major on a punt return this season.

“Rainey is a special guy,” continued McDiarmid. “I’ve admired him for a number of years. I’ve had to play against him for a number of years and he’s a guy whom you need to be aware of, a massively talented returner. With Rainey, I let him know what we need to do and he lets me know what his strengths are, what he likes to do and we let him roll. Quite often, I try to stay out of his way. Honestly, are you going to teach Rainey how to run the ball? No. He knows what he’s doing.

“You can talk about some reads, ball security, all those things you talk about with your returners, situation, time and score and weather and wind, giving up a single, when you let it go, all the things you talk about and coach to get him on the same page scheme wise, structurally.

“From looking and watching Rainey play over the years, admiring what he does and hoping you can work with such guys, I’m loving him to death. Everything we ask of him he does. He just wants to play, he just wants to win. There’s not one negative comment. Everything is positive and I’m very happy to be on his team this year.”