Toronto Argonauts defence reaches new level in win over Redblacks

In another crucial game against an East Division opponent, the unfortnToronto Argonauts defence made a statement in their win over the Ottawa Redblacks.

It seemed like the Toronto Argonauts and Ottawa Redblacks were on a collision course with both defences proving to be the consistent backbone of their teams.

This was the case in the first half as neither team wanting to give up the big play early. That was until the third quarter when the Argos defence and special teams flipped the script scoring 27 points.

Not since Oct. 21, 2004 has Toronto recorded a touchdown in all three phases (offence, defence and special teams) which is quite something when you consider how much time and effort teams spend crafting plays. It’s also a sign of progress considering this is just the second game with Chris Jones in charge of the defence.

The Argos saw a rookie quarterback who is still learning his way even after an impressive debut. Sure Caleb Evans threw for over 300 yards but he also had three interceptions including two that the Argos ran back to the house.

Unfortunately for Toronto, they lost Shane Ray who left the game with a leg injury just as he returned from the six-game injured list after suffering a broken finger.

Toronto Argonauts offence has lacklustre performance

The Argos were very fortunate that their defence were able to put up points because it was a struggle for the offence right from the start. As Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun mentioned after the game, Ottawa had 204 yards of offence while Toronto only had 87.

Ryan Dinwiddie pointed to a lack of execution and not being able to get the offensive line to make the plays they needed. This was especially true on short yard situations which has been an issue for the Argos all season long and Dinwiddie was clearly frustrated about not being able to make those plays.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier for Toronto as they will now travel to take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who have had the Argos number with their defensive play. It certainly helps that seeing the Argonauts defence is playing on another level to give them a chance in any game.

This is now up to the Argos line and McLeod Bethel-Thompson to try and make plays because if we see a repeat of what happened against Ottawa, it could be a tough game to win in the Hammer.

On top of that, this is likely the most important game the Argos will play this season as they try to gain separation in the East Division.

What did you think about the Argos performance against the Redblacks? Can they turn things around offensively against the Tiger-Cats? Let us know in the comments below.