Argonauts.ca Staff
TORONTO – The Argonauts travelled to Edmonton in week ten, taking on the Eskimos in a rematch of the season opener at Commonwealth Stadium. Toronto entered the game on a three-game winning streak, and after a Hamilton loss on Thursday, an opportunity to seize sole possession of first place in the East Division.
Starting at QB for the Eskimos for the first time in his career was CFL rookie James Franklin, though his lack of experience didn’t show on Edmonton’s first drive of the game. Franklin completed seven of eight passing attempts for 92 yards on his first drive as a starter before taking the ball down himself and rushing for a 20-yard touchdown. The major was the first opening-drive touchdown allowed by the Argonauts defence in 2015.
After a quick three-and-out by the Argos, Franklin went back to work and found WR Derrel Walker on a 53-yard bomb to move the Eskimos into the Argos red zone. A touchdown pass to SB Adarius Bowman was nullified by a penalty, but K/P Grant Shaw kicked home a 22-yard field goal to give Edmonton an early 10-0 lead.
The Argos failed to get anything going on their next drive and a tough first quarter for Toronto came to a close with Edmonton leading by 10 and taking possession of the ball. Argos DB Devin Smith continued his strong play this season, recording four tackles in the opening frame, as Toronto’s offence struggled early.
A quick defensive stop from the Argos on Edmonton’s first drive of the second quarter seemed to inject some life into the offence. Trevor Harris found his ‘three towers’ – WRs Vidal Hazelton, Tori Gurley, and Kevin Elliott – on three consecutive passes, putting Toronto into the Eskimos half for the first time in the game. Facing a second-and-long after a procedure call, the Argos were forced to kick a field goal, but K/P Swayze Waters saw his 36-yard attempt sail wide left through the end zone for a single.
Toronto’s defence continued to pick up their play after a slow start to the night, as DE Tristan Okpalaugo recorded his fourth sack of 2015, moving him into a three-way tie with teammates Ricky Foley and Cleyon Laing. A booming Grant Shaw punt found its way into the end zone for the single, and the Eskimos re-established their 10-point lead.
After a pair of three-and-outs, the Argos got the ball back with just under a minute left and Harris and the Argos received possession just shy of midfield with 1;42 left in the half. Battling against the clock, Harris completed four straight passes including a dagger down the left sideline to Diontae Spencer to the Eskimos one-yard line. Back-up QB Adrian McPherson entered the game with the jumbo package and followed his blockers up the middle, giving Toronto their first major of the night, and a successful convert from Waters brought the Argos to within three.
Franklin and the Eskimos failed to convert with just 40 seconds to go in the frame, and the Argos headed to the break down 11-8. After a slow start, Harris finished the half 11/12 with 138 yards, while Spencer led all Argonauts with three catches for 45 yards. LB Greg Jones led all Argos defenders with five defensive tackles, while LB Cory Greenwood recorded four defensive tackles and his first sack of 2015.
The Eskimos began the second half with a balanced attack resulting in a pair of lengthy drives capped off by 21 and 32-yard Shaw field goals to extend the lead to nine points.
The Argos struck back later on in the quarter, putting together a 12 play, 75-yard drive of their own. DB Aaron Grymes was called for defensive pass interference on an Elliott corner route, placing the Boatmen on the Eskimo 1-yard line. McPherson finished it off with a play-action pass to Hazelton for six points. Waters hit the convert to cut the Edmonton lead to two points heading into the fourth quarter. The score was Hazelton’s fifth receiving touchdown of the season, tying him for 3rd in the CFL.
The Eskimos took back the momentum moments later when RB/KR Kendial Lawrence took a Waters punt to the house on a 65-yard return to extend the lead back to nine points. The score was the first time a punt was returned for a touchdown against the Argos this season.
Toronto’s defensive line stepped up in response, recording a pair of sacks by Tristan Okpalaugo and Euclid Cummings. With it being his second of the game, Okpalaugo moved into a tie for first in the CFL with 6.
Edmonton continued to press, however, as Franklin connected with Walker in the endzone from nine yards out, marking his first career CFL touchdown. The Eskimos rookie had another impressive night on the stat sheet, finishing with seven catches for 164 yards and one TD.
Grymes put the nail in the coffin on the next drive, picking off Harris for a 54-yard interception return to bring the Eskimos back into the Argos red zone. Backup QB Jordan Lynch finished it off with a 9-yard run to put the Eskimos up 38-15.
Harris completed 20 of his 26 passes for 200 yards and one interception. Franklin went 29 for 38 with 335 yards and 1 TD, while adding another 51 yards and 1 TD on the ground.
Toronto moved into a tie for first place in the East Division with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 6-3 ahead of a crucial home-and-home next week beginning with the Labour Day Classic on September 7th.