By Canadian Press

Argonauts snap Redblacks win streak with 24-19 victory, further gap in East Division

Sep 10, 2022 | 2:37 PM

OTTAWA — The Toronto Argonauts tightened their grip on first place in the East Division with a 24-19 over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday afternoon.

Toronto (7-5) now has a four-point cushion over the second-place Montreal Alouettes (5-7). 

Despite a strong push in the second half, the Redblacks (3-9) left their 21,673 fans still waiting for their first home win at TD Place and saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.

Argos quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson finished the afternoon 27-of-39 passing for 365 yards to go with one touchdown and one interception. Ottawa counterpart Nick Arbuckle completed 26 of 40 passes for 290 yards and one interception.

A lacklustre first half by the Redblacks saw them trailing 13-6 at the half.

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Boris Bede connected on a 47-yard field goal early in the third quarter, but the Redblacks responded courtesy of a Lewis Ward 35-yard field goal to make it 16-9.

After picking up a single, Toronto looked to take full control after Kurleigh Gittens Jr. got the Argos down to Ottawa’s 12-yard line. Gittens scored on the next play on a 12-yard reception to make it a 24-9 lead.

Ottawa responded with its first TD of the day as Arbuckle marched the ball downfield and Caleb Evans capped the drive with a two-yard run to trim the deficit to eight.

Damon Webb intercepted a Bethel-Thompson pass at midfield and Ottawa was able to turn it into a 31-yard field goal to get within five with just over seven minutes remaining.

Ottawa then drove down to Toronto’s 13-yard line and gambled on third down, but fell short. The Redblacks were able to hem the Argos in deep and recovered the ball at the Toronto 35 for one final attempt to score, but failed to take advantage.

Trailing 13-0 with just under two minutes left in the first half, the Redblacks were able to get on the board as Lewis Ward connected on 48- and 47-yard field goals to make it a one-score game.

The Argos took a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter, due in great part to Damonte Coxie eluding four Ottawa defenders to run the ball down to the two-yard line. That set up a two-yard rushing TD from A.J. Ouellette. Bede added a 17-yard field goal late in the second quarter to make it 13-0.

Bede opened the scoring for the Argos early in the first quarter with a 51-yarder for his 200th career field goal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2022.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press