TORONTO, ON (August 9, 2024) – A strong second-half effort got the Toronto Argonauts back into the win column on Friday night, as they defeated the Calgary Stampeders 39-25 at BMO Field.
Nick Arbuckle completed 18 of 26 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.
Ka’Deem Carey ran for 89 yards and a touchdown while adding 22 yards on a pair of catches. Makai Polk led all Argos receivers with 50 yards on four grabs.
Toronto’s defence finished the game game with three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
After going down by one by conceding a single on a Calgary punt off the opening drive of the game, Toronto answered in a big way, putting together a nine-play drive that ended with points. With Kevin Mital and Carey picking up big gains on the ground, and Deonta McMahon posting a 16-yard catch-and-run, Arbuckle and Polk connected in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Lirim Hajrullahu’s point-after made it 7-1 early for the Argos.
But Calgary drove the field on the ensuing drive to jump back ahead, with Jake Maier hitting Cam Echols for a 10-yard score, putting the Stamps back ahead by one.
Neither team was able to find points for the remainder of the first from that point, as Calgary carried an 8-7 advantage into the second quarter.
For most of the second half, John Haggerty and Grace went punt for punt, trying to help their respective teams in the field position battle. But Arbuckle was picked off by Demario Houston with just over a minute to play in the half. The turnover set the Stamps up at the Toronto 35-yard line, and from there, Calgary made their way deeper into Argos territory. Peyton Logan got into the end zone with 13 seconds left to get Calgary a 15-7 lead heading into the half.
The Toronto defence turned up the heat on Maier and Calgary to open the third, with Folarin Orimolade making a splash in his first home game since returning from injury. The veteran edge rusher chased down Maier and punched the ball loose, giving his offence solid field position and a chance to score.
Hajrullahu helped chip away at the deficit with 41-yarder.
A pair of penalties on Calgary’s next drive pushed them to 2nd and long, and after they weren’t able to pick up the first, Grace punted it away to Janarion Grant.
Throughout the game, it looked as though Grant was on the cusp of breaking off another massive return for a score – He opened the second half by taking the kick-off 39 yards, coming one tackler shy of breaking loose.
Corralling the ball at his own 24, Grant found a seam down the sideline and blew past the Calgary tacklers to put Toronto ahead in the blink of an eye. The Argos also got the 2-point conversion on an Arbuckle connection with David Ungerer III to make it 18-15.
Toronto continued the run with another field goal from Hajrullahu – this one from 45 yards out – sent Toronto into the fourth up 21-15.
After dropping a game in the fourth quarter to this same Stampeders squad a week earlier, the Argos were pressing to seal the deal this time around.
The frame opened with a Calgary drive resulting in a touchdown. Tommy Stevens punched the ball in on the QB sneak just off the goal line to put the Stamps back ahead.
But the Toronto defence would step up once again in the final frame. Maier looked to drive a ball to Marken Michel at midfield, but DaShaun Amos stepped in front of the pass and headed the other way. His 55-yard Pick-6 continued to swing the momentum to the hosts, and after a Carey 2-point convert, it was a 29-22 advantage for the Argos.
Calgary got stuck deep in their own end on the next touch of the ball, but Dave Dickenson made the decision to go for it on third down. Stevens rolled out to his left on a sneak before he was met by Ralph Holley, who dropped the backup to force a turnover on downs.
With the ball at the Calgary 31-yard line, the Argos settled for a field goal, making it 32-25.
A Rene Paredes field goal two minutes later brought it back to a two-score game.
Starting on their own 40, the Double Blue pushed the field, looking for the dagger. An Arbuckle completion to Ungerer III for 21 yards and a 25-yard rush from Carey put Toronto in a position to come away with points, and Carey wrapped the drive by rumbling for a 10-yard score.
Holding a 39-25 lead late, the Argos’ defence forced a second turnover on downs, sealing the victory at home.
With the win, Toronto now sits at 5-4 for the season. They’ll be on a bye in Week 11 before returning to action on Aug 22 when they welcome the Saskatchewan Roughriders to BMO Field for the team’s annual CNE Game.