MONTREAL (CP) — Anthony Calvillo threw three touchdown passes and ran one in himself as the Montreal Alouettes continued their domination of the CFL East Division with a 45-19 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday afternoon.
Jamel Richardson, Kerry Watkins and Brian Bratton had TD receptions, Larry Taylor scored on a punt return and back-up quarterback Adrian McPherson scored on a late one-yard plunge for Montreal (7-3), which is 6-0 against the East this season.
The Alouettes now hold a six-point lead in the division over the second-place Argonauts (4-6), who they have beaten twice.
Dominique Dorsey scored on a 92-yard kickoff return, Arland Bruce caught a TD pass and Mike Vanderjagt had a pair of field goals for the Argos.
Mike Imoh did a decent job filling in for injured Alouettes tailback Avon Cobourne, who wasn’t missed as Calvillo steadily moved the ball against the struggling Toronto defence.
Argos quarterback Kerry Joseph, who had 399 passing yards last week against Hamilton, laboured to find his receivers while fending off an intense pass rush and was picked off twice.
The ball was sailing on Joseph from his first pass of the game that was intercepted by Davis Sanchez.
Damon Duval missed the ensuing 42-yard field goal and missed another from 44 as neither team scored in a plodding first quarter for the 20,202 spectators at Percival Molson Stadium.
Montreal mounted a scoring drive to start the second quarter, marching 75 yards on eight plays capped by Calvillo’s 10-yard TD pass to Richardson.
It was Calvillo’s 307th career touchdown pass, moving him past Matt Dunigan into sole possession of third place all-time behind Damon Allen (394) and Ron Lancaster (333).
A 30-yard Duval field goal made it 10-0 before Joseph found his range and took the Argos close enough for a 34-yard Vanderjagt field goal.
In the final minute of the half, Watkins caught a three-yard TD toss to make it 17-3.
The Argos got a break early in the second half when Denny Desriveaux fumbled and defensive back Kenny Heatly recovered on the Montreal 42, but the Argos managed only Vanderjagt’s 34-yard placement.
Then Dorsey fumbled a punt that was recovered by Anwar Stewart at the Argos 21, and two plays later, Calvillo hit Bratton with a 12-yard TD pass.
Dorsey made up for it by returning the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown — his second kick return TD of the year. A Montreal challenge that he stepped out of bounds failed.
Early in the fourth, Calvillo faked to Imoh and ran in from the eight. Taylor returned a punt 69 yards for a TD before Joseph found Bruce alone in the end zone with 5:53 left to play. A two-point convert attempt failed.
McPherson added a TD on a one-yard plunge with 1:17 left to play.