ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – The Argos opened their 2014 Home schedule on what could only be described as a perfect afternoon for some football.
In front of 17,758 football starved fans, the Boatmen received the opening kick and football was officially back in Toronto for 2014!
Both the Argos and the Riders traded two-and-outs to start the game and the Argos grasped their first lead of the 2014 season and never looked back.
QB Ricky Ray orchestrating a six play, 76-yard drive which was capped by a Curtis Steele 1-yard rush for the major. The drive was highlighted by a spectacular one-handed grab by John Chiles which set up the Boatmen in the red zone. A catch that will assuredly make the CFL Top 10 Plays of Week 2.
The Boatmen made another highlight reel play as on the next Riders drive, LB Antwuan Molden (starting in place of the injured LB Jamie Robinson) would grab his first CFL interception on a diving grab. No points for the Riders in the red zone and the Argos with their first takeaway of the game.
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Week 2: Argos 48, Riders 15 |
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Getting the ball back, Ricky and the receivers continued to find their grove as a big YAC gain by Andre Durie was followed by a 49-yard catch and run by Chad Owens into the red zone. The Argos ended up settling for a 19-yard a field goal and a 10-0 lead.
Again the Riders couldn’t get anything going and again the Argos capitalized with another strong drive and Ray finding Owens for his first receiving touchdown of the season. 17-0 Argos with the second quarter just under way.
The next Sask drive ended with a thud as DL Thaddeus Gibson recorded the first sack of the game for the Boatmen and forced a Riders punt. Saskatchewan finally got on the board midway through the 2nd quarter on a missed field goal single, bringing the score to 17-1.
Looking to put some points on the board as the half came to an end, the Argos drove to midfield before WR Spencer Watt fumbled on the final play of the quarter. The clock expired and the Argos took a 17-1 lead into the locker room.
The Boatmen picked up the second half where they left off. Holding the Riders with their defence and exploiting the open field on offence.
Driving down the field featuring a career long run by Anthony Coombs, Ricky Ray found Jason Barnes for his second TD of the season on another highlight reel grab by an Argos receiver. 24-1 Argos.
K/P Swayze Waters tacked on a single in the third quarter to bring the lead to 25-1 but the Riders would finally respond.
Looking deep, QB Darian Durant found WR Taj Smith behind the defence and he hauled in the long bomb for the Riders first major of the game cutting the lead to 25-8
Durant and the Riders continued to close the gap as they found the endzone on their next drive as well. Rookie RB Anthony Allen took the swing pass from Durant and walked into the endzone untouched, 25-15 Argos still leading.
Ray and company responded with a score of their own as Waters connected on a 40-yard field goal to bring the Argos lead to 28-15.
The Argos then got the stop they needed as on second down DB Jalil Carter came free and was able to bring down Durant for an 8-yard loss.
On the ensuing kick-off Owens found a seam and gave the offence great field position with a 44-yard return and the Boatmen did not waste the opportunity.
Marching into the red zone, Ray found WR Mike Bradwell for his first TD of 2014 and an extension of the Argos lead. A failed two-point conversion by the Boatmen to make it a three score game was thwarted and the score remained 34-15.
The assault by the Boatmen continued as Ray led the Boatmen on another scoring drive, this time handing off to Steele in the red zone for his second TD of the game.
The defence put the final dagger on the game as LB Antwuan Molden collected his second interception of the game, this time taking it back 108-yards for the pick-six. The interception return is the second longest in team history only ranking behind Eric Harris’ 115-yard interception return from 1977 against Montreal.
That is how the game would end as the Argos rebound from week 1 to dominate the Riders to the tune of 48-15.