By Gilbert Ngabo

Copyright thestar

Any football fan watching Friday night’s game between Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes must have wondered whether it was a display of strong defence or simply lousy offence on both sides.

On a night when each team was looking to gain some momentum in the East Division playoff race, it was the visitors who prevailed 21-19 thanks to a late interception, leaving left head coach Ryan Dinwiddie still searching for answers in a challenging season.

“It’s tough. We were right there in field-goal range at the end,” Dinwiddie said.

Argos quarterback Jarret Doege’s pass was intercepted by Wesley Sutton with just 15 seconds on the clock, ending any hopes of a comeback.

“Every game comes down to the wire — it seems like all of our games (do) — but I’m proud of that effort by our group,” the coach said. “Great fight. We’re not dead yet … Now we’ve got four games and we’ve probably got to win all four.”

Both teams had trouble finding an offensive rhythm, combining for 15 punts and just 31 first downs. The Argos found the end zone only once, courtesy of receiver Jake Herslow, who has recorded a touchdown in six straight games, while the Alouettes had two touchdowns on the night. Toronto’s defence forced three turnovers while giving up only one, and the Argos allowed three sacks to Montreal’s four.

The Alouettes also swept the season series for the first time since 2011.

The quarterbacks

Toronto’s lack of firepower could be attributed to the absence of injured quarterbacks Chad Kelly and Nick Arbuckle. In his third CFL season, Doege — who entered late, in relief of Arbuckle, in last week’s victory over the Edmonton Elks — was thrown into the lion’s den after only two full practices with the first team. The 27-year-old passer completed 25 of 37 attempts for 207 yards and added 18 rushing yards. But his lone interception was costly.

“We had an option route with (Makai Polk). He broke in, and I’m thinking it’s catch-and-run,” Doege said of that late-game play. “I just think he kind of got held up and that’s why (Sutton) undercut him.”

His coach agreed.

“I’m pretty certain there was pass interference on (Polk). I didn’t have a challenge left after calling my last timeout,” said Dinwiddie, who praised Doege’s overall performance in his first start as an Argo.

“Just like any young kid, you’re not going to play perfect, but I thought the defence stepped up and gave him a chance to win the game. We’ll grow from it … Jarret is a competitor and the guys rallied around him.”

On the other side, Montreal quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson — the former Argo starting in place of injured Davis Alexander — finished with 228 yards on 18 of 30 attempts and three interceptions.

The D and the L

The Argos managed to keep the turnovers down. In last weekend’s win over Edmonton, they committed six turnovers — the first time since 2017 that a CFL team had turned the ball over more than five times and won.

Argos defensive lineman Anthony Lanier, who recorded four tackles and forced a sack in Friday’s game, said the defence has been locked in for several games. Their last four losses have been fairly close, by a combined 25 points.

“It actually drives you more because, in my mindset, it wasn’t enough,” Lanier said. “You’ve got to keep fighting for it, you’ve got to keep wanting more. Every time that happens, whether it’s another tackle, another stop, another batted pass, whether it’s somewhere you could be covering somebody who’s trying to make a play, it’s always (about) trying to get better.”

The road ahead

Things don’t get any easier for the 5-9 Argos going forward. They’ll play the 7-7 Lions in Vancouver on Friday, then host the East-leading Hamilton Tiger-Cats before ending the season in Saskatchewan and Calgary. All four opponents have better records.

“We’ve got to find a way,” said Dinwiddie, who noted last year’s trip to B.C. was the turning point on the way to a Grey Cup championship. “Our backs are against the wall a little bit, but it doesn’t mean we can’t get it done. Let’s go find a way to play some good football towards the end and find a way to get into the playoffs.”

It’s not clear if Arbuckle or Kelly will be back, but Doege plans to be ready to go.

“I’m excited about the next four games. There’s no quitting in this team,” he said. “I’m going to go and do everything I can to make it right in B.C.”