Blue Bombers rally to beat visiting Argonauts 31-21

Toronto quarterback Cameron Dukes threw one touchdown pass and ran in another major in his CFL debut as the Argonauts’ record dropped to 12-2.

The rookie got the start in place of Chad Kelly, one of a number of players Toronto rested.

Dukes was replaced by third-stringer Bryan Scott with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Argonauts leading 21-19, but he returned with a minute-and-a-half left.

Dukes completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 231 yards with one touchdown.

Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros was 22-of-33 passing for 258 yards with one TD and one interception.

Castillo made field goals from 26, 33, 49, 48, 41 and 32 yards, but missed a 52-yard attempt. He was good on one convert.

Toronto running back A.J. Ouellette and receiver Damonte Coxie caught TD passes for Toronto. Boris Bede connected on field goals from 19 and 32 yards, made two converts and added a punt single.

The Argonauts led 14-7 after the first quarter, 17-13 at halftime and 18-16 after the third.

The Bombers opened the game with a methodical nine-play, 69-yard touchdown drive that ended with a dump pass to Oliveira, who pushed off some defenders as he ran five yards into the end zone at 5:24.

Toronto responded with a six-play, 73-yard drive that was capped by Ouellette’s 28-yard catch-and-run TD at 8:44.

The Argonauts went up 14-7 with two minutes left in the opening quarter when Dukes connected with Coxie for a 46-yard reception. Dukes then ran five yards for the major.

After a pair of Castillo field goals squeezed the score to 14-13, the Bombers were at Toronto’s 15-yard line with a minute left when the Argos forced an Oliveira fumble. The ball was recovered by defensive back Royce Metchie and the turnover led to Bede’s 19-yarder as time expired.

Castillo’s 52-yard field-goal attempt hit the crossbar and bounced out four minutes into the third, but he made a 49-yarder with 1:31 left to make it 18-16.

After Bede was good on a 32-yard field goal 35 seconds into the fourth quarter, Collaros was intercepted.

Toronto running back Deonta McMahon then fumbled and Winnipeg defensive back Deatrick Nichols recovered the ball, leading to Castillo’s 48-yarder for a 21-19 score.

Prukop’s two-yard TD run was followed by an unsuccessful two-point convert pass by Collaros.

Scott threw a pair of incompletions in Toronto’s next series, giving Winnipeg the ball back.

NOTES

Winnipeg defensive back Demerio Houston was injured in the second quarter and didn’t return. … The Bombers’ third consecutive sellout of the season was the first time the club has sold out three games in a season since IG Field opened in 2013. … Former Winnipeg star back Andrew Harris was shown on the Jumbotron in his street clothes along the Toronto sideline before the game. The crowd gave the injured running back a standing ovation as his accomplishments were listed. Harris signed with Toronto in 2022, but it was the first time his new team had played in his hometown.

UP NEXT

The Bombers travel to Vancouver to play the B.C. Lions on Oct. 6. The Argonauts are home to the Edmonton Elk the same night.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Blue Bombers rally to beat visiting Argonauts 31-21

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