Argonauts dominate BC Lions to stay undefeated
TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts’ defence picked off Vernon Adams Jr. six times as they defeated the BC Lions 45-24 on Monday night at BMO Field to remain undefeated.
Robertson Daniel had three interceptions for the Argos and tipped another to teammate Jonathan Jones.
Chad Kelly made 23-29 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown for the Argos.
Dominique Rhymes recorded two touchdowns for the Lions and teammate Keon Hatcher finished with 104 yards receiving and a touchdown. Adams finished the night 24-39 for 388 yards and three touchdowns to go with the plethora of picks.
Cam Phillips led the Argos’ receivers with 76 yards.
ADAMS AND THE LIONS FELL FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON (KEVIN SOUSA/CFL.CA)
Mathieu Betts took down Kelly for his league-leading sixth sack of the season on the Argos’ first drive of the game.
After first down passes to both Alexander Hollins and Hatcher, the Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter with a touchdown pass to Rhymes, who, along with Hatcher, was back in the lineup after missing time with an ankle injury.
The Argos woke up near the end of the first quarter, with Javon Leake returning a punt 91 yards for a touchdown to tie the game, and then Daniel ending the quarter with an interception.
Toronto carried that momentum into the second quarter, with Kurleigh Gittens Jr. taking the ball into the red zone and Cam Dukes punching it in on a short yardage play to give the Argos a one-score lead.
BC battled back with about five minutes to go in the half, when a two-play, 82-yard drive ended in another Rhymes touchdown.
Just before the three-minute warning, BC gave the ball back after Jonathan Jones intercepted a pass that Daniel tipped.
That led to a DaVaris Daniels touchdown to put the Argos ahead late in the half.
The Argo defence got to Adams a third time when a Tarvarus McFadden interception led to a 47-yard field goal from Boris Bede to give Toronto a 25-14 lead at the break.
Kelly finished the first half having completed 15 of 19 passes for 161 yards.
Both teams finished the half having made 10 first downs.
CHAD KELLY WON THE TURNOVER BATTLE AGAINST THE LIONS AND HELPED THE ARGOS JUMP TO 3-0 (KEVIN SOUSA/CFL.CA)
Despite throwing three picks in the first half, Adams stayed in at quarterback for the Leos to start the second half.
The Argos turned the ball over on downs on their first drive of the half, after a failed second-down conversion from Dukes.
The Lions would take advantage and add three on a 46-yard Sean Whyte field goal to cut the Argo lead to eight. But Bede added a field goal of his own to extend the Toronto lead to 28-17.
Betts added to his sack total with another takedown of Kelly late in the third quarter.
After Adams threw his fourth interception of the game and second of the game to the Argos’ Daniel, A.J. Ouellette ran the ball in for a touchdown to extend the lead to 35-17 late in the third quarter.
Adarius Pickett took down Adams for another Toronto sack on the very next drive.
Twenty-four of the Argos’ 35 points to this point in the game came off of turnovers.
Adams rebounded in the fourth quarter, connecting with Hatcher for his first touchdown reception of the 2023 season to cut the Toronto lead to 11.
That rebound was short-lived after his fifth interception of the night from Qwan’Tez Stiggers late in the fourth quarter.
Daniel punctuated the victory with his third interception of the game with about a minute left to play.
Lucky Whitehead did not play for BC. Eric Sutton, Jordan Williams, and Isiah Cage all missed the game for the Argos.
The Argonauts have a bye next week, travelling to Montreal for their next game in Week 6. BC will head home for its next game to face the same Alouettes in Week 5.
