The Montreal Alouettes were unable to stop the Toronto Argonauts’ ground game — and kicker — on Saturday night, losing for the first time this season in eight road games, 31-37.
The Toronto team ran the ball 30 times for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Running backs Ka’Deem Carey and Deonta McMahon crossed the goal line.
Lirim Hajrullahu set a team record with eight field goals. He didn’t miss a single one.
“I didn’t know eight was the record,” Hajrullahu said. “We knew they were a tough opponent and we wanted to come out on top. It gets tough in the East, and we’re ready.”
Despite this setback, the Alouettes players were crowned champions of the Eastern division thanks to the Ottawa Redblacks’ 16-29 defeat against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“We were there to win a football game,” said Alouettes linebacker Darnell Sankey, who made six tackles and a sack.
“We’re not going to use that as an excuse, we didn’t play our best game. Kudos to Toronto. They executed their game plan better than we did. They were the better team tonight.”
The Montreal team will play the Eastern final at home on November 9.
Quarterback Cody Fajardo had an honest night, completing 20 of 29 passes for 225 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Chad Kelly completed 19 of 30 passes for 287 yards and one interception.
With this victory, the Argos move within one point of the Red and Blacks and second place in the East, but they also take a four-point lead over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and fourth place.
“Lirim was great, we’ve got to make those kicks,” Argonauts coach Ryan Dinwiddie said. “But we’ve got to do better coming into the end zone.”
“We can’t make eight field goals. I know that’s a [CFL] record, but I’d take one to score a couple of touchdowns.”
Effective ground game from the Argonauts
The Argonauts were the first to get on the scoreboard, with a 32-yard field goal from Hajrullahu in the first quarter.
Dionte Ruffin then made his fifth interception of the campaign and Fajardo wasted no time in making the Argonauts pay.
On the next play, the Alouettes pivot connected with Walter Fletcher for 10 yards for the touchdown.
Kelly then used his running backs extensively and the Argonauts got close to the end zone three times, but each time they were unable to capitalize.
Hajrullahu made a field goal each time, bringing the score to 12-7 in favor of his team.
By dint of running with the ball, the Argonauts finally found the paying zone.
Ka’Deem Carey scored the team’s first touchdown on a five-yard run.
“This win is huge,” Carey said. “It could change the course of our season and I’m going to make sure it changes the course of our season.”
That’s when Fajardo started moving.
The Montreal quarterback first connected with Charleston Rambo for 11 yards, then Spieker for 39 and 35 yards, for the touchdown.
James Letcher Jr. then scored a 100-yard kick return touchdown to give the Alouettes a 22-19 lead, but the Argonauts tied it 22-22 on Hajrullahu’s fifth field goal with three seconds left in the first half.
The Alouettes had a chance to take the lead early in the third quarter, but Jose Maltos missed his 45-yard field goal attempt.
The Argonauts then responded with their favorite weapon in this encounter: the ground game.
This time, McMahon scored the touchdown on a six-yard run.
In the fourth quarter, Hajrullahu gave the Argonauts a 31-23 lead with his sixth field goal of the game, but Fajardo stepped up again.
The Sparrows quarterback completed four straight passes, the last of which was a 34-yarder to Reggie White Jr. Dominique Davis put the finishing touch on a quarterback sneak into the end zone.
Fajardo then connected with Tyler Snead for a two-point convert to make it 31-31.
With just over two minutes left, Hajrullahu made his seventh field goal of the game, which would seal the outcome. He added an eighth late in the game to set the record.
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