Argonauts.ca staff
TORONTO – The Argos finally got a chance to play in front of their home fans on Saturday night, finishing their season series with the Saskatchewan Roughriders at the Rogers Centre. It was a refreshing sight to see the Double Blue playing in a stadium decorated with their colours, and full of fans rooting for the good guys.
The Argonauts received the ball to start the game, and wasted no time in putting together a scoring drive, as K/P Ronnie Pfeffer connected on his eighth straight field goal attempt to give the Argos an early 3-0 lead.
The Riders looked to have taken the lead late in the first quarter, but consecutive offside calls on Roughrider receivers negated a 32-yard completion to WR Rob Bagg and a touchdown pass to Chris Getzlaf. Just one play later, Argos’ DE Tristan Okpalaugo recorded his second sack of the season and neutralized a dangerous-looking Riders drive.
WR Kevin Elliott led all Argonauts with 37 receiving yards in the first quarter, but left the game after an awkward landing on his second catch.
The second quarter began with another Riders touchdown called back due to penalty, forcing the Riders to settle for a field goal. But their discipline struggles continued on a successful field goal attempt from K Paul McCallum, and he missed his second attempt, which Argos RB Henry Josey brought out of the end zone to prevent the single.
McCallum would make good on his next attempt, however, sneaking a 48-yard attempt just over the bar to even the score at three points apiece early in the second quarter.
The Argonauts answered with a field goal of their own on the next drive, as Pfeffer set a new career-high with a 52-yarder to give the Argoanuts a 6-3 lead.
The Argonauts defence showed up in a big way on the ensuing Riders drive, as DL Daryl Waud and DE Ricky Foley got to quarterback Brett Smith for back-to-back sacks. With the ball inside their own ten, the Riders chose to give up the points rather than field position, and P Ray Early sacrificed the safety to extend Toronto’s lead to five.
Josey gave the Argonauts strong field position with a 29-yard return on the following kickoff, but again the Argonauts offence struggled in the Riders’ half. Pfeffer entered the game to kick a 49-yard field goal but saw it fall just short, and Riders WR Nic Demski took the return back 93 yards, kept out of the end zone only by tremendous hustle from Pfeffer to get back and make the tackle.
Unfortunately for the Argos, that touchdown saving tackle only delayed a score, and three plays later Smith found WR Chris Getzlaf for a six-yard touchdown. McCallum’s convert was good, and the Riders took a two point lead. They’d add to it just before the half, as McCallum hit his second field goal of the night to give Saskatchewan a five point halftime lead.
The Riders received the ball to begin the third quarter, and extended their lead to eight thanks to another field goal from McCallum.
The Argos’ defence would make the next big play of the day, as DB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah read Smith’s eyes perfectly on a short out route, taking the interception back 50 yards for a touchdown. The Argonauts got tricky on their two point conversion, as Harris found OL Wayne Smith, who declared as an eligible receiver, all alone in the end zone to tie the game at 16.
But the fun wouldn’t last long for the Argos. Just a few plays after kicking the ball back to the Riders, Smith found Getzlaf wide open for a 55-yard score, Getzlaf’s second touchdown of the game. McCallum’s convert was good, and the Riders led by seven with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Argonauts began the final frame with possession after a tremendous bit of body control from WR Tori Gurley to ensure his toe touched in bounds while securing the football. Just a few plays later, Harris found Vidal Hazelton for the second week in a row on a 27-yard touchdown strike, and a successful convert from Pfeffer knotted the game at 23.
After forcing a Riders punt on the following drive, the Argonauts got the ball back on offence, and it didn’t take long for them to grab their first lead since the first quarter. Harris hit Gurley streaking down the left side of the field for a 46-yard completion before finding rookie SB Diontae Spencer, making his first career CFL start, who scampered his way for the 52-yard touchdown.
The Riders wouldn’t be shunned. Brett Smith would lead his offence into Argonaut territory before being stiffled by the Double Blue defence. Saskatchewan’s drive was capped off with at 21-yard field goal by Paul McCallum to draw the club within four.
Toronto resume possession with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. Harris looked poised to extend the Argonauts drive on second and medium but a six-yard pass to Diontae Spencer would be negated, forcing the Baotmen to punt with less than two minutes in regulation.
With the clock ticking away, the Riders faced a third and short situation just which would result in a conversion to extend the drive. Smith took some big hits in the pocket, but continued to connect with his receivers down the stretch, giving the Riders a chance for the game winning score..
The Argonauts defence found themselves with their backs pinned against the wall in within their own 20-yard line on second down with six to go. Veteran LB James Yurichuk, who was sent back into coverage by Casey Creehan, had a chance to seal the win with an interception, but the ball fell through his outstretched hands and gave the Riders one final chance for the win.
Energized by the noise of the rabid Argos fans, the Boatmen held tight, denying Smith and the Riders the go ahead score. As the clocks struck zero, the Argonauts bench rushed the field in celebration of the teams first true home victory of 2015. The Double Blue win also marked the first time the team has swept the Roughriders since 2004.
The Argonauts now move to 4-2 on the season and remain in contention for the top spot in the East Division with Ottawa and Hamilton. Toronto next travels to Winnipeg next Friday, where they’ll take on the Blue Bombers for the first time in 2015. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. at Investors Group Field.