Damon Allen hit Arland Bruce III with two first-half touchdowns as the Toronto Argonauts hung on to beat the Edmonton Eskimos 28-23 on Monday and cement an East Division playoff spot.
Allen's TD strikes to Bruce gave the Rogers Centre gathering of 26,891 spectators plenty to cheer about in the first half. But the situation got tense in the second when the defending Grey Cup champions erased a 25-7 deficit by scoring 16 straight points to trail just 25-23 in the fourth quarter.
A 39-yard Noel Prefontaine field goal at 5:27 gave the Argos a 28-23 cushion. Edmonton countered with a nine-play, 58-yard drive to the Argos' 17-yard line that ended when Riall Johnson knocked the ball loose from Ricky Ray and it was recovered by Jonathan Brown at Edmonton 35-yard line with 4:50 remaining.
The Eskimos got the ball back at their 29-yard line with 1:53 remaining but could only drive to the Toronto 53-yard line before turning the ball over on downs with 55 seconds remaining.
The loss tarnished an outstanding performance by Edmonton's Troy Davis, who rushed for 188 yards on 22 carries.
Toronto (9-6) moved into a first-place tie with Montreal atop the East Division. The Alouettes also clinched a playoff berth Monday with a 35-8 home win over Saskatchewan.
Edmonton (5-10) remains last in the West Division but amazingly still in playoff contention. But the defending Grey Cup champions certainly need help as any combination of Saskatchewan wins or Eskimos losses adding to three will eliminate them from post-season play for the first time in 35 years.
The Argos featured former NFL first-round picks John Avery and Ricky Williams in the same backfield for the first time this year, with Williams lining up at fullback. Although neither score, both were effective as Williams rushed for 71 yards on seven carries while Avery added 66 yards on 11 carries. And with both runners going well, the Eskimos had to respect Toronto's rushing game, which often gave the receivers one-on-one coverage downfield.
Edmonton made it close in the third. Ray's one-yard TD run at 6:59 capped an 82-yard, 12-play drive to open the second half. Then, after the Eskimos stopped Toronto's third-down gamble at the visitors' 39-yard line, Ray ended a 71-play, five-yard march with another one-yard scoring sneak to cut the Argos' lead to 25-23.
Toronto's decision to gamble was questionable, given they were easily within field-goal range. But following Williams' nine-yard run on first down, the home team had backup quarterback Michael Bishop throw instead of securing the first down with his legs. And when Bishop's pass fell incomplete, the Eskimos stopped him on third down, with Toronto unsuccessfully challenging the ball spot.
Toronto sent the officials to the replay booth later in the quarter, challenging an incompletion call on the field. But despite the television replay showing Bruce III making the reception, the call wasn't overturned and the Argos had to punt.
It marked the second straight week a controversial replay call was made at Rogers Centre. In last week's 23-16 home win over Calgary, the Stampeders had a late reception at the Toronto five-yard line ruled incomplete, a decision later supported by replay.
Jordan Younger scored the other touchdown for Toronto. Prefontaine booted the converts, two field goals and a single.
Ed Hervey had Edmonton's other touchdown. Sean Fleming kicked three converts. The other points came on a safety.
Toronto rode Allen's hot hand in the second for a 25-9 half-time lead. Allen was 7-of-7 passing for 105 yards and touchdown tosses of 23 and 14 yards to Bruce III. The only blemish on the Argos' play was Prefontaine's bobbled third-down snap on the game's final play that resulted in an Edmonton safety.
Younger provided the fireworks in the first, returning an interception 72 yards for the TD and a 10-0 Toronto lead at 6:23. But Edmonton countered with Ray's 25-yard touchdown pass to Hervey at 12:49 to cut the Argos' lead to 10-7.
NOTES _ Toronto's scratches consisted of defensive backs Khalil Carter, Dave Donaldson and Jermaine Mays and receiver R. Jay Soward. Edmonton didn't dress offensive lineman Glen Carson, defensive back Keyuo Craver, receiver Trevor Gaylor and defensive lineman Jermaine Lee.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
