Recap: Toronto 30, Ottawa 24
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Comeback kids strike again as Argos edge REDBLACKS
Posted: August 23,2015 07:00PM
Updated: August 23,2015 09:51PM
CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO – Swayze Waters kicked the game-winning points and Trevor Harris threw three touchdown passes, leading the Argos to a 30-24 comeback win over the REDBLACKS on Sunday at the Rogers Centre.
Vidal Hazelton scored the game-tying touchdown on a highlight-reel diving catch in the back of the end zone, then Waters, back for his first game since being injured in the season-opener in Fort McMurray, sailed the Argos ahead on a 34-yard field goal. The Argo defence held it down the rest of the way to clinch the Argos their third straight win and move them into a first-place tie with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 6-2.
Harris continued his torrid start to the 2015 season with three touchdown passes while the rookie trio of Kevin Elliott, Tori Gurley and Hazelton weighed in with a touchdown each, as the Argos built on a 'comeback kids' monaker that grows and grows.
Henry Burris was stellar for the REDBLACKS in the loss, at one point completing 15 consecutive passes on the way to a 32-for-35 day with 426 passing yards. But it wasn't enough as the 29-year-old Harris, who entered the game with 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions and a league-best 116 quarterback rating, was efficient as always in leading the Argos to the win.
Ernest Jackson checked in with 114 yards on six
catches while Jeremiah Johnson scored two touchdowns and rushed for 40
yards after getting the nod in the Ottawa offensive backfield.
The Argos have trailed in seven of eight games this season in the fourth quarter and came back to win six of those games.
On the heels of a 48-3 loss a week ago, the REDBLACKS seized the early momentum in this Week 9 matinee, starting with a sack by Damaso Munoz on the first play from scrimmage. After both teams punted, Ottawa’s offence got the ball rolling looking to put Ottawa on the board first.
Burris dropped back and saw Jackson sneak behind coverage, connecting with the first-year REDBLACK signed in the off-season for a 55-yard pickup on second down. After 22 more yards for Jackson on a catch-and-run, Johnson, once an Argo, finished off the drive with his second touchdown of 2015 to give Ottawa a 7-0 lead.
Notorious for their slow starts, the Argos settled down after that.
With the ball at the Ottawa 49, Harris started with consecutive completions before connecting with the slippery Anthony Coombs, who evaded tacklers and refused to go down on the way to a 23-yard pickup. After an incomplete pass, the Argo pivot then dropped back and found a wide open Elliott for a 15-yard touchdown.
The score marked Harris’ 17th touchdown pass of the season and knotted the score at 7-7 through exactly 15 minutes of play.
As the offences jockeyed for field position and Waters booted a 23-yard field goal, his first since being sidelined during the season opener in Fort McMurray, the Argos got the ball moving with time ticking down on the first half.
Harris methodically worked the Argo offence down field while Hazelton sprinted for a 29-yard gain on a catch-and-run, setting the Boatmen up inside the red zone. From there, a blown coverage led to a wide open Gurley in the back of the end zone and Harris made no mistake, lobbing one up for his second touchdown of the half.
Harris finished the first half with 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18-of-23 passing while the Argos led 17-7.
While the Argos have earned a reputation as a second-half team, so too have the REDBLACKS. They showed they weren’t going away early in the third quarter, starting with a 36-yard field goal by Chris Milo to make it a one-score game.
A hard-earned catch by Greg Ellingson in heavy coverage moved Ottawa right within striking distance, but the Argo defence tightened up around midfield as it had throughout most of the first three quarters.
Later in the third, however, Burris cracked the code for the second time in a game. A quick slant to Jackson for 16 yards got the drive moving into Argo territory, then on second down Burris escaped heavy pressure on a blitz by the Argo secondary and scrambled for nine yards and a first down -- one that would eventually hold the key to the drive.
On another second down play, Burris hit Johnson out of the backfield and the running back beat the linebacker to make the catch and pick up the first down. A catch by Chris Williams moved the sticks on second down yet again, and finally Johnson finished off the drive with his second touchdown of the game to tie things up at 17.
With the game tied, Harris looked to get back in a rhythm after a quiet third quarter. But on the next throw, he was picked off by Jerrell Gavins for the pick-six, suddenly giving the REDBLACKS their first lead since the first quarter.
Two touchdowns within two minutes gave Ottawa a 24-17 lead on Gavins' first career touchdown, while the pick marked the first of Harris' last 175 passing attempts.
But just as Harris had passed every test of adversity he faced so far this season, again he did on Sunday. An objectionable conduct penalty against Brandon McDonald kept a stalled drive alive, and Harris made the REDBLACKS pay. A 19-yard pickup by Coombs put the Boatmen inside the red zone, then Harris connected with a diving Hazelton in the back of the end zone for the game-tying touchdown.
With a tidal wave of momentum at its back, the Argo defence forced a quick two-and-out. A botched punt gave the Argos field position on the Ottawa side of half and while the Ottawa defence held, Waters connected on the short field goal to put the Argos right back in the lead.
Waters added another field goal to make it a six-point game, while
the Argo defence thwarted a furious late-game drive by Burris and the
REDBLACKS to keep the Argos just ahead. A forced fumble by Tristan
Okpalaugo put this one away for good, the second forced fumble by the
Argo defence of the game.
Harris was efficient as always but not perfect, a pick-six tarnishing an otherwise solid effort that ended with 266 yards on 21-of-31 passing with three touchdowns and one interception. One thing Harris did do was spread the football, connecting with seven different receivers at least twice each and none of them getting more than four catches.
Coombs enjoyed one of his best games as a pro, hauling in three catches for 51 yards. while Hazelton had a team-high 55 yards on four catches and continues to lead the Argos this season in receiving yards, on pace for a 1,000-yard season in his rookie year.
Jackson and Ellingson each had 100-yard games for Ottawa, the latter picking up 110 yards on four catches.
The Argo defence picked up three sacks and forced a pair of fumbles, but in doing so allowed Burris to complete 89 per cent of his passes.
With a Labour Day matchup against the Ticats fast looming, the Argos will first try to stay in the win column next week in Edmonton against Chris Jones and the Eskimos. The REDBLACKS, meanwhile, look to brush aside a mini two-game losing streak when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, Aug. 30.
TORONTO – Swayze Waters kicked the game-winning points and Trevor Harris threw three touchdown passes, leading the Argos to a 30-24 comeback win over the REDBLACKS on Sunday at the Rogers Centre.
Vidal Hazelton scored the game-tying touchdown on a highlight-reel diving catch in the back of the end zone, then Waters, back for his first game since being injured in the season-opener in Fort McMurray, sailed the Argos ahead on a 34-yard field goal. The Argo defence held it down the rest of the way to clinch the Argos their third straight win and move them into a first-place tie with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 6-2.
Harris continued his torrid start to the 2015 season with three touchdown passes while the rookie trio of Kevin Elliott, Tori Gurley and Hazelton weighed in with a touchdown each, as the Argos built on a 'comeback kids' monaker that grows and grows.
Henry Burris was stellar for the REDBLACKS in the loss, at one point completing 15 consecutive passes on the way to a 32-for-35 day with 426 passing yards. But it wasn't enough as the 29-year-old Harris, who entered the game with 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions and a league-best 116 quarterback rating, was efficient as always in leading the Argos to the win.
| Related: REDBLACKS at Argos |
|---|
 » View Game Stats » Images: OTT at TOR» Watch: Hazelton lunges for tying TD » Watch: Toronto 30, Ottawa 24 » REDBLACKS aim to bounce back in Toronto |
The Argos have trailed in seven of eight games this season in the fourth quarter and came back to win six of those games.
On the heels of a 48-3 loss a week ago, the REDBLACKS seized the early momentum in this Week 9 matinee, starting with a sack by Damaso Munoz on the first play from scrimmage. After both teams punted, Ottawa’s offence got the ball rolling looking to put Ottawa on the board first.
Burris dropped back and saw Jackson sneak behind coverage, connecting with the first-year REDBLACK signed in the off-season for a 55-yard pickup on second down. After 22 more yards for Jackson on a catch-and-run, Johnson, once an Argo, finished off the drive with his second touchdown of 2015 to give Ottawa a 7-0 lead.
Notorious for their slow starts, the Argos settled down after that.
With the ball at the Ottawa 49, Harris started with consecutive completions before connecting with the slippery Anthony Coombs, who evaded tacklers and refused to go down on the way to a 23-yard pickup. After an incomplete pass, the Argo pivot then dropped back and found a wide open Elliott for a 15-yard touchdown.
The score marked Harris’ 17th touchdown pass of the season and knotted the score at 7-7 through exactly 15 minutes of play.
As the offences jockeyed for field position and Waters booted a 23-yard field goal, his first since being sidelined during the season opener in Fort McMurray, the Argos got the ball moving with time ticking down on the first half.
Harris methodically worked the Argo offence down field while Hazelton sprinted for a 29-yard gain on a catch-and-run, setting the Boatmen up inside the red zone. From there, a blown coverage led to a wide open Gurley in the back of the end zone and Harris made no mistake, lobbing one up for his second touchdown of the half.
Harris finished the first half with 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18-of-23 passing while the Argos led 17-7.
While the Argos have earned a reputation as a second-half team, so too have the REDBLACKS. They showed they weren’t going away early in the third quarter, starting with a 36-yard field goal by Chris Milo to make it a one-score game.
A hard-earned catch by Greg Ellingson in heavy coverage moved Ottawa right within striking distance, but the Argo defence tightened up around midfield as it had throughout most of the first three quarters.
Later in the third, however, Burris cracked the code for the second time in a game. A quick slant to Jackson for 16 yards got the drive moving into Argo territory, then on second down Burris escaped heavy pressure on a blitz by the Argo secondary and scrambled for nine yards and a first down -- one that would eventually hold the key to the drive.
On another second down play, Burris hit Johnson out of the backfield and the running back beat the linebacker to make the catch and pick up the first down. A catch by Chris Williams moved the sticks on second down yet again, and finally Johnson finished off the drive with his second touchdown of the game to tie things up at 17.
With the game tied, Harris looked to get back in a rhythm after a quiet third quarter. But on the next throw, he was picked off by Jerrell Gavins for the pick-six, suddenly giving the REDBLACKS their first lead since the first quarter.
Two touchdowns within two minutes gave Ottawa a 24-17 lead on Gavins' first career touchdown, while the pick marked the first of Harris' last 175 passing attempts.
But just as Harris had passed every test of adversity he faced so far this season, again he did on Sunday. An objectionable conduct penalty against Brandon McDonald kept a stalled drive alive, and Harris made the REDBLACKS pay. A 19-yard pickup by Coombs put the Boatmen inside the red zone, then Harris connected with a diving Hazelton in the back of the end zone for the game-tying touchdown.
With a tidal wave of momentum at its back, the Argo defence forced a quick two-and-out. A botched punt gave the Argos field position on the Ottawa side of half and while the Ottawa defence held, Waters connected on the short field goal to put the Argos right back in the lead.
Video
Hazelton Makes Great Grab For A TD
Harris was efficient as always but not perfect, a pick-six tarnishing an otherwise solid effort that ended with 266 yards on 21-of-31 passing with three touchdowns and one interception. One thing Harris did do was spread the football, connecting with seven different receivers at least twice each and none of them getting more than four catches.
Coombs enjoyed one of his best games as a pro, hauling in three catches for 51 yards. while Hazelton had a team-high 55 yards on four catches and continues to lead the Argos this season in receiving yards, on pace for a 1,000-yard season in his rookie year.
Jackson and Ellingson each had 100-yard games for Ottawa, the latter picking up 110 yards on four catches.
The Argo defence picked up three sacks and forced a pair of fumbles, but in doing so allowed Burris to complete 89 per cent of his passes.
With a Labour Day matchup against the Ticats fast looming, the Argos will first try to stay in the win column next week in Edmonton against Chris Jones and the Eskimos. The REDBLACKS, meanwhile, look to brush aside a mini two-game losing streak when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, Aug. 30.
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