The Toronto Argonauts (10-8) hosted the Ottawa Redblacks (9-8-1) on Saturday afternoon in the Eastern Semi-Final from BMO Field. The winner of this game advanced to the Eastern Final to play the Montreal Alouettes next Saturday.
First Quarter:
Ottawa got the ball to start the game from their 32-yard line. Quarterback Dru Brown began the game by throwing two passes for 15 yards to reach their 47-yard line. Next, Toronto defensive lineman Robbie Smith sacked Dru Brown for a two-yard loss. Then, Brown threw 4 of 7 passes for 54 yards and rushed for one yard to reach the Argonauts’ 10-yard line then the drive stalled. Kicker Lewis Ward made a 17-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 9:19 left of the first quarter.
Toronto started its first drive of the game from their 40-yard line. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed a 7-yard pass to Makai Polk, and running back Ka’Deem Carey rushed for one yard to reach their 48-yard line facing third down. Toronto punter John Haggerty punted the ball 51 yards to DeVonte Dedmon, who returned it for 16 yards to reach their 27-yard line with 7:47 left.
Ottawa wide receiver Bralon Addison began the next drive with a 9-yard run. Two plays later, quarterback Dru Brown completed a 7-yard pass to Dominique Rhymes to reach their 48-yard line. On the next play, Brown’s pass intended for Justin Hardy was incomplete but a defensive pass interference penalty on Benjie Franklin gave Ottawa an automatic first down from the Argonauts’ 30-yard line.
The offense continued to move the ball up to the Argonauts’ 4-yard line. Then, Brown threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Bralon Addison, who made a nice leaping catch with Royce Metchie on him. Ottawa extended their lead 10-0 with 1:58 left of the first quarter capping off an 11-play drive for 83 yards taking over five minutes off the clock.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly started the next drive by completing two passes for 35 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 34-yard line. Next, running back Ka’Deem Carey rushed for three yards but it got called back on a holding penalty by Dylan Giffen, then Deonta McMahon rushed for 7 yards to reach Redblacks’ 37-yard line when the drive stalled. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 44-yard field goal and Toronto trailed Ottawa 10-3 to end the first quarter.
Ottawa had 114 yards on offense (107 yards 9 yards rushing, 2 yards lost), 10 first downs, 1 for 2 in the red zone, and the team had no penalties. Quarterback Dru Brown completed 11 of 14 passes for 107 yards, and one touchdown.
Toronto had 50 yards on offense (42 yards passing, 8 yards rushing), 2 first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team was penalized three times for 47 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 3 of 4 passes for 42 yards. Ottawa dominated the time of possession at 11:47 while Toronto’s offense was on the field for 3:13.
Second Quarter:
Quarterback Dru Brown was sacked by Jordan Williams to begin the second quarter. Brown would complete a pass to Kalil Pimpleton for a one-yard loss forcing third down. Toronto got the ball back with 12:55 left from their 32-yard line.
Toronto running back Ka’Deem Carey started the next drive with a one-yard run. Then, Ottawa blitzed Chad Kelly with Lorenzo Mauldin IV hitting Kelly hard causing a fumble and it was recovered by Ottawa linebacker Bennett Williams on the Argonauts’ 23-yard line.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown was called for a time-count penalty backing them five yards. Next, Brown completed a short pass to Nick Mardner for a gain of 17 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 11-yard line then the drive stalled. Kicker Lewis Ward made a 20-yard field goal for a 13-3 lead with 9:36 left of the second quarter.
Toronto got back into the ball game when quarterback Chad Kelly threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Makai Polk and Toronto trailed Ottawa 13-10 with 9:04 left before halftime. Ottawa started its next possession from their 37-yard line.
Wide receiver DeVonte Dedmon started the next possession with a 6-yard run, followed by quarterback Dru Brown completing a 22-yard pass to Bralon Addison to reach the Argonauts’ 45-yard line. The offense continued to move the ball up to the Argonauts’ 10-yard line before kicker Lewis Ward made a 17-yard field goal for a 16-10 lead with 3:57 left of the second quarter.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly did not waste time on their next possession by throwing a 29-yard pass to Kevin Mital to reach the Redblacks’ 41-yard line. Then, Kelly threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to DaVaris Daniels giving Toronto a 17-16 lead with 3:09 left to cap off a two-play drive for 70 yards in 34 seconds.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown completed seven passes for 65 yards, and Bralon Addison rushed for three yards to reach the Argonauts’ 8-yard line. Then, Brown threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jaelon Acklin putting Ottawa back up 23-17 with six seconds left capping off a 9-play drive for 76 yards in three minutes.
Ottawa punter Richie Leone kicked the ball for 16 yards on a squib kick Kerfalla Exume at the Redblacks’ 46-yard line. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a 53-yard field goal and Toronto trailed Ottawa 23-20 at halftime.
First Half Stats:
Ottawa had 262 yards on offense (256 yards passing, 18 yards rushing, 12 yards lost), 19 first downs, 2 for 5 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for 10 yards.
Quarterback Dru Brown completed 26 of 31 passes (84%) for 256 yards, two touchdowns, and two carries for two yards. Wide receiver Bralon Addison had three carries for 14 yards, six catches for 73 yards, and one touchdown.
Wide receiver Dominique Rhymes made three catches for 42 yards, Justin Hardy made four catches for 41 yards, and Jaelon Acklin made two catches for 15 yards and one touchdown. Ottawa’s defense made one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Toronto had 181 yards on offense (182 yards, 9 yards rushing, 10 yards lost), 5 first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team was penalized three times for 47 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 6 of 7 passes (86%) for 182 yards, and two touchdowns.
Running back Deonta McMahon had one carry for 7 yards. Wide receiver Makai Polk made three catches for 101 yards, and one touchdown, while DaVaris Daniels made one catch for 41 yards, and one touchdown.
Third Quarter:
Toronto got the ball to start the third quarter from their 43-yard line after returner Janarion Grant returned the kickoff for 20 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly began the drive with a 14-yard run before getting hit as he was sliding by Frankie Griffin and Griffin was penalized for unnecessary roughness adding 15 yards where the ball was placed on the Redblacks’ 38-yard line.
Running back Ka’Deem Carey carried the ball three times for 29 yards before Chad Kelly threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to DaVaris Daniels for a 27-23 lead with 12:19 left capping off a five-play drive for 67 yards.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown began the next drive by throwing two passes for 10 yards, and he rushed for one yard reaching their 55-yard line then the drive stalled. Toronto got the ball back with 9:42 left of the third quarter.
Toronto running back Ka’Deem Carey started the next drive with a three-yard run. Next, quarterback Chad Kelly threw two passes for 68 yards, including a 57-yard pass to Makai Polk to reach the Redblacks’ 15-yard line. On the next play, Kelly could not find anyone open. He did several pump fakes getting the defense to freeze on his way to scoring a 15-yard touchdown extending Toronto’s lead 34-23 with 6:57 left to cap off a five-play drive for 86 yards.
For the next two possessions, Ottawa had 21 yards on offense before the drive stalled, and Toronto had -12 yards on offense including quarterback Chad Kelly getting sacked by Michael Wakefield for a loss of 8 yards. Ottawa got the ball back with 2:35 left from the Argonauts’ 49-yard line.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown completed one pass for 14 yards to Justin Hardy then the drive stalled. Kicker Lewis Ward made a 42-yard field goal and Ottawa trailed Toronto 34-26 with 1:01 left of the third quarter.
Toronto got the ball back with 48 seconds left. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed two passes for 36 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 44-yard line as the third quarter came to an end up 34-26.
Fourth Quarter:
In the fourth quarter, Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly completed three more passes for 24 yards, and Ka’Deem Carey rushed for 7 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 13-yard line. On the next play, Kelly threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jake Herslow for a 41-26 lead with 12:04 left to cap off an 8-play drive for 70 yards in three minutes.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown completed three straight passes for 47 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 16-yard line. On the next play, Brown threw a 15-yard pass to Justin Hardy which was initially ruled a touchdown before the play was overturned and the ball was placed on the one-yard line.
Third-string quarterback Dustin Crum had two failed attempts at the end zone before scoring the touchdown on third down. Ottawa went for a two-point conversion and did not get it. They trailed Toronto 41-32 with 8:01 left of the game to cap off a seven-play drive for 63 yards.
Toronto’s offense was back on the field from their 48-yard line after Janarion Grant returned the kickoff for 30 yards. Toronto’s offense moved the ball up to the Redblacks’ 27-yard line before kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 34-yard field goal for a 44-32 lead with 5:05 left of the game.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown completed three straight passes for 39 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 37-yard line. Two plays later, Brown tried to complete a pass to Justin Hardy but linebacker Wynton McManis snagged the ball for the interception. He returned it for 10 yards then lateralling the ball to Tarvarus McFadden to finish it off a pick-six touchdown extending their lead 51-321 with 2:23 left of the game.
On Ottawa’s next drive, quarterback Dru Brown completed two passes for 17 yards to reach their 54-yard line. On the next play, Brown’s pass intended for Justin Hardy was intercepted by Benjie Franklin for a pick-six 71-yard touchdown for a 58-32 lead with 1:46 left of the game.
Ottawa’s offense returned to the field from their 44-yard line. Quarterback Dru Brown led them down to the Argonauts’ 9-yard line. Brown threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Bralon Addison. They attempted a two-point conversion and did not get it.
Ottawa trailed Toronto 58-38 with 40 seconds left. They attempted an onside kick but Toronto recovered to end the game. The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 58-38 to advance to the Eastern Final against the Montreal Alouettes next Saturday.
The two teams combined for 96 points which tied the all-time record for most points scored in a game. The last time that happened was the 2011 Eastern Semi-Final between the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Final Stats:
Toronto had 406 yards on offense (358 yards passing, 79 yards rushing, 31 yards lost), 18 first downs, 3 for 4 in the red zone, and the team was penalized six times for 77 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 18 of 20 passes (90%) for 358 yards, 4 touchdowns, two carries for 29 yards, and one touchdown.
Running back Ka’Deem Carey had 9 carries for 43 yards. Wide receiver Makai Polk made four catches for 158 yards, and one touchdown, while DaVaris Daniels made four catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Toronto’s defense made 59 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, two touchdowns, and 10 tackles on special teams.
Ottawa had 487 yards on offense (476 yards passing, 23 yards rushing, 12 yards lost), 33 first downs, 4 for 7 in the red zone, and the team was penalized five times for 55 yards. Quarterback Dru Brown completed 46 of 61 passes (75.4%) for 476 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and three carries for three yards.
Brown broke Kerwin Bell’s 1998 playoff record for completions in a single game. Wide receiver Bralon Addison had four carries for 17 yards, 10 catches for 103 yards, and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton made 13 catches for 103 yards, while Jaelon Acklin made 7 catches for 70 yards, and one touchdown. Ottawa’s defense made 28 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and eight tackles on special teams.
Next Saturday, the Toronto Argonauts will take on the Montreal Alouettes at 3 pm on CTV and CFL+ where the winner will advance to the 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver. Subscribe to Fubo to watch all of the 2024 CFL Season. Purchase CFL tickets today on StubHub.
