Dru Brown leads resilient REDBLACKS past Argos

The Ottawa REDBLACKS rallied back from a 21-point first-quarter deficit to edge the Toronto Argonauts 46-42 in a thrilling ToonieBet Rivalry Game at BMO Field on Saturday.

Dru Brown — who missed the clubs’ first meeting in Week 4 — was the difference, connecting on 26 of his 31 throws for 373 yards and five touchdowns to lead Ottawa to its first win against an East Division opponent this season.

Bralon Addison led the way with 115 receiving yards and a touchdown, Justin Hardy added 106 yards and two scores, while Eugene Lewis contributed 51 yards and two touchdowns to cap Ottawa’s dominant aerial assault. William Stanback also played a role with a season-high 84 rushing yards on 17 totes to help the REDBLACKS improve to 3-6.

Nick Arbuckle posted one of his strongest stat lines of the season, going 32-for-38 with 317 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, but it wasn’t enough as the Argos fell to 2-7.

Before the game, franchise legends Nick Volpe and Chris Schultz were inducted as All-Time Argos.

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It was all Argos to start. Arbuckle worked the flats on the opening drive for five straight completions, then — after the defence adjusted underneath — fired one over the top to Dejon Brissett for a 26-yard touchdown. Lirim Hajrullahu hit the extra point and added a single on the kickoff as Toronto raced to an 8-0 lead in under five minutes.

Brown looked eager to answer. Keelan White reeled one in for a 24-yard chunk to set up a field goal attempt, but Lewis Ward’s bid sailed wide for a single.

After being pinned deep, Ottawa’s Richie Leone punted from his own red zone, and Janarion Grant broke through the first wave for a 27-yard return, setting Toronto up at the REDBLACKS’ 31-yard line. On the very next snap, Arbuckle evaded pressure and found Jake Herslow wide open at the goal line for the major. Lirim Hajrullahu’s conversion stretched the lead to 15-1.

With the first quarter winding down, the REDBLACKS engineered an efficient drive into field goal range. On the last play of the frame, Brown rolled out of the pocket looking for an open receiver, but instead got blasted by Cameron Judge and lost the ball. Jordan Williams was there to scoop it off the turf before rumbling 77 yards for the touchdown. Hajrullahu’s extra point punctuated a dominant opening quarter for the Argos.

Despite the fumble, both quarterbacks were razor-sharp out of the gate — Brown opened eight-for-eight for 88 yards, while Arbuckle was a perfect 10-for-10 for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

Desperate for a spark, Khalil Pimpleton delivered with a 57-yard punt return to the Toronto six-yard line, taking advantage of an Argos coverage unit that has surrendered a league-high four return touchdowns this season. Two plays later, Brown lofted a pass to the back of the end zone for Lewis, his first receiving major since Week 5. Ward’s convert trimmed the deficit to 22-8.

Ottawa built momentum after their second two-and-out of the quarter, working the ensuing drive for a 35-yard field goal from Ward — and they weren’t done.

On the next series, Brown recovered a botched snap and turned it into a 22-yard strike to Lewis on second-and-eight, then strung together three more completions of 10-plus yards. He finished the march with a 42-yard bomb to Addison, who added a toe-tapping grab on the two-point convert to cap 18 unanswered points and pull Ottawa within 22-19.

Arbuckle answered with a field goal drive, highlighted by Herslow’s clean hurdle on a 29-yard catch-and-run, sending Toronto into halftime up 25-19.

Daniel Adeboboye made his mark to open the second half. After dropping the kickoff, the former Argo recovered and broke free for a 72-yard return before being pushed out. From the Toronto 11, Lewis sold a slant-and-go to shake Benjie Franklin and slip wide open at the back of the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. Ward missed the convert, but his ensuing kickoff skipped past Grant and into the end zone for a single, giving Ottawa its first lead of the night at 26-25.

The Argos answered with a gruelling 10-play march. Brissett’s 24-yard spark set the tone, and Arbuckle dinked and dunked to the red zone before converting a gutsy third-and-four with his legs, then plunging in from the one. His bid to stretch the lead to seven on a two-point try fell short.

Ottawa wouldn’t be outdone. On their response, Brown hit deep throws to move the chains on second-and-15 and second-and-11, then capped the drive with a 19-yard jump ball to Hardy in the end zone. Stanback’s run on the two-point try fell just short of the goal line, keeping the score at 32-31 in Ottawa’s favour.

Toronto had a chance to retake the lead, but Hajrullahu’s 39-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide. Pimpleton ensured the return stayed out of the end zone, preserving Ottawa’s one-point edge as the third quarter expired.

After the REDBLACKS opened the fourth with a quick two-and-out — highlighted by a huge second-down sack from Wynton McManis — the Argos threatened again. Arbuckle completed five straight passes for 38 yards and finished the drive with a bullet to DaVaris Daniels for six. This time, Arbuckle’s two-point pass to Herslow was good, pushing Toronto back to a seven-point lead.

It didn’t take long for Ottawa to get back into striking distance after Brown’s 39-yard deep shot to Pimpleton. Helped by an Argos’ penalty inside the five, the REDBLACKS brought out short-yardage specialist Dustin Crum to power it in. Ward’s extra point evened it up at 39-39.

Arbuckle responded in turn, hitting Damonte Coxie and Ungerer III for 29 combined yards, but former Argo Robert Priester made a great play in coverage to force a field goal. Hajrullahu’s 45-yard kick put Toronto ahead, though after the wild fourth quarter, the lead felt anything but secure.

With under three minutes left, the REDBLACKS methodically marched downfield, winding down the clock in search of a walk-off score. In the red zone, Brown stood tall in the pocket as he pinned a dart to Hardy near the pylon, and the pass catcher held on for his second touchdown of the game and fourth in two contests. Ward hit an important extra point to make it a four-point game.

In desperation mode, Arbuckle fired one downfield, but it was Priester stepping up again, this time coming away with the interception to ice the game.

The REDBLACKS roll on to Winnipeg in Week 10, where they take on the Blue Bombers on Thursday, August 14, while the Argos head to Edmonton to meet the Elks on August 15.