James Wilder Jr. (32) and Lirim Hajrullahu (70) of the Toronto Argonauts after a win against the Ottawa RedBlacks at BMO Field in Toronto, ON., on Monday, July 24, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
The Toronto Argonauts improved to 3-2 on the season with a last second 27-24 win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS by way of a 34-yard field goal by kicker Lirim Hajrullahu at BMO Field on Monday night. Hajrullahu finished the night 3-of-4 with a long of 47 yards which he hit twice. Monday night’s win gave Argos head coach Marc Trestman his 62nd career win to slide him into the Top 20 all-time; it also secured the Double Blue a season series win over Ottawa.
Argos QB Ricky Ray posted his fifth consecutive game with the 300+ passing yards on Monday night. Ray went 40-of-55 passing (72.7%) for 367 yards and two touchdowns. Ray’s streak marks the second time in his career that he has gone five games with 300+ passing yards, the first coming back in 2006. The 15-year veteran also tied a career-high for completions in a game with 40 while his 51 passing attempts are his most as an Argonaut and second most in his career. In his rookie season, Ray went 40-of-56 passing for 414 yards and one touchdowns vs. Toronto.
The Argonauts defence was relentless on Monday night, holding the REDBLACKS to just 276 net yards and QB Trevor Harris to a season-low 184 yards and one touchdown. Additionally, the Boatmen forced three turnovers (2 FF, 1 INT) while posting three sacks and seven quarterback pressures.
Toronto has now won seven of their last 10 meetings with the REDBLACKS since the Ottawa club returned to the league in 2014.
WORTH NOTING:
FB Declan Cross hauled in his 1st career touchdown on a three-yard pass from Ricky Ray during the first quarter.
Ricky Ray’s performance on Thursday night inched him closer to becoming the club’s outright leading passer. Ray now needs 372 passing yards, seven passing attempts and seven touchdowns to do so.
RB/SB Anthony Coombs hauled in all eight passes he was targeted on for a total of 73 yards and his first touchdown of the season while adding two carries for nine yards. In the last three games, Coombs has caught 20 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, an average of 10.5 yards per catch. Additionally, the Winnipeg product, who is on pace for a career season, needs just seven catches to record his 150th career reception.
Argos DE Victor Butler recorded his third forced fumble of the season on Thursday night. Butler had three tackles and a forced fumble before exiting the game early.
DB Johnny Sears Jr. picked up his first fumble recovery of the season, while also posting 3 defensive tackles. Sears has now registered a fumble and an interception in the Argonauts first five games.
Canadian DT Cleyon Laing and DE Shawn Lemon each notched their third sacks of the season on Thursday night. Lemon added four quarterback pressures while Laing added a tackle and a fumble recovery to his stat line on the night.
WR Armanti Edwards led all pass catchers in Thursday’s game with 81 yards on five catches and now has 26 receptions for 354 yards and a touchdown in 2017.
Third-year Argo Marcus Ball registered four tackles and an interception vs. the REDBLACKS. Ball now has 24 tackles and an interception on the season and has registered 4+ tackles in all five games.
2013 CFL Draft pick Jermaine Gabriel recorded two tackles on the night to give him his 150thcareer tackle.
Rookie DE/LB Justin Tuggle led the Argonauts with five defensive tackles on the night, in relief for Bear Woods who suffered an injury in the second quarter.
The Argos secondary held Ottawa’s receiving duo of Brad Sinopoli (6-59) and Greg Ellingson (4-25) to 10 catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns between the two targets.
