The Toronto Argonauts (9-7) visited Princess Auto Stadium on Friday night against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10-7) to start Thanksgiving Day Weekend.
There was a lot on the line for both teams. A win for Toronto would clinch the last playoff spot in the Eastern Division, while a win for Winnipeg would result in hosting the Western Final. This was the second meeting between these teams. They met in Week 8 where the Argonauts won in overtime.
First Quarter:
Winnipeg got the ball to start the game from their 40-yard line. They went two-and-out on their first possession. Toronto started its first drive from their 38-yard line with 13:25 left.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly began the drive by completing a five-yard pass to Kevin Mital, followed by running back Ka’Deem Carey getting two carries for 24 yards, including a 21-yard run to reach the Blue Bombers’ 43-yard line.
Two plays later, Kelly threw a short pass to Deonta McMahon for a gain of 17 yards, and McMahon rushed for a gain of three yards setting up Toronto at the Blue Bombers’ 13-yard line.
On the next play, quarterback Chad Kelly completed a short pass to David Ungerer III, who sprinted into the endzone for a 13-yard touchdown. Toronto took a 7-0 lead with 10:06 left capping off a six-play drive for 62 yards in over three minutes.
Toronto defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade sacked Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros for an 8-yard loss on the first play as the Blue Bombers went two-and-out. Winnipeg caught a break when linebacker Brian Cole stripped Toronto returner Janarion Grant of the football and recovered it on the Argonauts’ 9-yard line with 8:08 left of the first quarter.
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros completed a 7-yard pass to Brady Oliveira to reach the Argonauts’ 2-yard line. Backup quarterback Terry Wilson tried to score a touchdown on the first attempt but gained one-yard forcing third down. On third down, Toronto’s defense stopped Wilson on the one-yard line forcing a turnover on down with 6:28 left of the first quarter.
On first down, Winnipeg’s defense almost got to Chad Kelly, but he avoided getting sacked before completing a 19-yard pass to DaVaris Daniels to reach their 20-yard line. Running back Ka’Deem Carey gained five yards to reach their 25-yard line and the drive stalled afterward.
Winnipeg’s offense started on their next drive on their 44-yard line with 4:24 left of the first quarter. On the second play for Winnipeg, running back Brady Oliveira rushed for a gain of 26 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 40-yard line.
Then, quarterback Zach Collaros completed a six-yard pass to Kevens Clercius before the drive stalled. Kicker Sergio Castillo missed a 42-yard field goal wide left but they came away with a single point. It was now 7-1 Toronto with 1:55 left of the first quarter.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly completed two passes for 15 yards, while running backs Deonta McMahon and Ka’Deem Carey combined with two carries logging six yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 49-yard line facing third down to end the first quarter up 7-1.
Toronto had 107 yards on offense (69 yards passing, 38 yards rushing), six first downs, 1 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized three times for 30 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 6 of 7 passes for 69 yards, and one touchdown.
Winnipeg had 37 yards on offense (13 yards passing, 32 yards rushing, 8 yards lost), two first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized one time for 15 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 3 of 4 passes for 13 yards.
Second Quarter:
Toronto backup quarterback Cameron Dukes did not get the first down to start the second quarter, and Winnipeg took over on their 48-yard line. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed a 49-yard pass to Kenny Lawler to reach the Argonauts’ 13-yard line, and Brady Oliveira got them to the 10-yard line with a three-yard run.
However, the offense went backward when Collaros could not find anyone open and Jared Brinkman sacked him for a 10-yard loss. Kicker Sergio Castillo successfully kicked a 26-yard field goal and Winnipeg trailed Toronto 7-4 with 11:43 left before halftime.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly completed two passes for 13 yards and carried the ball twice for three yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 54-yard line before punting the ball back to Winnipeg with 8:47 left of the second quarter.
Winnipeg went two-and-out on their next possession giving the ball to Toronto with 6:56 left of the second quarter from their 47-yard line. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed two passes for 26 yards and rushed for one yard to reach the Blue Bombers’ 37-yard line. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 44-yard field goal for a 10-4 lead with 4:14 before halftime.
Both offenses went two-and-out on their next possessions. Toronto had the ball with 1:24 left of the second quarter from their 53-yard line. Quarterback Chad Kelly had two carries for 22 yards before kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 42-yard field goal extending Toronto’s lead 13-4 with 45 seconds left before halftime.
Toronto defensive linemen Ralph Holley and Jake Ceresna sacked Collaros for a 14-yard loss to close out the first half. The Argonauts led the Blue Bombers 13-4 at halftime.
First Half Stats:
Toronto had 178 yards on offense (114 yards passing, 64 yards rushing), 10 first downs, 1 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized four times for 40 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 12 of 16 passes (75%) for 114 yards, one touchdown, and five carries for 26 yards. Running back Ka’Deem Carey had four carries for 32 yards, while Deonta McMahon had three carries for five yards and three catches for 33 yards.
Wide receiver David Ungerer III made two catches for 20 yards, and one touchdown, while DaVaris Daniels made one catch for 19 yards. Toronto’s defense made five sacks and one turnover on down.
Winnipeg had 97 yards on offense (82 yards passing, 47 yards rushing, 32 yards lost), four first downs, 0 for 2 in the red zone, and the team was penalized one time for 15 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 6 of 9 passes (66%) for 82 yards, and one carry for five yards. Running back Brady Oliveira had six carries for 41 yards and one catch for seven yards.
Wide receiver Kenny Lawler made two catches for 67 yards, and Kevens Clercius made one catch for six yards. Winnipeg’s defense made two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and a turnover on down.
Third Quarter:
Toronto got the ball to start the second half from their 48-yard line. Running back Ka’Deem Carey and Daniel Adeboboye combined with two carries logging seven yards well short of the first down. Winnipeg started on their 24-yard line with 12:56 left of the third quarter.
Quarterback Zach Collaros started the drive with a five-yard run, followed by completing two passes for 17 yards to reach their 46-yard line. After backup quarterback Terry Wilson rushed for two yards to get the first down, Collaros threw four straight passes for 42 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 20-yard line.
On the next play, Collaros was sacked by Mark Milton losing the ball in the process and it was recovered by Wynton McManis for a six-yard run to reach their 26-yard line with 7:31 left of the third quarter. It was the sixth sack of the night by Toronto’s defense.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly started the drive by throwing a 39-yard pass to Makai Polk to reach the Blue Bombers’ 45-yard line. Toronto’s offense marched down to the Blue Bombers’ one-yard line. On second down, backup quarterback Cameron Dukes was stopped by Redha Kramdi. On third down, Winnipeg linebacker Tony Jones tackled Chad Kelly short of the end zone, and Winnipeg took over on downs from their one-yard line.
Winnipeg running back Johnny Augustine rushed for one yard, and quarterback Zach Collaros completed three passes for 32 yards to reach their 38-yard line as the third quarter ended down 13-4.
Fourth Quarter:
In the fourth quarter, Winnipeg continued to move the ball down to the Argonauts’ 40-yard line. On third down, Winnipeg kicker Sergio Castillo attempted a 48-yard field goal but the ball hit the right upright with 10:41 left of the game.
Toronto went two-and-out on their next possession, and Winnipeg’s offense was back out on their 26-yard line. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed four passes for 37 yards, and rushed for 14 yards, while running back Brady Oliveira had two carries for six yards plus a defensive pass interference penalty by Mark Milton placed the ball on the Argonauts’ one-yard line.
Backup quarterback Terry Wilson scored a one-yard touchdown with a quarterback sneak and Winnipeg trailed Toronto 13-11 with 4:18 left of the game to cap off a 10-play drive for 84 yards.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly threw a 26-yard pass to Makai Polk to reach the Blue Bombers’ 47-yard line and that was all they would get. Winnipeg’s offense was back out on the field with 2:27 left from their 20-yard line.
Quarterback Zach Collaros completed two passes for 24 yards, and an offsides penalty on Toronto defensive lineman Jake Ceresna placed the ball on the Blue Bombers’ 49-yard line. Next, Collaros rushed for a gain of three yards before Folarin Orimolade sacked him for a 7-yard loss backing them to their 45-yard line.
On 3rd and 17, Collaros could not find anyone open and took off. He ran near the out-of-bounds line for 17 yards extending his arm to get the first down. The refs measured to see if Collaros got the first down and he was a half-yard short. Winnipeg challenged the spot of the football but lost.
Winnipeg’s defense managed to stop Toronto with 33 seconds. Toronto punter John Haggerty punted the ball 58 yards into the end zone where Winnipeg returner Lucky Whitehead fell on the football giving up a single point. Toronto led 14-11 with 10 seconds left.
On the final play of the game, Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros threw the ball deep where it was intercepted by Folarin Orimolade to end the game. Toronto defeated Winnipeg 14-11 to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Division and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were eliminated.
Final Stats:
Toronto had 302 yards on offense (203 yards passing, 99 yards rushing), 15 first downs, 1 for 2 in the red zone, and the team was penalized 7 times for 76 yards.
Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 16 of 23 passes (70%) for 203 yards, one touchdown, and nine carries for 33 yards. Running back Ka’Deem Carey had five carries for 39 yards, and one catch for five yards, while Deonta McMahon had six carries for 22 yards and three catches for 33 yards.
Wide receiver Makai Polk made four catches for 82 yards, and DaVaris Daniels made two catches for 33 yards. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made 2 of 2 field goals with a long of 44 yards. Toronto’s defense made 50 tackles, seven sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and nine tackles on special teams.
Winnipeg had 322 yards on offense (249 yards passing, 112 yards rushing, 39 yards lost), 22 first downs, 1 for 4 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for 25 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 23 of 30 passes (77%) for 249 yards, one interception, and five carries for 44 yards. Running back Brady Oliveira had 12 carries for 64 yards and six catches for 41 yards.
Wide receiver Kenny Lawler made six catches for 108 yards, and Ontaria Wilson made four catches for 33 yards. Winnipeg’s defense made 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and six tackles on special teams.
Next week, the Toronto Argonauts host the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday at 3 pm on CTV, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are on a bye week. Subscribe to Fubo to watch all of the 2024 CFL Season. Purchase CFL tickets today on StubHub.
