ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
CALGARY—The 7-4 Argos headed into cowtown to take on the league best 9-2 Calgary Stampeders in another rematch of the 100th Grey Cup played last November. Heading in, the Argos held a league best 4-1 road record, while the Stamps were a perfect 5-0 at McMahon.
The defence made their presence felt on the Stamps first set of offensive plays, as DT Khalif Mitchell busted through the line and took down Kevin Glenn to force the Stampeders into a 2-and-out to start the game.
The offence was not able to take advantage, posting their own 2-and-out right afterwards.
Glenn and the offence got the ball back, but did not keep it for long. Glenn’s attempted pass to hit a receiver down the middle was deflected by Robert McCune and into the hands of Pat Watkins. Watkins took the ball to the Stamps 3-yard line, and the offence took over.
And who else would you expect Collaros would look to in the endzone? The Cincinnati product took the snap and looked right in the direction of #85 John Chiles. Chiles adjusted to the ball’s flight and hauled in his 8th TD of the CFL season, and his 4th in consecutive games. 7-0 Argos.
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The Stamps offence answered with three of their own on their next possession, as the CFL’s most accurate kicker in Rene Parades connected on a difficult 52-yard FG attempt to cut the Argos lead to 7-4.
Collaros and the offence got the ball back on their own side of center, but the ferocious Stampeders defence broke through the Argos offensive line and got to Collaros just as he was preparing to throw a pass. The Stamps recovered a Collaros fumble and immediately had great field position.
Two big plays led to the Stamps taking a 10-7 lead. First, Glenn found RB Jon Cornish in between coverage’s for a large gain into the red zone and the Glenn found receiver Jabari Arthur towards the corner of the endzone for his first score of 2013.
With just under 5 minutes to go, the Argos found themselves down by 3 points.
Kick returner Trent Guy returned the ensuing kickoff to the Argos 27-yard line, but the Boatmen’s drive would stall at their own 40.
The next Stampeders drive stalled, but punter Rob Maver was able to kick the ball through the endzone for the single point to give Calgary an 11-7 lead.
Not to be outdone, Swayze Waters put on the lead boot and bombed one 80-yards into the Stamps endzone for his own single early in the second quarter.
That’s right, 80-yards. 11-8 Stampeders.
Collaros’ rough evening hanging onto the ball would continue at the 12:30 mark of the quarter as Charleston Hughes came off the edge and stripped the Argos QB in his throwing motion once again. The Stamps recovered.
Calgary wasted no time taking advantage. On 3rd-and-goal on the Argos one-yard line, backup QB Drew Tate followed his O-Line into the endzone for the score. That score would mark Calgary’s 14th point off Toronto turnovers in the first half, and give them an 18-8 lead.
The Argos offence respond as Collaros found slotback Jason Barnes downfield for consecutive first downs, and then hit starting running back Jerious Norwood for a 29-yard gain into the Stampeders red zone.
The offence dipped into the creative portion of the playbook on the next play, as Collaros made a cheeky flip to SB/RB Andre Durie who did the rest for his second touchdown of the season.
18-15 Stampeders with 5 minutes remaining in the half.
The Argos got the ball back at the 2 and-a-half minute mark on their own 2-yard line and in only four plays they were able to march to midfield. The offence would set Swayze Waters and the kicking unit up for a 42-yard field goal attempt, but Waters was wide left. Larry Taylor brought the ball out of the end zone to avoid giving up the single point.
The Stamps took the ball, took a knee, and went into the locker room with a 3-point lead.
Larry Taylor started the Stampeders off on the right foot in the second half, as he took the kickoff 34-yards to the 54-yard line. Jon Cornish brought the ponies into the score zone with a 25-yard run to the Argos 20 and then Glenn found Marquay McDaniel in the end zone with a rocket to extend their lead to 25-14 early in the third quarter.
Keeping with the see-saw theme, the Argos would look to answer right back. Collaros found John Chiles for an 8-yard completion that Chiles turned into a 34-yard gain, and then Jerious Norwood carried the ball into Stamps territory with an impressive rush.
On the next play, Collaros scrambled out of the pocket and threw a bomb to a wide-open Dontrelle Inman in the end zone for the score.
24-21 Stamps.
In an unwelcomed version of deja vu for Argos fans, Taylor once again gave the Stamps excellent field position with a huge return off the Swayze Waters kick.
But this time, Pat Watkins stepped in to change the Stamps fortunes. Glenn was looking towards a receiver in the end zone, but Watkins stepped in front of the pass and earned his second INT of the evening.
The Boatmen marched into Stampeders territory on the backs of Norwood and Durie and then Swayze Waters would tie the game up with one swift swing of his right leg from 40-yards away; 25-all at the 3-minute mark of the third.
Both teams went back and forth with unsuccessful offensive drives early in the fourth as both kickers were putting on punting clinics.
Collaros and the offence tried to change their fourth quarter fortunes at the halfway point, and it began with a 30+ yard completion to Dontrelle Inman down the Stampeders sideline and into Calgary territory.
Collaros’ next throw would go to a wide open Mike Bradwell , standing on an island down the Argos sideline, for the touchdown. The Boatmen took their first lead since the first quarter on Bradwell’s first touchdown since the 2011 season.
Calgary’s attempt at an answer would fall on the leg of Rene Parades, and with the wind swirling in the Calgary night, Parades would miss the kick left and only end up with a single, shaving the Argos lead to 32-26 with 4 minutes remaining.
The Stamps offence took a gamble on 3rd and 4 on their own 44-yard line that resulted in a 67-yard touchdown by Brad Sinopoli; however, receiver Jabari Arthur was charged with offensive pass interference at the line of scrimmage, negating the touchdown and giving the Argos the ball back with two minutes on the clock.
The Argos were forced to kick, and Swayze Waters once again would put points on the board for the boatmen forcing Larry Taylor to kneel in the end zone and concede the single point. The result of that would give the Argos a seven-point lead with 26 seconds left.
The Stamps got down to the Argos 50-yard line with 6-seconds on the clock and Bo-Levi Mitchell behind centre. Mitchell heaved a prayer into the endzone, which landed go incomplete, but the Stamps had one more chance because of an offside call to Shane Horton.
One last chance for the Stamps with zeros on the clock.
Mitchell found Jabari Arthur in the flat, and he kicked the ball into the end zone in hopes of one of his teammates recovering the football for the touchdown. Alonzo Lawrence recovered in the endzone instead, and the Argos improved their road record to 5-1 and their overall record to 8-4 with a 33-26 victory.