Eskimos 41 Argonauts 26
TORONTO — Trevor Harris threw three TD passes and ran for two others to earn the Edmonton Eskimos a 41-26 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.
Harris completed 28-of-41 passes for 420 yards, his 22nd straight game with 20 or more completions. That’s two short of the CFL record held by former Eskimo-Argo Ricky Ray.
Toronto pulled to within 34-26 on McLeod Bethel-Thompson’s 28-yard TD pass to Brandon Burks at 5:24 of the fourth. But Harris’s one-yard TD run at 11:44 put Edmonton ahead 41-26.
Edmonton (6-3) earned a third straight win over the Argos and seventh in nine contests. But it was the club’s first victory in Toronto since 2016.
Greg Ellingson had 10 catches for 170 yards and two TDs for Edmonton. DaVaris Daniels added five receptions for 155 yards.
Toronto (1-7) was chasing a second straight home win. It beat Winnipeg 28-27 in its last contest Aug. 1.
Harris, who began his CFL career with Toronto in 2012, found Ellingson on a 10-yard TD pass at 13:24 of the third before Sean Whyte’s 13-yard field goal at 4:48 of the fourth put Edmonton ahead 34-19.
Toronto got its first TD of the game on Bethel-Thompson’s one-yard scoring strike to S.J. Green at 6:13 of the third. The 83-yard, nine-play drive cut Edmonton’s lead to 24-19.
Bethel-Thompson was 19-of-26 passing for 200 yards and two TDs before a BMO Field gathering of 16,490 on the opening day of the CNE. It marked the first time in three home games Toronto announced its home attendance.
Edmonton defeated Toronto 26-0 on July 25 at Commonwealth Stadium. It was the Eskimos’ first shutout win since 2014 and marked the first time since ‘09 the Argos hadn’t scored a point in a game.
Toronto running back James Wilder Jr., was a healthy scratch, prompting speculation the 2017 CFL top rookie is on the trade block. Coincidentally, on the Argos first offensive play Burks reeled off a 29-yard run.
It was Toronto’s longest run of the season and helped the Argos open the scoring with a field goal.
Ricky Collins Jr., had Edmonton’s other touchdown. Whyte added the converts and two field goals.
Toronto’s Tyler Crapigna had four field goals and two converts.
Whyte’s 15-yard field goal with no time left staked Edmonton to a 24-12 lead in an entertaining first half. It came after Crapigna connected from 32 yards out — his fourth of the half — at 14:22.
Harris was a stellar 14-of-22 passing for 243 yards and two TDs in the first half as Edmonton accumulated 276 yards. Toronto actually had the ball longer (16 minutes 31 seconds) and posted 181 yards.
Both teams scored on their first three first-half drives. But while Edmonton capped its lengthy marches with TDs, Toronto settled for field goals.
Harris’s four-yard touchdown strike to Collins Jr., at 11:37 of the second put Edmonton ahead 21-9. Crapigna’s 20-yard field goal at 5:34 pulled Toronto to within 14-9 after Harris scored on a one-yard run at 14:42 of the first.
Crapigna’s 27-yard field goal at 5:23 came after a promising Toronto drive stalled with consecutive sacks by Edmonton. Harris then hit Ellingson on a four-yard TD pass at 8:09.
Crapigna’s 42-yard boot at 11:53 pulled Toronto to within 7-6 after opening the scoring with a 27-yard field goal at 5:23.