The Toronto Argonauts got touchdowns from their offence, defence and special teams, while Saskatchewan couldn’t find the end zone until late in the fourth quarter on Saturday as the Argos picked up a 31-13 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Riders QB Mason Fine was 27 for 39 with 302 yards and two interceptions before being relieved late in the game.
Despite a convincing win, Argos QB Chad Kelly was only 13 for 21 with 122 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Roughriders offence began with some promise with a couple of completions to Shawn Bane Jr., but just as they were starting to make progress, Jamal Morrow was stuffed on a short yardage attempt forcing Saskatchewan to punt following a three-yard loss.
On the ensuing punt the Argos Javon Leake gave his team a good field position with a 41-yard punt return. Toronto would open the scoring with a field goal from Boris Bede.
Leake was not finished for the Argos, later in the first quarter, the returner went the distance with a 71-yard return.
Bede extended the lead for Toronto with another field goal.
Fine’s struggles continued in the second quarter, with Robertson Daniel recording his fourth interception of the season.
Toronto took full advantage of the turnover with Dejon Brissett’s two-yard touchdown. The Argonauts added a two-point conversion to create a 21-0 margin.
Saskatchewan’s offence was able to march down the field late in the first half but walked away with no points. Morrow’s attempt to stretch into the endzone was knocked loose and recovered by the Argos, preventing the Roughriders from recording their first points of the game.
In the second half the Roughriders offence moved the ball down the field on their second possession. After reaching the Argos 21-yard line, Saskatchewan was forced back following a holding penalty on Peter Godber, followed by a Toronto sack. Brett Lauther would put the Roughriders on the board with a 39-yard field goal.
The Roughriders had another opportunity to add more points but came up empty-handed. Late in the third quarter, Fine found Jake Wieneke for a 13-yard completion to set up Saskatchewan with a 1st and goal at the Argos six.
On the final play of the third quarter, Fine took an intentional grounding penalty that pushed Saskatchewan back to the 15-yard line.
Facing third and goal from the Argos 15-yard line. Fine couldn’t connect o a pass to a wide-open Brayden Lenius in the endzone as Saskatchewan walked away empty-handed.
The final dagger of the game came when DaShaun Amos picked off Fine’s pass and returned it for a 58-yard touchdown. The interception meant the end of Fine’s day as Jake Dolegala came in relief.
It was too little too late, but Dolegala ended his first drive with a 31-yard touchdown completion. The touchdown was Saskatchewan’s first trip to the end zone since the fourth quarter of Riders loss to Calgary Stampeders in Week 6.
Dolegala ended up 4 for 5 with 100 passing yards and a touchdown.
Shawn Bane Jr. and Tevin Jones both went over the 100-yard receiving mark, Bane Jr. had 144 receiving yards with Jones picking up 133 yards. Samuel Emilus also had 91 yards through the air for the green and white.
With the loss, Saskatchewan drops below .500 for the first time this season (3-4).
Following during the 5th Quarter with Michael Ball and Luc Mullinder, head coach Craig Dickenson reaffirmed his commitment to Fine as the team’s starting quarterback.
He explained that he wanted to give Dolegala a look late in the game.
“It was the time and place to put Jake (Dolegala) in, he’s worked hard, he put in his time to let him play a little too.”
Dickenson noted the team’s execution still needs to improve.
“We got to play better in all three phases and our guys know it, and that was the message to the team, to beat good teams, you can’t have mistakes.”
The Roughriders will be back in action on Sunday, August 6 at home against the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
