TORONTO (CP) — Kerry Joseph scored on a 13-yard run with 23 seconds
remaining to rally the Toronto Argonauts to a thrilling 35-31 win over
the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday.
Joseph marched Toronto 109 yards on 11 plays on their decisive march to
lead Toronto to a split of the home-and-home series. Joseph, who led
CFL quarterbacks in rushing last year with over 700 yards, finished
with a game-high 118 yards rushing. Joseph was 22-of-38 passing for 343
yards and a TD.
Argos receiver James Robinson also had a brilliant game with 10 catches for 194 yards and a TD.
The loss tarnished Tristan Jackson’s 94-yard kickoff return for Edmonton in the first half.
Toronto (2-2) improved to 8-2 in its last 10 games against Edmonton and earned its first victory in three contests.
Edmonton (2-2) suffered its first loss in three games and will remain
in Ontario as it is in Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats on Friday night.
Dominique Dorsey’s seven-yard TD run at 4:02 of the third put Toronto
ahead 22-21. It came seven plays after the Argos’ defence stopped
Edmonton on a third-and-one gamble.
Edmonton countered with a promising drive that stalled at Toronto’s
18-yard line on quarterback Ricky Ray’s lost fumble. However, Ray hit
Fred Stamps on a 34-yard TD strike at 10:17 on the next offensive
possession to put Edmonton back ahead 28-22.
Mathieu Bertrand had Edmonton’s other touchdown. Noel Prefontaine added three field goals, three converts and a single.
Jeff Johnson scored Toronto’s other TD. Vanderjagt added three converts, two field goals and single.
Prefontaine’s single off a missed 23-yard field goal earned Edmonton a
21-15 half-time lead and capped a wild second quarter that featured 30
total points.
Robinson’s electrifying 90-yard TD catch at 12:53 of the second cut
Edmonton’s lead to 20-15. Robinson beat former Argo Jordan Younger with
quick inside move, corralled Joseph’s pass and ran untouched for the TD.
The play gave Toronto some much-needed momentum after the Jackson’s
huge return put Edmonton ahead 20-7 and literally took the air out of
Rogers Centre. It came mere moments after Johnson’s eight-yard TD run
pulled the Argos to within 13-7 and capped an impressive 77-yard,
six-play drive.
Jackson barely missed burning Toronto early in the first when he took
Vanderjagt’s errant 43-yard field goal try — his first miss in seven
attempts — and returned it 64 yards. The Eskimos also had a 66-yard
completion from Ray to Kamau Peterson on their first possession of the
game that set up a field goal.
Bertrand’s two-yard TD run at 2:08 of the second put Edmonton ahead 13-0.
WINNING 50/50
July 20/2008 – Regular Season – Edmonton @ Toronto – The winning 50/50 number was 8198, and the winning prize of $5,761 was claimed by Jay Pender.