Argonauts 44, Redblacks 24
Ottawa Redblacks head coach Ryan Dinwiddie was reminded on Saturday afternoon of what he must miss most about living in Toronto.
He was reminded of how good it can be to have Chad Kelly as his quarterback.
Facing his former team for the first time, Dinwiddie watched Kelly have his way with the Redblacks’ defence as Ottawa fell to 0-2 with a 44-24 loss to the Argos in front of 13,943 fans at TD Place.
Dinwiddie made it at least as far as the East Division final in four of his five Canadian Football League seasons as coach of the Argos, with the lone exception being 2025: the year a broken leg sidelined Kelly, and Toronto didn’t even qualify for the playoffs.
Kelly appears to be determined to make up for lost time.
After throwing for 445 yards and three touchdown passes in last week’s loss to the Montreal Alouettes, the 32-year-old nephew of former Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly brought his hot hand into the nation’s capital.
He completed 25 of 32 passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns, although his four interceptions gave the Redblacks hope in the game of catch-up they seemed to be playing all day.
Ottawa actually could have produced an exciting finish, but, with his team trailing by 12 points, Daniel Adeboboye was stopped on a third-down gamble at Toronto’s one-yard line with 2:52 to go.
When the Redblacks got the ball back, Jake Maier threw his second interception of the day into the hands of Benjie Franklin. And, with still a prayer of a comeback, Kalil Pimpleton fumbled a punt to set Toronto up for its final touchdown of the day.
Maier wound up completing 25 of 40 passes for 281 yards, with a touchdown toss and two picks.
Ayden Eberhardt was his top receiver, collecting eight throws for 129 yards and a major.
Still looking for their first win, the Redblacks now face an even more difficult road ahead.
Next week they hit the road to face the Alouettes on June 26, and then they return home to take on the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 3.
The Redblacks improved their season record to 2-0 on coin tosses, but their first possession of the day couldn’t have gone much worse.
After running back Greg Bell’s first touch as a Redblack resulted in a one-yard rushing gain, Maier threw his first interception into the arms of James Caesar.
Kelly capitalized on that turnover, leading the Argos to a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to Makai Polk.
Toronto’s Isaac Darkangelo knocks the ball away from the Redblacks’ Keelan White during the first half.
The Ottawa offence went two-and-out on the next series, but Maier redeemed himself the third time he stepped on the field with an 18-yard scoring toss deep in the end zone to Eberhardt.
But the Argos jumped in front again when Kelly found Dave Ungerer with a 47-yard bomb after rookie defensive back Jeremy Lucien fell while in coverage, then hit Damonte Coxie with a 24-yard TD pass on the next play.
The Redblacks’ defence tightened up after that, although Kelly completed his first 13 passes before being intercepted by Alonzo Addae on Ottawa’s 47-yard line and did throw another TD pass covering nine yards to Tyler Kahmann with 33 seconds left in the half.
In between, Ottawa created another turnover, this one on downs, when Kelly was stopped on a third-down gamble from the one by Nyles Morgan.
Brett Lauther kicked two field goals, including a 49-yarder on the last play of the half, to leave the Redblacks trailing 21-13 at the intermission.
Kelly picked up right where he left off in the second half, throwing a 56-yard bomb to Kevin Mital on the first play from scrimmage. But the Redblacks’ defence again stepped up with C.J. Reavis stopping Sam Hicks to force a 12-yard field goal by Lirim Hajrullahu.
Lauther answered that one right away, connecting on another long (51 yards) field goal, but again Kelly responded.
His second possession of the third quarter was a four-play, 70-yard drive capped by a 17-yard TD toss to Ungerer.
The Redblacks fell further behind the pace Kelly was setting when Maier was stopped on a third-and-one gamble at Ottawa’s 45-yard line.
The Argonauts’ Dave Ungerer holds the ball tight after catching a pass during the first half.
The Redblacks’ CJ Reavis reacts during the first half of the game against the Argonauts on Saturday.
Justin Hardy makes a heart gesture after the Redblacks scored a touchdown against the Argonauts during the first half.
The Redblacks’ Kalil Pimpleton runs with the ball on a kick return during the first half of the game.
Redblacks safety Alonzo Addae celebrates after making an interception during the first half of the game against the Argonauts.
Redblacks defensive lineman Aidan John reacts during the first half of the game against the Argonauts.
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