Recap: Argos Dominate Redblacks In Regular Season Finale, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – The Argos winded down their 2014 regular season with a long-awaited rematch against the Ottawa REDBLACKS, who pulled off the upset in Week 4 with an 18-17 defeat of the Double Blue.
At 2-15, the REDBLACKS had nothing to lose, but for the Boatmen it was do or die, with a playoff spot there for the taking pending they beat Ottawa and Hamilton loses to Montreal on Saturday.
The Argonauts entered the game with Quarterback Trevor Harris starting behind center as Ricky Ray was sidelined due to injury. Three years into his tenure in Toronto, Friday marked Harris’ first career CFL start.
RB Curtis Steele sat this one out with a concussion, but SB Jason Barnes returned to the lineup after missing time due to a lower-body injury.
All week long the Argos prepared for a pesky REDBLACKS squad that’s been known to experiment with some fancy special teams plays. They continued that trend on the opening kickoff, throwing a long lateral pass on the kick return resulting in a 41-yard gain. The Argos limited them to a quick two-and-out on the initial drive.
Harris looked calm and composed on his first drive, leading the Argos on a six-play (five of them passes), 78-yard drive resulting in a 12-yard touchdown pass to WR John Chiles. K/P Swayze Waters hit the conversion to make it 7-0 Argos minutes into the game.
The Argos defence rewarded Harris with great field position on his next drive when DE Tristan Okpalaugo picked off QB Henry Burris and returned the ball to the three-yard line on the second play of Ottawa’s next drive.
Harris didn’t waste any time with the opportunity, passing to Chad Owens for a three-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. Waters hit the convert to make it 14-0 in what could be described as a perfect start for Harris and the Double Blue.
QB Danny O’Brien quickly replaced Burris following the interception, despite Burris having a very good track record against Toronto in his career. But the game’s result meant little to the REDBLACKS, who wanted to further evaluate their roster as they head into what should be a busy offseason.
Harris’s first blunder came on his third drive, overthrowing Chiles in the endzone resulting in an interception by DB Abdul Kanneh.
Toronto’s defence held strong, holding Ottawa to another short drive resulting in a punt to end the first quarter.
Waters opened the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-0.
Toronto’s defence continued to hold strong in the second quarter, highlighted by a Branden Smith interception on O’Brien with 6:45 left in the half. Waters added a field goal from 22-yards out to make it 20-0 Argonauts. The Double Blue took that lead into halftime.
Harris had a Ricky Ray-like half, completing 16 of 22 passes for 184 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Like Ray, he shared the ball around fairly evenly, with Barnes, Chiles and Owens hauling in 57, 56 and 37 yards respectively.
The Argonauts dominated the REDBLACKS in the first half, recording 16 first downs compared to Ottawa’s three, and netting 222 total yards on offence compared to 53 by the REDBLACKS. Ottawa’s lone bright spot was on special teams, netting 125 return yards compared to Toronto’s 27.
Despite Ray being out, Toronto continued their pass-happy ways putting the ball in the air for 22 of their 32 plays.
Ottawa broke the shutout when K/P Brett Maher kicked a single on the opening kickoff to make it 20-1 Argonauts.
Burris returned to play in the third quarter and looked much better than he did in his first quarter appearance, leading Ottawa on a long drive covering 50 yards in 10 plays. Maher punted the ball away resulting in a 54-yard single. 20-2 Argos. Despite the lack of offensive production, Ottawa dominated ball control in the third quarter.
Maher would add a 22-yard field goal attempt 3:18 into the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 20-5, but Waters responded with a 45-yarder minutes later to extend the lead to 23-5.
The REDBLACKS finally put together a big play, connecting on a 77-yard catch and run but were unable to score, going for it on third down but the pass to the endzone fell incomplete.
Neither team could muster any more offence and that is how the game would end as the Argos would dominate the REDBLACKS and keep their playoff hopes alive. Argos Nation now waits for Saturday as the Montreal Alouettes need to defeat the Ticats in order for the Boatmen to make the Grey Cup Playoffs.