THE CANADIAN PRESS
WINNIPEG — Defensive tackle Doug Brown wants a third straight victory before he declares that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are on a roll.
The Bombers had their second win in a row Friday with a 22-16 victory over the Toronto Argonauts.
“They say if it happens once it’s a fluke, happens twice it’s a coincidence, so next week, if we can do it three times, then it’ll be the start of a trend and an identity,” said Brown, whose team hosts Calgary next Thursday.
It’s the first time since 2003 Winnipeg has opened the season with two straight victories.
Argos quarterback Cleo Lemon was sacked seven times and Winnipeg placekicker Justin Palardy booted four field goals in front of a crowd of 27,638 at Canad Inns Stadium.
Brown, defensive end Odell Willis and linebacker Joe Lobendahn each recorded a pair of sacks, while linebacker Jonathan Hefney had one.
The last time Winnipeg (2-0) defeated Toronto was Sept. 26, 2009 with a score of 29-24. The Argos (1-1) won all three matches against the Bombers last season.
Winning a close one was important for Winnipeg, which posted a 4-14 record last season that included a CFL record nine losses by four or fewer points and one by seven point.
Toronto had closed the score to 19-16 with 2:12 left in the game, but Argo receiver Chad Owens fumbled after he pulled down a catch.
Lobendahn recovered the ball and Winnipeg took over at Toronto’s 16-yard line with 1:22 left.
Palardy connected on a 23-yard field goal to make it 22-16 with
52 seconds left.
Toronto’s final drive was snuffed out when Lemon fumbled a snap at midfield and Bomber defensive tackle Don Oramasionwu recovered.
Toronto’s much-lauded defence only sacked Bomber quarterback Buck Pierce once.
“We went back to being a bad football team tonight,” Argo head coach Jim Barker said. “We turned it over and had penalties.”
The Argos had five turnovers – one on downs, three fumbles and one interception – and 12 penalties for 95 yards.
Pierce completed 21-of-34 pass attempts for 165 yards and one interception.
Lemon was 22-of-32 for 239 yards and one interception and scored on a nine-yard run.
“You have to give them credit,” Lemon said of the Bomber defence.
“They came out and fed off the crowd and we have to match that intensity. We’ll get back to practicing and work on the things we have to improve on.”
Running back Fred Reid scored Winnipeg’s only touchdown in the second quarter on a four-yard run. He finished with 19 carries for
63 yards.
“They’re playing tremendous,” Reid said of his team’s defence. “They’re staying together, they’re fighting all the way till the last quarter.
“I’ve got to give to give it up to those guys. They played good the first game also. They pick us up when we’re not doing too good.”
Toronto tailback Cory Boyd was limited to seven carries for 14 yards.
He hurt a knee in the first quarter and kept playing, but told reporters after the game he may have sprained it and it hampered his explosiveness.
Winnipeg also got two points when Argo kicker Noel Prefontaine conceded a safety.
In the first half, Palardy went wide left on field-goal attempts from 28 and 44 yards, scoring a single on one of them. He then got on track, connecting from 40, 32, 34 and 23 yards.
Prefontaine made field goals from 21-, 43- and 44-yards out.
Argo Jeremaine Copeland led all receivers with five catches for
107 yards, including a 45-yard reception that helped set up Prefontaine’s 21-yarder in the game’s first drive.
Winnipeg led 11-3 at halftime and 16-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
Notes: Pierce surpassed 10,000 career passing yards during the game. He now has a total of 10,130 yards in seven years with the B.C. Lions and Winnipeg.