Saskatchewan Roughriders 24 Toronto Argonauts 13 (August 10, 2007)
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0 commentsKerry Joseph and D.J. Flick made sure Kent Austin's return to Rogers Centre was one worth celebrating.
Joseph's 14-yard touchdown pass to Flick in the fourth quarter earned the Saskatchewan Roughriders a 24-13 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night, ensuring a triumphant return for Austin, the Riders rookie head coach who was fired last season as the Argos offensive co-ordinator. The move came after Austin's offensive prowess helped the Double Blue win the Grey Cup in '04 and allowed quarterback Damon Allen to claim the CFL's outstanding player award the next season.
But Austin wasn't gloating afterwards.
"Every win is special," he said. "It (Toronto) is my former team while Saskatchewan is my team.
"Every game is important. It's not about me, it's about those guys (in Riders locker room)."
Wayne Smith's recovery of a Bashir Levingston fumble on Luca Congi's short 47-yard field goal try set up Flick's touchdown, giving Saskatchewan possession at the Toronto nine-yard line. Following a time-count violation, Kerry Joseph hit Flick, who beat a sprawling Argos defender Kenny Wheaton and ran in untouched at 5:47 to silence a season-high Rogers Centre gathering of 34,234, a figure buoyed by a $5 ticket promotion.
"The ball was like a cupcake and I was ready to dive on it," Smith said.
"A game comes down to four-to-six plays and Wayne made the biggest play of the night," added Austin.
The special-teams gaffe was uncharacteristic of Toronto, which has scored twice off missed field goals this year - with both Levingston and newcomer Dominique Dorsey registering league-record 129-yard returns.
"That's an offensive play for us when teams miss field goals," said Argos head coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons. "A guy who has been very good and very competent made a mistake.
"When you're in this kind of situation it seems guys take turns making mistakes and a lot of times they're veteran guys that you count on."
Still, Clemons offered praise to Austin.
"I've been watching him all year, we've talked all year and exchanged messages," he said. "We talked before the game and I'm really proud of him.
"But I wish he would've lost this one."
Saskatchewan (5-2) earned its third straight win to move into a first-place tie in the West Division with the British Columbia Lions (5-1), who hosted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers later Friday night. Joseph finished 13-of-23 passing for 188 yards and a touchdown while Wes Cates ran for 98 yards on 18 carries.
Joseph said Austin never used his departure from Toronto as a rallying cry this week.
"It was just a regular game," he said. "All week we just prepared as always to try and get a win."
Toronto quarterback Rocky Butler - who along with Dorsey was facing his former team for the first time since being traded this off-season - drove the Argos to Saskatchewan 40-yard line but his fumble was recovered by Riders' end Fred Perry with 1:10 remaining to essentially cement the outcome.
But Butler and Dorsey both played against their former team. Butler, Toronto's fourth different starter this season, finished 23-of-32 passing for 303 yards with a touchdown and an interception versus the CFL's top-ranked defence. Dorsey ran for 67 yards on 14 carries in just his third CFL start at tailback.
"He really gave us a chance," Clemons said of Butler. "He did enough for us to win the game.
"We talked about being sound around him and we weren't. Dominique did a great job running the football and catching the football on screen passes. He's a dynamic player."
Butler spent five years with Saskatchewan before being traded to Hamilton in the off-season, then being released prior to the season and signing last month with Toronto. The former Hofstra star said he felt no pressure facing his former team.
"I felt very comfortable," he said. "There was no pressure, just stand back there and throw the ball.
"We did a lot of great things, we did a lot of bad things. We just didn't play a complete game."
Toronto (2-5) remained third in the East Division, two points ahead of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-5). But they've lost four straight for the first time since 2001.
"We've dug ourselves into a big hole," Clemons said. "But we've been there before and know what it takes to dig ourselves out."
Joseph and Cates had Saskatchewan's other touchdowns. Congi booted the converts and a field goal.
Arland Bruce scored Toronto's touchdown. Noel Prefontaine kicked a convert and two field goals but had another partially blocked.
NOTES: Toronto honoured slotback Derrell Mitchell prior to the start for becoming the club's career receiving leader two weeks ago. Former record holder Paul Masotti took part in the presentation . . . Riders GM Eric Tillman was Toronto's assistant general manager in '97 when the club won its second straight Grey Cup crown . . . Saskatchewan has three players who were taken first overall in the CFL Canadian College Draft in Smith (2004 with Hamilton), defensive lineman Tim Fleiszer ('98 with Hamilton) and tackle Scott Schultz ('01 with the Riders).
cfl.com
Date
August 10, 2007
