On Thursday night at BMO Field, the Montreal Alouettes (0-2) took on the Toronto Argonauts (1-0), who were making their season debut.
In the first quarter, the Alouettes had the ball to begin the game but quickly went two-and-out and punted the ball to the Argonauts. On Toronto’s first possession, quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson led the offense down to the Alouettes’ ten-yard line. Then, he tried to throw the ball to his receiver Cam Phillips, but Mike Jones initially intercepted it.
However, after the refs reviewed the play, they determined that Jones did not have control of the ball and ruled it an incomplete pass. The Argo’s would get three points on a 17-yard field goal by Boris Bede to take a 3-0 lead.
The Alouettes’ offense made little progress on their next possession but eventually punted the ball back to the Argonauts. The Alouettes got a big break when Darius Williams intercepted Thompson’s pass and took it for a touchdown. However, Williams was down by contact, and the ball was placed on the 53-yard line. The Alouettes’ offense was able to get the ball down to Toronto’s 35-yard line before David Cote made a 43-yard field goal, tying the game 3-3.
Toronto would take a 4-3 lead before the first quarter ended when John Haggerty punted the ball into the endzone. Alouettes returner Chandler Worthy gave himself up in the endzone for the single-point.
In the second quarter, special teams continued to do all the scoring. The Alouettes took out Vernon Adams and put in Trevor Harris at quarterback in hopes of sparking the offense. However, even with Harris in there, Montreal continued to struggle. On the other side, Toronto’s offense could not do any better. The Argonauts took a 5-3 lead with 7:04 left after punter John Haggerty punted the ball into the endzone, and Montreal returner Chandler Worthy conceded the point.
On Montreal’s next possession, they were able to get down to the Argo’s 18-yard line before David Cote made a 26-yard field goal, putting Montreal up 6-5, with 4:02 left. Argonauts’ kicker Boris Bede added two field goals, one from 29-yards and the other for 38-yards, as Toronto led 11-6 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the game’s first touchdown went to Toronto. Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Banks, making it 18-6. Then, the Alouettes moved the ball down the field on their next possession but only got three points on an 18-yard field goal by David Cote, cutting Toronto’s lead 18-9.
Just before the third quarter ended, Toronto got another single point after kicker Boris Bede missed a 26-yard field goal, but the ball went out of bounds. The Argo’s led 19-9 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Alouettes’ offense woke up. Montreal made it a one-score game, 19-12, when David Cote made a 32-yard field goal with 13:27 left in the game. Then, Toronto added another single point when kicker Boris Bede missed a 45-yard field goal, and Chandler Worthy conceded the point, making it 20-12. Giving up that point was the difference maker in this game.
Then, with 5:03 left in the game, the Alouettes marched down to the Argo’s one-yard line, and third-string quarterback Dominique Davis ran in for the touchdown. Montreal tried to go for a two-point conversion but failed, and Toronto led 20-18.
Montreal had the ball for the final possession of the game. They made it to Toronto’s 13-yard line and brought in David Cote to kick the game-winning field goal. Instead, he missed it wide left but got the single point, and Toronto held on to a 20-19 win. This was a sloppy game, and the Argonauts got lucky. If Toronto wants a chance at getting into the playoffs, they must play better going forward.
Argo’s quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson went 22/31 for 269 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and one carry for nine yards, while Andrew Harris led the rushers with 11 carries for 87 yards. Markeith Ambles led the receivers with two catches for 67 yards, and the defense allowed 357 yards, 44 tackles, three sacks, five pass breakups, and one interception.
Meanwhile, Alouettes’ quarterback Trevor Harris was 18/30 for 270 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and three carries for 20 yards, while Jeshrun Antwi led the rushers with eight carries for 29 yards. Eugene Lewis led the receivers with seven catches for 127 yards, and the defense allowed 376 yards, 51 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
Next week, the Alouettes will have their home opener next Thursday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 7:30 pm on ESPN+, while the Argonauts visit the BC Lions on Saturday at 10 pm on ESPN2. Tickets for those games can be purchased thanks to our friends at StubHub.
