By Richard Obrand,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Toronto – The Toronto Argonauts (5-2-0) are most certainly for real.
With their 37-22 win over the visiting Montreal Alouettes (5-2-0), the Cleo Lemon-led Argos sent shockwaves around the league, seemingly notifying everyone of their presence. We’ve arrived, they said.
The CFL rookie, Lemon, had three touchdown passes in the win, completing 13 of 19 passes for 269 yards in the process. Lemon received solid offensive support from former Alouettes kick-returner Chad Owens who provided all the offence needed for the Argos. With Lemon’s main target Jeremaine Copeland out of the game with an injury sustained in the first quarter, Owens picked up the slack and then some, reeling in six passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
Toronto receiver Andre Durie also had a receiving touchdown for the Argos, while running back Cory Boyd rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts.
What went wrong?
The first quarter saw both the Als and Argos entertain the Rogers Centre crowd with sloppy play, as both offences were unable to garner anything offensively.
The Als also seemed to be clicking offensively, as quarterback Anthony Calvillo passed for completed 37 of his 49 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns. However, the bulk of Calvillo’s work seemed to occur outside of Toronto’s redzone, rarely pressuring the Argos’ secondary deep inside their zone.
The Als provided a brief comeback in the second half after Calvillo found SJ Green all alone downfield for a 49-yard touchdown to bring the Alouettes within 10 of the Argos. However, after Damon Duval missed a field goal attempt that would have brought the Als within a touchdown, the Argos answered in fine fashion with Lemon completing a 40-yard pass to Owens in the endzone to give Toronto a 37-22 lead that sealed the victory.
Stat line
After posting career numbers against the Argos in Week 5, running back Avon Cobourne was a lot quieter this week, garnering just 26 yards on 11 attempts. However the Als received offensive help from receiver Kerry Watkins who continues his strong 2010 season with another 100-yard receiving game, his third of the season.
Watkins finished the night with six receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. It was Watkins’ six score of the season, good enough for second in the league among receivers.
Defensively, the Als received a strong effort from Jermaine McElveen who recorded his fifth sack of the season and also had a forced fumble.
The Alouettes next play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McGill on Aug. 19 at 7:30 pm EST on RDSHD, TSNHD, NRJ, CJAD
Notes:
It was Toronto’s first win against the Alouettes since 2007.
The Als now share a lead in first place with the Argonauts.
