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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers squandered a 14-point lead and lost 30-28 to the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, falling apart in the second half in front of a sold-out crowd at Princess Auto Stadium. The defeat handed Toronto their fourth consecutive victory and moved the Argonauts to 9-6 on the season.
Strong Start Fades Quickly
The game began on an unusual note. Kicker Sergio Castillo missed a 45-yard field goal attempt, and former Bomber Janarion Grant returned the missed kick 128 yards for a touchdown. Despite that early setback, the Bombers took firm control of the first quarter.
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Quarterback Dru Brown connected with Tim White on a 22-yard touchdown pass. He then added a six-yard rushing touchdown on the very next drive. Early in the second quarter, Brown found rookie receiver Dorian Singer for a 17-yard score, pushing the lead to 21-7. Singer had an impressive outing, finishing with 113 yards on six catches in just his third career start.
However, the Argonauts responded midway through the second quarter. Chad Kelly, the CFL leader in passing yards and touchdowns, launched a 56-yard strike to a wide-open Tyler Kahmann. That cut the Bombers’ lead to seven heading into halftime.
Toronto Takes Over in the Second Half
The Argonauts kept the momentum going early in the third quarter. Kelly hit Damonte Coxie for an 84-yard touchdown to tie the game. Kelly also threw two interceptions, bringing his season total to 24, which leads the league. Still, his 290 passing yards made him the first quarterback to surpass 5,000 passing yards this season.
Winnipeg’s offence went scoreless in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Liam Hajrullahu kicked a 19-yard field goal to give Toronto the lead. The Bombers briefly regained the advantage when short-yardage quarterback Bryce Perkins turned a third-down sneak into a stunning 76-yard touchdown run.
Nevertheless, that proved to be Winnipeg’s final highlight. Toronto trimmed the deficit to one with another field goal. After the Bombers went three-and-out, the Argonauts drove down the field and set up Hajrullahu for a go-ahead 36-yard field goal with just 29 seconds remaining. Brown then threw his second interception of the game on the final drive, sealing the win for Toronto.
Oliveira Shines Despite Team Struggles
The Bombers struggled to protect Brown throughout the game. He took four sacks on the night. In contrast, the offensive line performed much better in the running game. Running back Brady Oliveira, the league’s leading rusher, carried the ball 18 times for 139 yards. That marked his best single-game rushing total of the season.
Winnipeg also suffered a defensive blow during the game. Defensive end Jake Ceresna left with what appeared to be a foot injury and did not return to the field.
The Bombers now turn their attention to the road. Next up, Winnipeg travels to face the East Division-leading Montreal Alouettes on Saturday, October 3, with kickoff scheduled for just after 6 p.m.
