CFL Playoffs: Argonauts return to East finals with 58-38 win over Redblacks

Quarterback Chad Kelly threw for four touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Toronto Argonauts to a 58-38 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks in the East Division semifinals on Saturday.

Ottawa’s last-minute touchdown allowed the teams to tie the CFL playoff record of 96 total points, set when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Montreal Alouettes in the 2011 East Division semi-finals.

Kelly’s heroics propelled the Argonauts to their fourth straight appearance in the Eastern final. They will face defending Gray Cup champion Alouettes in Montreal next Saturday.

Redblacks defensive back Drew Brown set CFL playoff records with 46 completions and 61 pass attempts.

He threw for three touchdowns, 476 yards and two interceptions. The visitors qualified for the knockout stages for the first time since 2018, but the semi-final defeat handed them six defeats in their last seven matches.

Kelly finished with 358 passing yards, completing 18 of 20 in front of 18,060 at BMO Field. He also rushed for 29 yards on two carries.

Kelly’s fourth touchdown, a 13-yard completion to Jake Herslow, came with 2:56 left in the fourth quarter.

Ottawa quarterback Dustin Crum scored on a one-yard run after the Argonauts’ defense had held the goal line on the previous two plays, rallying the Redblacks to within nine points with 8:16 left.

Trailing by three points at halftime, Toronto scored two touchdowns midway through the third quarter to take a 34-23 lead.

Kelly hit Davaris Daniels for his second touchdown, this time from nine yards out. The drive was set up by a 15 yard rush down the middle from Kelly. The Argonauts’ quarterback was coached by Redblacks linebacker Frankie Griffin, resulting in an unnecessary 15-yard roughing penalty.

Kelly expressed his displeasure, but was forced to leave the game due to concussion protocol.

He returned three plays later for his third touchdown.

On the Argonauts’ next drive, Kelly found Makai Polk for a 57-yard bomb. Three plays later, Kelly rushed forward for a 15-yard score.

Ottawa’s Lewis Ward made his fourth field goal of the day, this time from 42 yards, and the third quarter ended with Toronto leading 34–26.

The Argonauts responded with two interceptions and a touchdown in the final three minutes.

The Redblacks had the ball 24-11 in the first half but went into the locker room leading 23-20, settling for three goals from Ward from 17, 20 and 17 yards.

Ottawa jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. After Ward’s first field goal, Brown found Braylon Addison for a four-yard touchdown.

Brown was an impressive 26 of 31 for 256 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.

Toronto’s Lirim Khairullahu was good from 44 yards out as time expired in the first quarter, but Lewis came back to restore Ottawa’s 10-point lead.

Two rushing touchdowns in the second quarter gave the Argonauts a 17-16 lead. Kelly hit Polk for 70 yards and Daniels for 41 yards. Polk finished with 158 yards on four receptions.

Brown rallied the Redblacks for a touchdown late in the half, capping it with an eight-yard pass to cornerback Jaylon Acklin.

But Ottawa’s fumbled kickoff gave the Argonauts the ball at the Redblacks’ 46-yard line, giving Khairullah a chance to convert his 53-yard attempt as the first half expired.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.