THE CANADIAN PRESS
WINNIPEG — Chad Owens returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as the Toronto Argonauts clinched a spot in the CFL playoffs with a 27-8 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday.
Winnipeg were eliminated from playoff contention after their record fell to 4-11 in front of a season-low crowd of 23,446 at Canad Inns Stadium.
The Bombers had a chance for post-season play through a crossover in the West Division, but they had to finish with more points than the third-place B.C. Lions (6-10), which is now mathematically impossible with only two games left.
Toronto is in the playoffs with an 8-8 record and sit in third place behind the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-7), who defeated Montreal (11-5) on Friday.
Owens scored his fourth kick-return touchdown of the season with four seconds left in the first half after Bomber kicker Justin Palardy was short on a 51-yard field-goal attempt.
Three of Owens’ kick-return scores have been against the Bombers, including another off a missed Alexis Serna field-goal attempt and one from a punt return. His other was on a punt return against Calgary.
The game was also costly for the Bombers on the quarterback front.
Starting quarterback Steven Jyles left the game with a shoulder injury and was replaced by rookie Alex Brink with 2:19 left in the first quarter.
Brink then injured his right shoulder and rookie Joey Elliott out of Purdue took over with about five minutes left in the third quarter. Elliott finished 8 of 16 for 75 yards and one interception.
Jyles was hurt after Argo linebacker Kevin Eiben tackled him during a run, forcing a fumble that was picked up by Toronto defensive back Byron Parker. The turnover didn’t lead to any points.
Toronto also got touchdowns off a 66-yard catch by running back Cory Boyd and a nine-yard run by quarterback Cleo Lemon. Noel Prefontaine booted field goals from 38 and 13 yards
Lemon completed 17-of-29 pass attempts for 212 yards and one TD.
Boyd, the league’s leading rusher, finished with 11 carries for 86 yards. Bomber running back Fred Reid rushed 15 times for 105 yards.
Winnipeg’s scoring came from a 38-yard field goal by Palardy and 53-yard punt single by Mike Renaud. Prefontaine also conceded two safeties to add four points to Winnipeg’s total.
Toronto held a 17-5 lead at halftime.
Prefontaine conceded his first safety midway through the first quarter to give Winnipeg the lead, but then the wheels fell off the Bombers.
Prefontaine booted his 38-yarder at 4:18 of the second and Boyd added his TD four minutes later to go ahead 10-2.
Palardy made his 38-yarder, but was short on his 51-yard attempt that Owens took back for the TD with four seconds left in the half.
Renaud’s single was the only scoring of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter opened with Prefontaine’s 13-yard field goal followed by his second safety. Lemon’s TD made the score 27-8 at 12:06.