WIN-WIN FOR ARGOS
Last-second victory caps Flutie lovefest at BMO Field
The biggest BMO Field crowd of the season saw the hometown Argos sweep the season series against last year’s Grey Cup champions, earning a 27-24 win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Monday night.
Lirim Hajrullahu drilled a 36-yard field goal as time expired to give the Argos their third win of the year and sole ownership of first place in the CFL’s East Division.
Monday night’s attendance was announced at 15,801, a significant boost for a club that had averaged 12,401 this season.
Toronto grabbed the lead less than two minutes in when Hajrullahu kicked a field goal from 47 yards out.
Midway through the second quarter, they extended their lead with an 11-play, 100-yard drive that ended in a six-yard touchdown pass from Ricky Ray to fullback Declan Cross. The score was the first of Cross’ career and Ray’s fifth touchdown pass of the season.
Toronto added two points when Ottawa punter Brett Maher conceded a safety in the end zone rather than kick to dangerous Argos return specialist Martese Jackson, who lurked at midfield.
The Redblacks entered Monday’s game tired after a quick turnaround. They last played just five days ago, a 24-19 win over Montreal. But that victory, their first of the 2017 season, also imbued them with confidence heading into a rematch with the Argos, who won 26-25 two weeks ago in Ottawa.
In the first half of Monday’s game, Ottawa persistence and crucial Argo miscues kept the score close.
With 2:53 remaining in the second quarter the Argos took possession at their own 29 but quickly faced second down and 20 thanks to an S.J. Green holding penalty. Two plays later, a short punt from Hajrullahu resulted in a no-yards penalty for the Argos as Ottawa return man Diontae Spencer rushed upfield to catch the punt among a crowd of Argos defenders.
Redblacks quarterback quickly delivered a 15-yard first down pass to Greg Ellingson, before a 22-yard run from tailback William Powell set up first-and-goal from the Argos’ fouryard line.
On second down, Harris, who spent the 2015 season in Toronto, found slotback Brad Sinopoli on a slant route for Ottawa’s first touchdown. On the two-point convert Harris hit Sinopoli again, this time angling toward the left sideline, to shave Toronto’s lead to four points.
Harris completed seven of 14 firsthalf passes, while Ray hit 18 of 26 for 178 yards and a 101.1 passing efficiency rating.
More important for an Argos club concerned with pass protection, the club didn’t surrender a single first- half sack. Ray, who has taken all of the Argos’ pass attempts this season, had been sacked 10 times in five games heading in.
But the Redblacks found Ray in the fourth quarter, sacking him on a play that also included a holding call against Toronto.
Penalties deadened any first-half momentum the Argos had hoped to build. While Ottawa was flagged just once for 15 yards, Toronto racked up seven flags for 60 yards as the teams entered the final quarter tied at 17.
But by then Toronto’s pass rush had become a factor, hurrying Harris into a Marcus Ball interception that set up the tiebreaking score. After a pair of runs by James Wilder, Ray hit slotback Anthony Coombs for an eight-yard touchdown. On the ensuing Ottawa drive, Argos defensive end Troy Davis dropped Harris again for Toronto’s third sack of the game.
The Argos lost defensive lineman Cleyon Laing to an unspecified leg injury after he dived into a pileup to recover a fumble that followed teammate Shawn Lemon’s sack of Harris.